Original artifacts from ancient Roman gladiators are on display to the public in a new exhibition at the Museum of Civilization. Gladiators: Heroes of the Coliseum aims to raise awareness of the daily lives of these great fighters, their way of life, but also the admiration they were able to inspire among viewers of the time.
The exhibition was presented in several cities around the world and enriched its content as it traveled. Six Italian museums and two German museums contributed to the compilation of unique pieces. Nicolas Gauvin, program director of the Musée de la Civilization, is proud of the collaboration with these European museums.
He believes it is a great opportunity for the museum to offer this to visitors.
A total of 160 unique pieces make up the body of this exhibition. Several experts from the Roman era were involved in its development, including Dr. Rossella Rea, archaeologist and former director of the Colosseum in Rome.
The daily life of gladiators
Gladiator films often contain large fight scenes. In Gladiators: Heroes of the Colosseum, visitors learn more about their code of life, their fighting sets, their training, but also about their motivations behind this popular culture that was firmly anchored in ancient Rome.
Being a gladiator was a way of life. They knew popularity. It was a way to get noticed [dans la société]adds Nicolas Gauvin.
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Dagger from the gladiator barracks of Pompeii. It dates back to the 1st century AD. It is made of bronze, iron and ivory.
Photo: Contemporanea Progetti
At that time, the Colosseum in Rome was the main amphitheater of the conflicts that took place before the eyes of the emperors. There were therefore hierarchical structures between gladiators. The crowd had a big influence on these fighters.
Among the exhibits, the audience can also see helmets, leggings and weapons used in the arena. The rarer items include surgical instruments for wound treatment as well as everyday objects such as lamps or oil bottles.
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Bas-relief by Campana depicting a circus scene with wild animals. This plaque dates from the end of the 1st century BC. BC (August period).
Photo: Contemporanea Progetti
An interactive exhibition
A room will be set up where visitors can dress in gladiator costumes and accessories or even try out fighting techniques. Several multimedia devices will enrich your visit.
The exhibition opens on June 21st and can be seen until September 22nd.