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View Full Version : Honorius decides otherwise

Keenir
August 16th, 2006, 06:03 AM
What if Honorius, Emperor of the Roman Empire, hadn't decided to get rid of the gladiatorial games? (did I understand that right, that in OTL he got rid of the games?)

After all, the reputed reason for his banning the games -- because a fellow Christian (who the Emperor didn't know personally) jumped from the seats to the sands to stop the games -- seems a bit odd...how many other things did the Romans abandon whole-hog because one person (who may or may not be mentally unbalanced to begin with) tried to stop it?


thoughts?
Fabilius
August 16th, 2006, 06:03 PM
Well the fact that someone sacrificed his life in order to stop the match probably shows how strong the opposition to them was getting.

Reminds me of environmentalists today:p

Anyway, christians were against them generally, they were connected to the pagan past of Rome and they were also quite cruel and didnīt fit to the new social, moral values that were starting to get in shape.

Still, if something changes I could imagine some form of gladitorship continuing. Maybe fake one? No real blood but fighting, as in acting... Prowrestling anyone?:D

People always need some sort of entertainment. Just as long as itīs socially acceptable.
Aldroud
August 16th, 2006, 07:28 PM
Well...that and being tossed to the lions as part of the matinee might turn you off to the whole thing.
HueyLong
August 16th, 2006, 07:40 PM
Well the fact that someone sacrificed his life in order to stop the match probably shows how strong the opposition to them was getting.

Reminds me of environmentalists today:p

Anyway, christians were against them generally, they were connected to the pagan past of Rome and they were also quite cruel and didnīt fit to the new social, moral values that were starting to get in shape.

Still, if something changes I could imagine some form of gladitorship continuing. Maybe fake one? No real blood but fighting, as in acting... Prowrestling anyone?:D

People always need some sort of entertainment. Just as long as itīs socially acceptable.

There were a lot of non-lethal gladiator games, and some of them continued spontaneously after the Empire fell.