Gladiators: Rome’s Violent Past: Teacher’s Guide
Grade Level: 8-12
Curriculum Focus: Ancient History
Lesson Duration: One to two class periods
Program Description
Gladiators in ancient Rome were used as military tools and for entertainment. See how gladiators
lived, fought, and died in the arena. This program tells the story of how gladiator fights were tools
of political power, and how the Romans devastated the wildlife population across Europe to
maintain this brutal sport.
Onscreen Questions
Before watching the video
•
Think about the nature and purpose of ancient Rome’s gladiator events. As you watch the
program, note the numbers of people and animals involved in the brutal contests.
•
Think about why the Roman government saw it necessary to sponsor such spectacles on a large
scale.
After watching the video
•
The Romans considered it their mission to control the barbarians and the wilderness. Analyze
how cultures have tried to control and civilize neighboring cultures. Explain your answers.
Lesson Plan
Student Objectives
•
Discuss the role of public entertainment in ancient Rome.
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Imagine themselves as a participant at a gladiator games at the Roman Colosseum.
•
Write a personal account of the games.
Materials
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Computer with Internet access
•
Print resources about the Roman Empire and the gladiator games
Gladiators: Rome’s Violent Past: Teacher’s Guide
2
Procedures
1. Discuss the role of public entertainment in ancient Rome. Explain that life was difficult for most
Romans, who made up the lower class. Because they lived in poverty, Rome’s emperor
provided free food. Held in large arenas or amphitheaters, gladiator games and chariot races
provided public entertainment. The Colosseum, still standing today, was one such arena.
2. Explain to students that their assignment is to imagine themselves in ancient Rome. The
emperor has declared a public holiday and ordered gladiator games to take place in the
Colosseum. Students should use the Internet and print resources to research the gladiator
games and the Roman Colosseum. They will write a personal account of the games from the
point of view of a spectator, the emperor, a “lanista” (an owner of the gladiators), or a gladiator
himself. The accounts must answer the following questions:
•
Describe the Colosseum.
•
Describe the gladiator. What type of gladiator is he? How do you know? (What is he
wearing? What type of weapons is he using?)
•
Describe what happened during the event. Who or what other than the gladiator was
present?
•
Describe the spectators. How do they react? How many are in the arena? What role do
they play?
•
Where is the emperor? What role does he play in the games?
•
Describe the life and training of the gladiator.
3. The following Web sites provide helpful information:
•
The Gladiator
http://ablemedia.com/ctcweb/consortium/gladiators.html
•
Roman Gladiatorial Games
http://depthome.brooklyn.cuny.edu/classics/gladiatr/
•
Gladiator: History and Times
http://www.murphsplace.com/gladiator/glads.html
•
Roman Colosseum
http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Roman_Colosseum.html
•
Rome: Colosseum
http://www.kent.k12.wa.us/curriculum/soc_studies/rome/Colosseum.html
•
The Colosseum of Ancient Rome
http://www.eliki.com/ancient/civilizations/roman/
4. Have students share their accounts with the class. How are the perspectives different? What
have they learned about the people of ancient Rome from the gladiator games?
Published by Discovery Education. © 2005. All rights reserved.
Gladiators: Rome’s Violent Past: Teacher’s Guide
3
Assessment
Use the following three-point rubric to evaluate students’ work during this lesson.
•
3 points: Students were highly engaged in class discussions; created clear and detailed
accounts of the gladiator games that provided many facts about the lives of gladiators and
the Roman Colosseum.
•
2 points: Students participated in class discussions; wrote adequate accounts of the
gladiator games that included some facts about the lives of gladiators and the Roman
Colosseum.
•
1 point: Students participated minimally in class discussions; wrote incomplete accounts of
the gladiator games that included few or no facts about the lives of gladiators and the
Roman Colosseum.
Vocabulary
barbarians
Definition: To Romans, any group of people living outside the Roman world, usually on the
fringes of the empire
Context: When barbarians defeated the Roman Empire and occupied the cities, they put an end
to the gladiator games.
empire
Definition: A major political unit with a large territory under one ruler
Context: The gladiator games were meant to reflect the major conquests of the Roman Empire.
gladiator
Definition: A man who participated in fights held in public arenas in ancient Rome
Context: Although most gladiators were criminals, prisoners, or slaves, some were free men who
volunteered.
lanista
Definition: One who owns and trains gladiators
Context: A lanista often bought slaves to participate in the gladiator games.
ludus
Definition: A school for gladiators, where they lived and trained
Context: At a ludus, gladiators learned how to use many types of weapons, such as swords,
daggers, nets, and tridents.
Published by Discovery Education. © 2005. All rights reserved.
Gladiators: Rome’s Violent Past: Teacher’s Guide
4
munus
Definition: A game held in honor of someone who has died; given as a gift by the person’s
descendents
Context: A munus could be held every year or every five years.
Academic Standards
Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL)
McREL's Content Knowledge: A Compendium of Standards and Benchmarks for K-12 Education
addresses 14 content areas. To view the standards and benchmarks, visit link:
http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/browse.asp
This lesson plan addresses the following national standards:
•
History—World History: Understands how Aegean civilization emerged and how
interrelations developed among peoples of the Eastern Mediterranean and Southwest Asia
from 600 to 200 BCE
•
Language Arts—Writing: Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process,
Gathers and uses information for research purposes
The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS)
NCSS has developed national guidelines for teaching social studies. To become a member of NCSS,
or to view the standards online, go to http://www.socialstudies.org
This lesson plan addresses the following thematic standards:
•
Culture
•
People, Places, and Environments
•
Power, Authority, and Governance
Support Materials
Develop custom worksheets, educational puzzles, online quizzes, and more with the free teaching tools
offered on the Discoveryschool.com Web site. Create and print support materials, or save them to a
Custom Classroom account for future use. To learn more, visit
•
http://school.discovery.com/teachingtools/teachingtools.html
Published by Discovery Education. © 2005. All rights reserved.