EntertainmentEmpire

 **Roman Entertainment** Romans of all classes loved entertainment. It is true different classes of people in Rome liked different types of entertainment but everybody enjoyed it. The slaves and freed men had their own ways of entertainment while the rich and elites in the society liked other types of entertainment. Romans loved to entertain one another and to watch it and they entertainment played an important role in their lives.

Freed men and slaves loved chariot races and gladiator fights. Chariot Races and gladiator fights were a way for them to enjoy after a long day of work. Chariot Races were normally held in the Circus Maximus, which was a huge, oval shaped stadium. The races generally where for 7 laps and as many as 12 chariots could race at one time. As time went on the Romans even made different teams and supported them similar to fans of different teams today. Mostly Roman masses watched chariot races because the elites thought this behavior was childish. (Deviller Donegan)
 * Chariot Races**

Another type of entertainment mostly for the Roman masses was gladiator fights. Gladiator fights first started out as a funeral ritual by the Etruscans and later where used as an exhibit in memory of the dead and finally it turned into public shows. ( Deviller Donegan) The gladiator fights were usually held in the amphitheaters of the cities and large audiences would come out to watch the fights. While the fights were going on bands would also play to a frenzied crescendo. Many times a gladiator would be killed or the executions of prisoners of war, or even fights between humans and people. (Deviller Donegan) As for the elite members of the society they loved to entertain and host parties. The more parties and the more exotic food it made the host look like a richer person. They had a lot of wine and food, but the standard of food one got depended on their social level in society. (Valerie Hope)
 * Gladiator Fights**
 * Entertainment for Elites**

 **Theatrical Performances** Another activate the Romans enjoyed were theatrical performances. They even had 101 days of festival games in the theater. Some of the plays were written by Romans and other were serious plays modeled after Greek drama. Along with plays they liked productions made by mimes and pantomime. The mimes and pantomimes generally based their acts on everyday lives of the common people. Another form of theatrical performances generally for the masses was singing. ( Simon and Schuster Macmillan p.85)

Donegan, Devillier. "Chariot Race". PBS. 10/3/08 . Donegan, Devillier. "Gladiators ". PBS. 10/3/08 . Donegan, Devillier. "Life in Roman Times ". PBS. 10/3/08 . Gill, N.S.. "Cheating During the Ancient Olympics". 10/3/08 . "Hats". Dooleys. 10/3/08 . Hope, Valerie. "Social Pecking Order in the Roman World". BBC. 10/3/08 http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/social_structure_01.shtml . Macmillan, Simon, and Schuster Macmillan. __Ancient Greece and Rome__. New York : Visual Education Corporation, 1998. 
 * Work Cited**