Gladiator bones found in Turkey

Gladiator bones found

Now this is really great, ive always admired gladiators since reading about them as a kid. Also we can learn lots more about the roman way of life from back then.

The remains were found at Ephesus in Turkey, a major city of the Roman world, BBC Timewatch reports.

Gladiators were the sporting heroes of the ancient world. Archaeological records show them celebrated in everything from mosaics to graffiti.

I am surprised that it has taken this long to find Gladiator's bones when Turkey was a Major city of Rome, it should be more finds by this time.

I guess now that this one has been found more will come from the digs that probably will be done in the area.

I had a problem with the bbc.co.uk link,
but on the 2nd time, i got through allright

it seems it was a graveyard for the gladiators,
& 99% of them were losers...many of them drawing the crowds ire
for being kludsy fighters or showing no fighting class or skill

and an executioner went about killing the non-performers

The dig so far has only uncovered one grave of a 'retired' gladiator
who evidently went on to live until old age as a teacher/instructor for the new recruit gladiators.

i think some mention should have been made about the archeology dig
returning the bones & giving a respectful re-burial...even if the gladiators had their Roman Pantheon of Gods as their belief system,


isn't that city, Ephesius? a early christian place or something

Well Turkey isnt that small so i would imagine that it does take a while to find something.

Ephesus

The city was distinguished for the Temple of Artemis (Diana, who had her chief shrine there), for Library of Celsus, and for its theatre, capable of holding 25,000 spectators. This open-air theatre was used initially for drama, but during later Roman times gladiatorial combats were also held on its stage.

Ephesus was an important center for early Christianity. Paul used it as a base. He became embroiled in a dispute with artisans, whose livelihood depended on the Temple of Artemis there (Acts 19:23–41), and wrote 1 Corinthians from Ephesus. Later Paul wrote to the Christian community at Ephesus.

Well it does seem to have been a rather major city in ancient times along with that Temple of Artemis.

[edit on 2-5-2007 by Fett Pinkus]

i would have liked to have hookd up with one of them