Rome: Leisure, entertainment and work

Ancient Rome is well known for its public entertainment. Three

examples of public entertainment were gladiator contests, chariot-
racing and plays. These were held in huge buildings.
Gladiator contests were held in amphitheatres. The Colosseum in
Rome could old over 50,000 spectators. Gladiators were slaves or
criminals who were forced to fight other gladiators or animals such
as bulls, bears and lions for the entertainment of the audience. They
used swords, nets, tridents, shields and daggers. They usually
fought, to the death. Successful gladiators got prizes of large sums
of money but often died soon after.
The most popular sport was chariot-racing, which took place the
Circus Maximus. Four teams – red, blue, green and white – raced
against each other seven times around the central spine. Champion
charioteers became rich and famous.
Plays were held in open air theatres, which were semi-circular in
shape. The audience got involved in the play by clapping, booing
and hissing.
The Romans went to the baths each day in the early afternoon.
There were three different types of bathing room – the tepidarium,
the caldarium and the frigidarium. There was also an exercise yard
and a library.
Farming was the most important occupation in the Roman Empire.
Over 75 percent of people lived in the countryside. In the cities and
towns, rich Romans did not work, though some became generals in
the army or senators. Architects and doctors came from the
educated middle classes. Poorer Romans worked as craftsmen or
shopkeepers. Many people worked for the government to run the
empire. These people included tax collectors and soldiers. Victorious
generals often became leaders of the empire. In the first century ad,
the roman army had 150,000 soldiers, divided into 30 legions. A
legion was a group of about 5,000 soldiers. The legions were divided
into centuries, groups of 100 men, led by a centurion.