Gladiators, Heroes of the Colosseum
Forever immortalized in the popular imagination, the gladiator locked in mortal combat for the entertainment of the crowds in the Colosseum is a perpetually irresistible figure to a large spectrum of audience. Many are aware of the life and death theatrics, but few know of the behind-the-scenes intricacies of this particular world of specialization, training, discipline, regulation, peril, but also hope of fame, redemption, even wealth and freedom.
Featuring spectacular set design, each section is designed to tell the story of two protagonists, interwoven by destiny: the gladiators and the Colosseum, that colossal, complex structure that was the stage upon which their fate was determined.
In collaboration with Ph.D. Rossella Rea, former Director of the Colosseum in Rome, this large-scale international exhibition aims to illustrate this compelling and fascinating world in its myriad of complexities. Traditional exhibition methods, such as the display of original objects drawing from prestigious Italian museums like the Arcaheological National Museum of Naples, the Archaeological Park of Paestum or the Roman National Museum in Rome, never exhibited before outside of Italy, are combined with modern replicas based on rigorous scientific documentation, cutting-edge interactive technology, suggestive graphics and other multimedia devices and applications.
Themes
- Origins of Gladiator Shows
- Who Were the Gladiators?
- The Colosseum and the Roman Empire
- Gladiator Types
- One Day at the Arena
Contents
- + 100 Archaeological Objects, including: helmets and armours, high-reliefs, painted slabs, architectural elements
- Authentic Replicas
- Interpretive Graphic Panels
- Video&Multimedia
- Catalogue
Relevance
The first international travelling exhibition developed in collaboration the Colosseum in Rome, featuring extraordinary original artifacts from prestigious museums never exhibited before outside of Italy.
550.000 visitors during the first European tour!
Size
400-1000 sq.mt
Exhibition Views
Original artworks
Helmet of a Thraex
50–79 CE
Bronze
Spearhead
50–79 CE
Bronze
Decorated Balustrade Section
3rd century CE
Marble
Duelling for the Dead
350 BCE
Travertine stone with painted surface
Bronze Greaves
50–79 CE
Bronze
Bust of Vespasian
1st century CE
Marble
Hunt in the Arena
2nd century CE
Marble
Animal Fight with a Female Gladiator
2nd century CE
Mosaic
Wall Painting with Gladiator Weapons
1st century CE
Plaster and painted surface
Provocatores in Combat
30 BCE
Marble