Roman Sponsors
who were the sponsors
During the early days, when the combats were held in funerary context, it was the family of the deceased who sponsored the gladiators.
Soon, public officials took charge of sponsoring them for festivals.
It’s important to note here that in Rome, entry to the games was free. It was a citizen’s right to see the games, not a luxury. So as the games drew great crowds, politicians began sponsoring gladiatorial combats as a way of pleasing the electorate. The games offered the politicians extravagantly expensive but effective opportunities for self-promotion, and gave their clients and potential voters exciting entertainment at little or no cost.
Soon, public officials took charge of sponsoring them for festivals.
It’s important to note here that in Rome, entry to the games was free. It was a citizen’s right to see the games, not a luxury. So as the games drew great crowds, politicians began sponsoring gladiatorial combats as a way of pleasing the electorate. The games offered the politicians extravagantly expensive but effective opportunities for self-promotion, and gave their clients and potential voters exciting entertainment at little or no cost.
Benifits of sponsorship
For a gladiator who died in combat, it was possible for the trainer to charge the sponsor of the fatal spectacle up to a hundred times the cost of a gladiator who survived.
That is why it was a great deal costlier for sponsors to supply the bloodshed that audiences often demanded, although if they did allow a gladiator to be slain it was seen as a sign of their generosity.
political careers and the popularity of the sponsors depended on the success of the games. The more spectacular the games meant the more popular the sponsors were. After all, the Romans loved to be surprised. Different, exotic animals on display during gladiatorial games supplied the novelty that the Romans craved. The animals also reminded the spectators of the distant lands that had been conquered by Rome.
That is why it was a great deal costlier for sponsors to supply the bloodshed that audiences often demanded, although if they did allow a gladiator to be slain it was seen as a sign of their generosity.
political careers and the popularity of the sponsors depended on the success of the games. The more spectacular the games meant the more popular the sponsors were. After all, the Romans loved to be surprised. Different, exotic animals on display during gladiatorial games supplied the novelty that the Romans craved. The animals also reminded the spectators of the distant lands that had been conquered by Rome.
There is archaeological evidence of advertisements for gladiatorial displays at Pompeii, which were painted by professional sign-writers on house-fronts, or on the walls of tombs clustered outside the city-gates. The number of gladiators to be displayed was a key attraction: the larger the figure, the more generous the sponsor was perceived to be, and the more glamorous the spectacle.
Emperors and politicians were the ones responsible for the gladiator battles being held.
This meant that Roman gladiator sponsors were some of the most rich and powerful people in Rome.
The games sponsor was the one that decided the gladiator’s fate, after asking the public how well he had fought. In the presence of the Emperor, the judgment belonged to him, but otherwise it rested with the games sponsor. Usually, the sponsor would spare the loser as he had to cover the cost of the replacement.
The games also had a political purpose. The sponsor provided the games free of cost for the attendees. The more spectacular the games, the greater the enjoyment of the 'mob' and the greater the popularity of the man who had sponsored the games. The sponsor of the gladiatorial games was called the Munerarius (Editor or Editores). During the period of the Republic a wealthy and ambitious politician would 'buy' the votes of people, and increase the standing of his family, by sponsoring games. Anti-corruption laws of 65 and 63 BCE attempted but signally failed to curb the political usefulness of gladiator games to sponsors. Throughout the Empire era the greatest and most celebrated games would now be identified with the state-sponsored Imperial cult, which furthered public recognition, respect and approval for the Emperor, his law, and his agents.
The games also had a political purpose. The sponsor provided the games free of cost for the attendees. The more spectacular the games, the greater the enjoyment of the 'mob' and the greater the popularity of the man who had sponsored the games. The sponsor of the gladiatorial games was called the Munerarius (Editor or Editores). During the period of the Republic a wealthy and ambitious politician would 'buy' the votes of people, and increase the standing of his family, by sponsoring games. Anti-corruption laws of 65 and 63 BCE attempted but signally failed to curb the political usefulness of gladiator games to sponsors. Throughout the Empire era the greatest and most celebrated games would now be identified with the state-sponsored Imperial cult, which furthered public recognition, respect and approval for the Emperor, his law, and his agents.