Aspendos Gladiator School
- Image via Wikipedia
The Aspendos Gladiator School is planning to train Turkish oil wrestlers to re-enact the gladiator fights of ancient Rome in the southern Province of Antalya.
The school is in the Serik district, which is also home to the ancient theater of Aspendos. The school covers 300 square meters near the site of the ancient theater and is expected to be open by the end of May.
Students will receive basic acting training to re-enact the gladiator fights and the chariot races of ancient times. Handmade costumes and weapons will be used during the shows, and there will be an 800-person spectator hall built to match Roman architectural tradition. There will also be a Roman market in the arena.
The school’s administrator, Ali Akay, said the spectators would also be provided with outfits of the time to increase the ambience, adding that the gladiators who will take part in the shows are set to begin horse-riding training in the next few days.
“We have 16 horses. Up to now, we have spent almost 300,000 Turkish Liras, and we are still holding auditions for gladiator candidates. They are supposed to be well built, and therefore we believe the best candidates will be Turkish oil wrestlers. We have already offered the roles to our local wrestlers, and we are waiting for the results.”
Akay also said 40 people will take part in the shows, which will be composed of many traditional Roman games. “We will re-enact the gladiator spirit in Anatolia with the shows we produce. Of course, we have commercial concerns, but our main motive is our love for and interest in history.”
via Local wrestlers to be trained as gladiators in south Turkey | Hurriyet Daily News.
… I guess these folks can have competitions from the gang at Regensburg who are Gladiating Through University … not sure ‘costumes’ is the right word to describe what they wear …
Oh Noes! Mortar Falling Off Colosseum!
- Image by xiquinhosilva via Flickr
A brief AP report is making the rounds detailing something of concern about the Colosseum. Here’s the incipit of a representative piece from the Globe:
Rome archaeology officials say three chunks of mortar have fallen off from the Colosseum but that no one was hurt and tourist visits will go on as normal.
The pieces, covering a total of about a square meter about 10 square feet, occurred about 6 a.m. Sunday, hours before the ancient arena opens to the public.
Archaeology official Roberto Cecchi said the area involved was already scheduled for maintenance and will be further inspected on Monday.
via Chunks of mortar fall off Rome’s Colosseum – Boston.com.
… the Colosseum remains open. I guess they’ll add this to the list of things to take care of with their ‘big restoration plans’ …
More coverage:
- Chunks of mortar fall off Rome’s Colosseum | AP
- Chunks fall off Rome’s Colosseum | News24
- Chunks of mortar fall off Rome’s Colosseum | Chronicle
Akropolis World News
… in Classical Greek:
Citanda: OSU at Isthmia
Mostly about student involvement in the dig:
AIA e-Reviews
| Culling some items from an AIA newsletter:
From Paris to Pompeii: French Romanticism and the Cultural Politics of Archaeology Ancient Bodies, Ancient Lives: Sex, Gender, and Archaeology New Directions in the Skeletal Biology of Greece Lessons Learned: Reflecting on the Theory and Practice of Mosaic Conservation. Proceedings of the 9th ICCM Conference, Hammamet, Tunisia, November 29December 3, 2005 Warriors and Weapons in Bronze Age Europe Knossos and the Prophets of Modernism The People of Knossos: Prosopographical Studies in the Knossos Linear B Archives Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum. France 41. Louvre 27: Céramique attique archaïque, goblets mastoids à figures noires et rouges Ayios Stephanos: Excavations at a Bronze Age and Medieval Settlement in Southern Laconia Thracians and Their Neighbours: Their Destiny, Art and Heritage Textile Production in Pre-Roman Italy Votives, Places and Rituals in Etruscan Religion: Studies in Honor of Jean MacIntosh Turfa Romes Cultural Revolution La céramique romaine dArgos: Fin du IIe siècle avant J.-C.fin du IVe siècle après J.-C. PoseidoniaPaestum. Vol. 5, Les maisons romaines de lîlot nord Museum Reviews Roma: La Pittura di un Impero |
Citanda: Museums and Plunder
An excerpt from a nice little essay/reviewish sort of thing on the whole ‘plundering antiquities for museums’ issue:
For as long as these questions have been debated, it’s unlikely we’ll find an answer any time soon. In 70 B.C., Cicero condemned Gaius Verres, the Roman governor of Sicily, for his voracious appetite for artwork and precious metals. Verres plundered far and wide and horded his stash in his private home. He stole from his guests, he stole from his hosts, he stole from religious shrines. Cicero wasn’t rankled simply by the theft (nor by Verres’ habit of beheading people who could possibly report on his crimes and mistakes). It was, as Miles puts it, that “an elaborate bejeweled lamp-stand, previously dedicated to Jupiter, should not be used to illuminate Verres’s dinner parties… [Verres's theft was] compounded by its indecorous use.” While private ownership of art didn’t really begin until the second century B.C., removing important works of art from the public view to decorate your own home was considered not simply in poor taste, but actually immoral. The sentiment continues today, whether we’re talking about the black market sale of Baghdad’s artifacts, or the auction of a Picasso that will be locked away in a private home.
JOB: Generalist/Open @ Union College (one year)
The Department of Classics at Union College seeks to appoint a classicist for a one-year visiting appointment at the rank of instructor or assistant professor that will begin in September 2010. The area of specialization is open, but we look for evidence of successful beginning language instruction as well as an area of research that could serve as the basis for interdisciplinary contributions to the curriculum more widely (examples include, but are not limited to, ancient technology, art, archaeology, science, women’s studies, religion). Union employs a trimester system, and the normal teaching load is two courses per term. Teaching competencies must include ancient Greek and Latin at all undergraduate levels as well as general courses in translation. For higher rank and salary, the Ph.D. must be in hand by August 2010. Visiting faculty are eligible for travel and research support, and our salaries are competitive. Further information about Union College may be found at http://www.union.edu. Applicants should send a standard dossier, including cover letter, writing sample, c.v., and three letters of recommendation. The committee will interview selected applicants by phone. Applicants should indicate how they can be contacted most easily. Applications should be directed to the attention of Mark Toher, Department of Classics, Union College, Schenectady, New York, 12308. Review of applications will begin on April 30, 2010, and will continue until the position is filled.
Union College is an equal opportunity employer and strongly committed to student and workforce diversity.
