The archaeological finds with diverse scenes ascribed to the Roman games (ludi, circenses, munera) are important as possible indicators of acceptance of the Roman way of life and customs but also as evidence of the character, organization...
moreThe archaeological finds with diverse scenes ascribed to the Roman games (ludi, circenses, munera) are important as possible indicators of acceptance of the Roman way of life and customs but also as evidence of the character, organization and duration of games in the Roman provinces within the borders of modern Serbia. The investigations of distinct public buildings intended for gladiator combats or circus competitions like amphitheater in Viminacium and Late Roman hippodrome in Sremska Mitrovica (Sirmium) confirm that games had been organized there in the Roman times. Besides occasional and late mentions, the historical and epigraphic sources mostly remain silent about gladiator combats and circus races in the Roman provinces in this region, so every trace, which shed more light on this important and very interesting subject, is rather significant.
The summary of heterogeneous finds from the territory of Serbia with representations from amphitheaters and circuses undoubtly indicates that the games had been organized in this region. More frequent appearance of merchandise with such representations in Moesia Superior starts from the 2nd century and continues in the 3rd century.
The import of vessels from the workshops at Rheinzabern, Westendorf, Pfaffenhofen and Trier was most intensive after the Marcomannic wars and continued in the second half of the 3rd
century. The period of the 2nd and 3rd century was the time of intensive social and first of all economic progress in the Roman provinces in the territory of modern Serbia. It was the time of rapid development of economy (mining, agriculture, trade, and craftsmanship), urban centers and immigration of the Romanized population. The examples from the neighboring Roman Thrace reveal that first gladiator combats and hunting performances (venations) in this area have been taking place already in the mid 2nd century and that construction of permanent amphitheaters was more frequent from the time of Severi until the beginning of Diocletian’s reign. More frequent organizing of games could be expected in the territory of present-day Serbia during that period as it is confirmed in Viminacium. The organizers of these bloodthirsty performances
could have been high-ranking officials and priests of imperial cult and gladiators were mostly of Hellenic origin, either from Greece or Asia Minor.
The unreliable information from the historical sources and absence of epigraphic monuments mentioning the games, their patrons and particularly lack of funerary monuments of gladiators
or other game participants in the territory of Serbia makes impossible for the time being studying in detail this interesting subject. We hope that there soon will be more possibilities for research based on archaeological excavations, detailed anthropological analyses or the revisions of the museum collections.
