Regensburg historian experimental project on nutrition and training of Roman gladiators start
the students of the Uni Regensburg is still looking for volunteers who are willing to undergo an intensive training and adhere to a strict diet.
The full-scale replica of an ancient Roman galley and two marches in Legionnaires' Equipment - 2004 over the Alps and 2008 on the Danube along Carnuntum (Lower Austria) and Regensburg - could historians make the University of Regensburg have nationwide attention. On Tuesday, 20 October 2009, fell on the campus of Regensburg launch another project in the field of experimental archeology. It is organized once again by employees of the Department of Ancient History at the University of Regensburg. As part of the Research Centre "Region in Transition" (RIU), the organizers take it another familiar theme of the ancient world closer look: the gladiators. Equal to twenty original reproduction of Gladiator equipment was handed over to the University of Regensburg in this context by a generous donor, the entrepreneur Hans Schaller from Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm.
Historical background:
What is another subject of classical studies hardly the history of Roman gladiators fraught with stereotypes, distorting the historical reality in many ways. Although, the munera, so the events were held in the framework of gladiatorial combat, a form of mass entertainment. Often overlooked, however, that this form of spectacle to religious rituals of the Etruscans is based, originally constituted extraordinary homages to the dead. Moreover, the history of the gladiatorial with an extraordinary process of professionalization is connected, which in turn is closely related to the political development of Rome.
The former burial customs changed in the course of time as a part of PR campaigns of Roman statesmen like Caesar. In imperial times gladiatorial combats were then in almost all parts of the expanding Roman Empire introduced. Gladiator fights were an integral part of the ancient Roman civilization. While at first prisoners of war and slaves were forced to such struggles, life went as a gladiator as a result, members of the Roman upper class. Many distinguished Romans gave to their social rank, to be part of the circle of those who in the arenas of the Empire fought out the munera. With brutal and without any rules also fought battles, as is suggested, the modern media of our time, had the munera also rarely anything in common.
Although they were actually located on the lowest social level, enjoyed the well-trained medical well-served gladiators in the Roman society sometimes the status of idols, comparable to modern "Super Stars". Coupled with the extensive medical care for these "super stars" was a coordinated nutrition plan, which was the same as the treatment of gladiators strict scientific criteria. Both were incorporated into the design of the ancient Roman army, thereby making an important contribution into the development of medicine in the West until the early modern period.
objectives and timetable of the project:
precisely these scientific developments will be at the heart of the new project of Regensburg scientists. Based on whether it is possible for a man of the 21st century to make a Gladiator on the ancient model, they should be medical, nutritional and sports science aspects are examined in the light of ancient sources.
After the handover of equipment by the contractor Gladiator Hans Schaller go there in the coming weeks is to find volunteers for the proposed project. We are looking for male students at the University of Regensburg, 20-30 years, who must first submit an intense strength and movement training and are trained in the use of heavy equipment. In addition, based on antique Sources - in particular the statements of the ancient physician Galen - a detailed eating plan drawn up that is challenging for the subjects with a high level of discipline. Target point of the project, the outcome at this stage due to the high demands of the parties seems to be completely open, a longer stay in the amphitheater in Carnuntum. In this context, the subjects will be for every month to train long and as ancient gladiators.
The project could provide not only a deeper understanding of the lives of the gladiators, further evidence for the nutrition science, sports science and sports medicine. Precisely for this reason, the different phases the project by members of the Institute for Sports Science at the University of Regensburg accompanied.
Source: archeology-online.de
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