Gladiators at Pompeii

Luciana Jacobelli's Gladiators at Pompeii offers a comprehensive archaeological and socio-historical investigation into the phenomenon of gladiatorial combat within Roman society, focusing specifically on the unique evidence preserved at Pompeii. Intersecting historical narrative with material culture, the monograph examines the origin, legal structure, and cultural evolution of the munera, tracing their transition from Campanian and Oscan-Lucanian funerary rites to institutionalized instruments of imperial political propaganda. Through a meticulous examination of epigraphic data, edicta munerum, graffiti, architectural structures, and figurative representations, Jacobelli elucidates the daily lives, social standing, and operational economics of gladiators, sponsors (editores), and agents (lanistae). Special attention is given to local Pompeian dynamics, including the architectural layout of the amphitheater, the barracks, and the famous riot of A.D. 59. Ultimately, the work illuminates the pervasive impact of arena spectacles on daily life, social hierarchy, and visual culture in the Roman world.