Latest / Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius and the Stoic's Gladiator Ban
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore Marcus Aurelius's surprisingly strict regulations on gladiatorial games. Contrary to the popular image of a bloodthirsty Rome, the philosopher-emperor imposed price caps, limited the number of combatants, and even banned certain types of fights—all while writing Stoic meditations on the front lines of the Marcomannic Wars. We trace how these policies reflected his Stoic ideals of mercy and discipline, how they were subverted by his son Commodus, and what the evidence from inscriptions and Cassius Dio tells us about the real economics of the arena…
The skinny
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