A glass cup in The Metropolitan Museum of Art demonstrates just how revered some gladiators were.
Known as theMontagnole Cup, it dates back to around 50 to 80 CE.
On one side, a gladiator is lying on the ground, while two others advance with shields.
Photo:The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Public domain
Above them, the names Gamus, Merops, and Calamus are inscribed.
Overall, eight gladiators are shown on the cup, some standing victorious and others down in defeat.
Charioteers were also featured on these cups, once again demonstrating the population’s love for entertainment and spectacle.
“Pollice Verso (Thumbs Down)” by Jean-Léon Gérôme. 1872. (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
In the end, the novel experiences offered by the cups made the vessels themselves desirable,writesDr.
In ancient Rome, some gladiators became famous for their feats during gruesome battles in the Colosseum.
Pollice Verso (Thumbs Down) by Jean-Leon Gerome.
Photo: Dr. Kimberly Cassibry viaDestinations in Mind(CC BY-NC)
