角斗士

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角斗士(gladiator)

拉丁语原意为「剑手」。古代罗马以专业格斗士战斗至死的运动。角斗士最初在伊楚利亚人的丧礼上角斗，其用意显然是使死者在阴间有人护卫。在罗马城，自西元前264年开始，这种演出十分流行。到了凯撒在位期间，单场演出人数已经增到300对。图雷真在位时期，有不同阶级的5,000位角斗士举行角斗。到了罗马共和国晚期，观众如主张令败者死则伸拇指向下（或以拇指指胸），如赞成恩宽则挥手帕（或根据其他说法为拇指向下）。胜者获棕榈枝，有时受金钱。角斗士多次角斗胜利後可退役。角斗士主要是奴隶和罪犯，但有能力或长相英俊者也会受到社会大众喜爱。由於角斗士多被雇为卫士，有些因此而成为政治要人。图密善喜用侏儒与妇人为角斗士。基督教传入之後，角斗演出不再受欢迎，但有可能一直延续至6世纪止。亦请参阅Spartacus。

English version：

gladiator

(Latin: “swordsman”) Professional combatant in ancient Rome who engaged in fights to the death as sport. Gladiators originally performed at Etruscan funerals, the intent being to give the dead man armed attendants in the next world. At Rome gladiator matches were wildly popular from 264 BC. By the time of Julius Caesar, 300 pairs would fight at a single show; by the time of Trajan, 5,000 combatants of various classes would fight. In the late Roman republic, the audience called for death with thumbs downward (or thumbs toward their breasts) and for mercy with handkerchiefs (or thumbs downward, according to some sources). The victor earned palm branches or money, and after a few victories a gladiator could be freed. Most were slaves or criminals, but a talented or handsome one could become a favorite of society; since they often served as bodyguards, they occasionally became politically important. Domitian delighted in using dwarfs and women as gladiators. With the coming of Christianity the games began to fall into disfavor, but they may have continued into the 6th century. See also Spartacus.