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Welcome, one and all,
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to the greatest games
ever witnessed.
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A spectacle
unlike any seen before.
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A lone warrior will fight
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In mortal combat
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Not one fearsome beast...
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Not five or ten...
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But 20 of the fiercest beasts.
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00:00:55,541 --> 00:00:58,839
The greatest beast master
in the empire,
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Carpophorus.
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00:01:11,634 --> 00:01:14,997
The Colosseum
is the Roman empire
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distilled
to its most basic essence.
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It is a symbol of conquest.
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It's a symbol of dominance.
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It's a symbol
of imperial power
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radiating throughout
the Roman world.
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Now.
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Any emperor
had the Colosseum
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at his disposal
to use as a tool
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to reassert his power
and authority.
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The message
to the Roman people
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is that life is a combat.
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It was also
a judicial warning.
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Do not test the power of Rome.
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It was a death penalty offense.
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00:02:02,674 --> 00:02:05,858
If you live by the sword,
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00:02:05,947 --> 00:02:07,298
you die by the sword.
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00:02:10,194 --> 00:02:13,772
It demonstrates the power
of the Colosseum.
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00:02:13,860 --> 00:02:17,050
It made slaves into heroes,
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00:02:17,173 --> 00:02:19,978
Upending the power structure
of Rome.
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00:02:21,874 --> 00:02:24,332
The Colosseum
would come to symbolize
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00:02:24,420 --> 00:02:26,732
The rise and fall of Rome.
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It's all there:
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00:02:31,054 --> 00:02:33,305
The blood, the glory,
the magnificence,
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00:02:33,394 --> 00:02:35,632
and the flaws
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00:02:35,854 --> 00:02:38,018
That made Rome
the greatest empire
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00:02:38,107 --> 00:02:39,372
that Europe has ever seen.
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00:02:59,867 --> 00:03:04,345
83 A.D., the opening day
of a new series of games
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00:03:04,434 --> 00:03:08,098
that emperor domitian promises
will be dazzling.
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The headline: "the most
extravagant beast hunt
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00:03:13,394 --> 00:03:14,978
Rome has ever seen."
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The beast hunts
were much more
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00:03:20,434 --> 00:03:22,512
than just fighting animals.
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It was a way
to demonstrate Roman control
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00:03:25,380 --> 00:03:27,225
over the entire world,
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00:03:27,314 --> 00:03:30,338
Both the human world
and also the natural world.
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Domitian really wanted
to demonstrate
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00:03:37,774 --> 00:03:40,332
that he, in fact, was master
of all.
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Domitian is a real contrast
to his brother and father.
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While his father, vespasian,
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00:03:47,227 --> 00:03:50,412
had been a bluff man
of the people
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And Titus had been charming
and suave,
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domitian was all harsh edges.
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00:04:01,860 --> 00:04:03,532
From domitian's perspective,
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00:04:03,620 --> 00:04:05,612
to follow his father,
vespasian,
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00:04:05,700 --> 00:04:06,658
and his elder brother, Titus,
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that was a difficult act...
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In terms of military prowess
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00:04:11,214 --> 00:04:13,712
and in terms
of their popularity.
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00:04:13,934 --> 00:04:16,418
So domitian had to strike out
in a different direction
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00:04:16,507 --> 00:04:19,152
to win the goodwill
of the Roman people.
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00:04:21,060 --> 00:04:23,692
He decides to use the power
of the Colosseum
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By putting on
the greatest show
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00:04:24,987 --> 00:04:27,532
that anyone had ever seen.
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00:04:35,387 --> 00:04:37,552
At the center
of this deadly spectacle,
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one man, a famed beast master,
or bestiarius,
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00:04:41,860 --> 00:04:44,972
charged
with facing 20 wild beasts
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One after the other.
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Most of 'em weren't
successful long enough
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00:04:50,574 --> 00:04:52,825
for us to learn their name,
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but there was one beast master
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that the poet martial
mentions.
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His name is carpophorus.
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00:05:02,834 --> 00:05:06,352
To have caught the attention
of a poet of martial's caliber,
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00:05:06,574 --> 00:05:08,578
the fight
must've been incredible.
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00:05:08,667 --> 00:05:11,298
Beast masters
were enslaved people.
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And so therefore,
they were also a display
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00:05:14,340 --> 00:05:16,418
of Roman domination
over the people
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00:05:16,507 --> 00:05:19,458
subjected by the Roman empire.
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00:05:19,547 --> 00:05:21,625
The animals carpophorus faces
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come from all over
the Roman world.
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You had bears and wolves
and boars from the north lands.
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00:05:28,827 --> 00:05:33,218
You had crocodiles
and ostriches from Egypt,
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00:05:33,307 --> 00:05:35,458
the big cats
from north Africa,
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00:05:35,547 --> 00:05:37,072
Tigers from Asia.
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00:05:37,294 --> 00:05:39,692
The range of animals
that appeared in the arena
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00:05:39,780 --> 00:05:43,385
were, in a sense, a showcase
of the power and the extent
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00:05:43,474 --> 00:05:45,538
Of the empire.
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00:05:47,954 --> 00:05:51,212
We can estimate
perhaps a million animals
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00:05:51,300 --> 00:05:53,625
were killed in the Colosseum,
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Many of whom were slaughtered
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00:05:55,707 --> 00:05:57,392
with the hands
of beast masters.
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00:06:02,194 --> 00:06:04,578
Just as the Romans
brought wild animals
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00:06:04,667 --> 00:06:07,225
from all over the empire,
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so the beast masters
were drawn
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00:06:10,020 --> 00:06:12,112
from wherever
the Romans could find slaves
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With the talent to kill.
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00:06:23,780 --> 00:06:26,412
The Romans' favorite
hunting ground for animals
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00:06:26,500 --> 00:06:30,265
was its prized territories
in north Africa.
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00:06:33,134 --> 00:06:35,312
The ancient kingdom of numidia
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00:06:35,534 --> 00:06:38,178
in what is now Algeria
and Tunisia
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00:06:38,267 --> 00:06:40,172
1s hugely significant.
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00:06:40,260 --> 00:06:44,825
Numidia and north Africa
were extremely important
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00:06:44,914 --> 00:06:46,032
for Rome.
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They supplied luxury goods,
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00:06:49,947 --> 00:06:51,692
like marble,
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and they were the breadbasket
for Rome
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00:06:55,694 --> 00:06:58,412
and the rest of the empire.
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00:06:58,500 --> 00:07:00,432
Without Northern Africa,
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00:07:00,654 --> 00:07:04,652
Rome could not have fed itself.
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00:07:05,774 --> 00:07:07,138
Numidia was also
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00:07:07,227 --> 00:07:10,892
an extremely important
resource
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00:07:10,980 --> 00:07:13,072
for wild animals.
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00:07:14,894 --> 00:07:16,505
It was also most likely
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00:07:16,594 --> 00:07:18,338
where carpophorus lived.
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00:07:18,427 --> 00:07:20,025
At the time
of domitian's reign,
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00:07:20,114 --> 00:07:22,732
North Africa had been
under Roman control
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for over 200 years,
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00:07:25,134 --> 00:07:26,672
so the Romans
were no strangers
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00:07:26,894 --> 00:07:29,932
to these local hunters.
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Even more cages.
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00:07:32,507 --> 00:07:35,618
Soon there'll be no more
animals left in the mountains.
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00:07:38,340 --> 00:07:39,710
There was a part
of the Roman military
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00:07:39,794 --> 00:07:41,383
that was specifically assigned
with the task
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00:07:41,467 --> 00:07:43,778
of gaining the beasts
for the beast hunts.
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00:07:46,107 --> 00:07:48,258
But also,
the emperor will have employed
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00:07:48,347 --> 00:07:49,932
a series of hunters.
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00:07:50,020 --> 00:07:51,710
There would be locals
of that particular area
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00:07:51,794 --> 00:07:53,305
who had a knowledge
of the animals,
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00:07:53,394 --> 00:07:55,458
who had a knowledge
of how to capture them.
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00:07:55,547 --> 00:07:57,378
An average Roman soldier
will have no idea
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00:07:57,467 --> 00:07:59,227
where to find a lion
or how to hunt a lion,
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00:07:59,374 --> 00:08:02,018
but the locals will.
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00:08:02,107 --> 00:08:04,432
Coming from the foothills
of the aurès mountains,
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00:08:04,654 --> 00:08:07,778
Carpophorus would have been
absolutely integral
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00:08:07,867 --> 00:08:11,632
to Roman efforts
from a very young age.
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00:08:22,587 --> 00:08:24,912
A lion.
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00:08:26,907 --> 00:08:28,336
The construction
of the Colosseum
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00:08:28,420 --> 00:08:30,585
creates a great demand
for wild beasts.
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00:08:30,674 --> 00:08:32,912
Anything that the Romans
could get their hands on
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00:08:33,134 --> 00:08:35,692
that they thought would be
dangerous and interesting
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00:08:35,780 --> 00:08:37,858
to watch it die
in the Colosseum,
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00:08:37,947 --> 00:08:40,012
that's what they were
looking for.
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00:08:42,094 --> 00:08:44,185
A lot of what we knew
about the hunting and capture
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00:08:44,274 --> 00:08:48,258
of wild animals from the arena
comes from a mosaic in sicily,
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00:08:48,347 --> 00:08:51,545
in a place
called piazza armerina.
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00:08:51,634 --> 00:08:54,498
It shows
this enormous operation
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00:08:54,587 --> 00:08:55,865
in very great detail.
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00:08:57,874 --> 00:09:00,418
We see in the mosaic
that they employed dogs
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00:09:00,507 --> 00:09:03,298
to round up bisons and deer.
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00:09:03,387 --> 00:09:05,058
It shows
that leopards were captured
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00:09:05,147 --> 00:09:06,732
in cage-like structures.
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00:09:08,260 --> 00:09:09,872
We see that
to capture big cats,
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00:09:10,094 --> 00:09:13,292
they would use live bait
and lure them into pits.
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00:09:13,380 --> 00:09:15,138
Another technique
was to use nets
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00:09:15,227 --> 00:09:17,305
that were disguised as bushes
and get that animal
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00:09:17,394 --> 00:09:20,505
to be ensnared into the bush
and be captured.
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00:09:20,594 --> 00:09:23,225
They show the capture
of bison, lions,
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00:09:23,314 --> 00:09:27,138
Elephants, rhinos, lynxes.
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00:09:27,227 --> 00:09:29,452
Unfortunately,
the Roman thirst
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00:09:29,540 --> 00:09:33,612
for wild beasts for the arena
has a disastrous impact
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00:09:33,700 --> 00:09:36,172
on the wildlife
of north Africa.
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00:09:38,820 --> 00:09:41,392
The result is,
the considerable number
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00:09:41,614 --> 00:09:44,578
of major species
of animals were eliminated,
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00:09:44,667 --> 00:09:46,992
simply eliminated.
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00:09:47,214 --> 00:09:49,712
The north African elephant
appears to have disappeared
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00:09:49,934 --> 00:09:51,472
completely as the result
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00:09:51,694 --> 00:09:55,225
of Roman appetite for animals
to kill for sport.
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00:09:55,314 --> 00:09:57,465
One Roman poet said,
"no longer shall
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The furthest wilds of Libya
echo with the roar of lions."
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00:10:07,387 --> 00:10:10,032
The ancient world is a place
where might is right,
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00:10:10,254 --> 00:10:12,345
So the Romans thought
that they had the right
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00:10:12,434 --> 00:10:15,852
To exploit a territory,
to exploit a people.
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00:10:17,774 --> 00:10:20,912
There is an appalling truth
about the ancient world
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That there is constant
and sustained
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00:10:24,260 --> 00:10:28,652
And systematic enslavement
of subject peoples,
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00:10:28,740 --> 00:10:32,025
What they describe
as human Booty.
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00:10:32,114 --> 00:10:34,178
We take them both to Rome.
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00:10:34,267 --> 00:10:37,145
- Both?
- The lion and your son.
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00:10:39,940 --> 00:10:41,612
You can't.
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00:10:46,267 --> 00:10:48,012
Take him away.
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00:10:52,914 --> 00:10:54,672
There's no sentiment
attached.
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00:10:54,894 --> 00:10:57,232
Both the beast masters
and the wild animals
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00:10:57,454 --> 00:10:58,905
are seen as commodities.
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And in terms of the Colosseum,
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00:11:00,654 --> 00:11:02,572
they're simply there
for the entertainment
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00:11:02,660 --> 00:11:03,852
of the masses.
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00:11:06,354 --> 00:11:07,865
Carpophorus now faces
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00:11:07,954 --> 00:11:11,052
The long and dangerous journey
to Rome...
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00:11:11,140 --> 00:11:12,738
As a slave.
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00:11:19,140 --> 00:11:20,825
Within days of his capture
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00:11:20,914 --> 00:11:22,818
in his homeland of Numidia,
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00:11:22,907 --> 00:11:26,425
Carpophorus boards a boat
headed to Rome.
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00:11:29,307 --> 00:11:31,225
He's thrust
into a vast network
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00:11:31,314 --> 00:11:35,385
of enslaved people
spanning the mediterranean.
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00:11:35,474 --> 00:11:38,412
You have the unfree
from Africa,
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00:11:38,500 --> 00:11:40,505
from Asia, from Europe,
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00:11:40,594 --> 00:11:43,532
and the outposts
of the Roman world.
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00:11:43,620 --> 00:11:45,538
We're told that on one
particular Greek island
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00:11:45,627 --> 00:11:48,258
called delos,
10,000 slaves a day
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00:11:48,347 --> 00:11:51,865
would be traded
across the Roman empire.
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00:11:51,954 --> 00:11:54,992
But carpophorus
is bound for the capital.
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00:11:56,814 --> 00:11:58,512
Every day, there are
hundreds of ships
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00:11:58,734 --> 00:12:02,032
crisscrossing
the mediterranean to Ostia,
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00:12:02,254 --> 00:12:04,418
the port of Rome.
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00:12:04,507 --> 00:12:06,745
And Ostia means
literally "mouth."
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00:12:06,834 --> 00:12:09,698
It was the mouth
which fed the city of Rome.
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00:12:14,660 --> 00:12:16,492
Rome was a consumer city.
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00:12:16,580 --> 00:12:18,092
Everything is being imported.
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00:12:18,180 --> 00:12:20,752
Everything is coming
through Ostia.
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00:12:24,114 --> 00:12:26,265
You're getting
imported luxury items
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00:12:26,354 --> 00:12:29,538
from all over the empire,
jewelry,
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00:12:29,627 --> 00:12:32,812
and of course you're getting
imported animals.
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00:12:32,900 --> 00:12:35,618
The Romans had
an insatiable taste
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00:12:35,707 --> 00:12:38,105
for exotic animals.
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00:12:38,194 --> 00:12:39,952
Thousands and thousands
and thousands
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00:12:40,174 --> 00:12:42,658
were being shipped in.
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00:12:42,747 --> 00:12:45,072
It shows the importance
of the games in Roman life
220
00:12:45,294 --> 00:12:48,172
that the emperors thought,
"this is part of my job.
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00:12:48,260 --> 00:12:50,018
"This is part of what binds
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00:12:50,107 --> 00:12:51,705
the people of the city of Rome
to me."
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00:12:51,794 --> 00:12:54,425
This was what it took
to sate their demands,
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00:12:54,514 --> 00:12:56,552
to meet their bloodlust.
225
00:12:58,034 --> 00:13:00,752
An endless supply
of enslaved people
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00:13:00,974 --> 00:13:03,112
serves that bloodlust.
227
00:13:05,947 --> 00:13:11,138
The process of enslavement
involved a kind of alienation.
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00:13:14,500 --> 00:13:16,432
Wait!
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00:13:16,654 --> 00:13:19,705
Entering the slave system
of the ancient mediterranean
230
00:13:19,794 --> 00:13:23,852
entailed the leaving behind
of one's former identity.
231
00:13:23,940 --> 00:13:26,352
That meant that one was
assigned a new name.
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00:13:28,987 --> 00:13:32,185
From now on, your name is...
233
00:13:32,274 --> 00:13:33,712
Carpophorus.
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00:13:36,507 --> 00:13:39,212
Carpophorus means
"fruit bearer,"
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00:13:39,300 --> 00:13:41,712
someone who's bringing
some of the resources
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00:13:41,934 --> 00:13:45,858
of the Roman imperial world
to offer to the spectators.
237
00:13:47,854 --> 00:13:53,132
The slave name is a shorthand
for someone who is subhuman.
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00:13:53,220 --> 00:13:56,185
Someone who is more an animal
than a person.
239
00:13:58,747 --> 00:14:02,832
Removing someone's given name
is an exercise in power
240
00:14:03,054 --> 00:14:05,218
and control.
241
00:14:05,307 --> 00:14:07,385
We have no friends here.
242
00:14:07,474 --> 00:14:08,812
You and I.
243
00:14:10,894 --> 00:14:12,912
Carpophorus' final destination
244
00:14:13,134 --> 00:14:15,938
Is 13 miles
from the port of Ostia,
245
00:14:16,027 --> 00:14:19,298
The colossal city of Rome.
246
00:14:21,627 --> 00:14:24,185
Founded
in the eighth century B.C.,
247
00:14:24,274 --> 00:14:26,992
Rome was situated
on the river Tiber,
248
00:14:27,214 --> 00:14:30,905
allowing easy access
of supplies from the sea.
249
00:14:30,994 --> 00:14:32,752
Surrounded by seven hills,
250
00:14:32,974 --> 00:14:34,905
providing defense
and protection,
251
00:14:34,994 --> 00:14:37,698
what began as a small
collection of villages,
252
00:14:37,787 --> 00:14:40,112
by the first century a.D.,
had grown
253
00:14:40,334 --> 00:14:43,152
into the world's
first megacity.
254
00:14:43,374 --> 00:14:46,105
Rome had a population
of a million people.
255
00:14:46,194 --> 00:14:48,665
That is the largest population
in any city
256
00:14:48,754 --> 00:14:51,865
Anywhere in the world
for 1,500 years.
257
00:14:51,954 --> 00:14:54,498
The next city
to be that sized population
258
00:14:54,587 --> 00:14:56,592
is victorian London.
259
00:14:56,814 --> 00:14:59,138
Of those million people
in Rome,
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00:14:59,227 --> 00:15:02,498
over 300,000 of them
were slaves.
261
00:15:05,700 --> 00:15:08,752
Carpophorus is coming
into a city
262
00:15:08,974 --> 00:15:10,498
that's tightly packed.
263
00:15:10,587 --> 00:15:13,612
It's surrounded
with just an absolute babble
264
00:15:13,700 --> 00:15:16,825
of voices speaking languages
that he's never heard before.
265
00:15:18,267 --> 00:15:19,547
There would've
been Egyptians
266
00:15:19,634 --> 00:15:21,465
and alexandrians and africans,
267
00:15:21,554 --> 00:15:23,632
Numidians and other Berbers,
268
00:15:23,854 --> 00:15:25,150
and there would've been
Arabs there.
269
00:15:25,234 --> 00:15:27,052
There would've been Europeans
and Germans
270
00:15:27,140 --> 00:15:29,132
and people from Britannia.
271
00:15:29,220 --> 00:15:32,592
And that would've been one
of the excitements of a city.
272
00:15:34,180 --> 00:15:36,432
The city
is this enormous vacuum
273
00:15:36,654 --> 00:15:40,665
sucking up people
from all over the empire,
274
00:15:40,754 --> 00:15:44,418
so carpophorus would not have
been at all out of place
275
00:15:44,507 --> 00:15:46,412
in the city of Rome.
276
00:15:46,500 --> 00:15:49,612
Skin color
was not a determination
277
00:15:49,700 --> 00:15:52,972
of status, of class.
278
00:15:53,060 --> 00:15:54,818
It's not what you look like.
279
00:15:54,907 --> 00:15:57,378
It's not even
where you were born.
280
00:15:57,467 --> 00:16:00,012
It's whether you are
a Roman citizen or not.
281
00:16:02,020 --> 00:16:04,012
Carpophorus will one day fight
282
00:16:04,100 --> 00:16:06,572
as a beast master
in his new city.
283
00:16:06,660 --> 00:16:09,858
But first,
he must learn his craft.
284
00:16:12,114 --> 00:16:14,658
Carpophorus would not,
of course, have been brought
285
00:16:14,747 --> 00:16:17,785
directly into the Colosseum
and put before the people.
286
00:16:19,474 --> 00:16:20,656
He would've first been brought
287
00:16:20,740 --> 00:16:22,572
to the Ludus matutinus,
288
00:16:22,660 --> 00:16:24,492
the newly established
training ground
289
00:16:24,580 --> 00:16:26,105
for beast hunters
in the shadow
290
00:16:26,194 --> 00:16:28,112
of the Colosseum.
291
00:16:29,874 --> 00:16:32,418
Domitian was
very, very conscious
292
00:16:32,507 --> 00:16:35,312
of the fact that his father
and his brother
293
00:16:35,534 --> 00:16:37,145
sort of owned the Colosseum,
294
00:16:37,234 --> 00:16:39,532
and he felt
that he had to go one further
295
00:16:39,620 --> 00:16:42,832
to show he was really
committed to Roman sport
296
00:16:43,054 --> 00:16:44,738
and to the Roman people.
297
00:16:44,827 --> 00:16:47,938
The way that domitian decided
to strike out
298
00:16:48,027 --> 00:16:51,138
and impress his own personality
on the roman people
299
00:16:51,227 --> 00:16:52,912
was to build
a specialized school
300
00:16:53,134 --> 00:16:55,952
devoted to beast fighting,
the Ludus matutinus.
301
00:16:57,934 --> 00:17:00,272
The name means
"morning schools"
302
00:17:00,494 --> 00:17:03,385
because the traditional time
within the gladiatorial display
303
00:17:03,474 --> 00:17:06,992
For beast hunting
was in the morning.
304
00:17:07,214 --> 00:17:09,872
The very, very large,
expensive facility
305
00:17:10,094 --> 00:17:13,305
was an effort
to establish a direct link
306
00:17:13,394 --> 00:17:15,545
between himself
and the populace
307
00:17:15,634 --> 00:17:16,972
of the city of Rome
308
00:17:17,060 --> 00:17:19,298
as their benefactor
and entertainer.
309
00:17:24,347 --> 00:17:25,465
Welcome.
310
00:17:27,534 --> 00:17:29,292
Now you belong to me.
311
00:17:30,674 --> 00:17:33,218
It is a very militarized,
312
00:17:33,307 --> 00:17:36,738
very severe environment.
313
00:17:36,827 --> 00:17:39,952
- Out!
- These are brutal academies
314
00:17:40,174 --> 00:17:41,378
For the violent arts.
315
00:17:44,100 --> 00:17:45,538
You can't escape.
316
00:17:52,507 --> 00:17:54,905
You'll have to learn
to run faster than that.
317
00:18:01,234 --> 00:18:05,945
The only way most of us leave
is as dust.
318
00:18:13,774 --> 00:18:15,298
After arriving in Rome,
319
00:18:15,387 --> 00:18:17,625
Carpophorus begins
his training
320
00:18:17,714 --> 00:18:21,218
At a special school
called a Ludus.
321
00:18:21,307 --> 00:18:23,065
If you're a beast master
in a Ludus,
322
00:18:23,154 --> 00:18:26,498
effectively, you're a slave.
323
00:18:26,587 --> 00:18:29,058
It's no better than being
in a military barracks
324
00:18:29,147 --> 00:18:31,545
or probably a prison.
325
00:18:31,634 --> 00:18:33,712
We know
that the training grounds
326
00:18:33,934 --> 00:18:37,392
were not comfortable
athletic facilities.
327
00:18:37,614 --> 00:18:38,905
These were harsh facilities
328
00:18:38,994 --> 00:18:41,305
designed to produce hard men.
329
00:18:45,134 --> 00:18:48,272
We have now been able
to excavate training grounds,
330
00:18:48,494 --> 00:18:50,192
in particular at Pompeii,
331
00:18:50,414 --> 00:18:54,032
showing that the places
in which they slept were small.
332
00:18:55,634 --> 00:18:57,452
There were undoubtedly
several men
333
00:18:57,540 --> 00:18:59,618
crammed into a room at a time
and it's very, very,
334
00:18:59,707 --> 00:19:01,612
overwhelmingly likely
they were locked in
335
00:19:01,700 --> 00:19:03,778
whenever
they were not training.
336
00:19:05,060 --> 00:19:06,905
The Ludus was closed off
337
00:19:06,994 --> 00:19:11,138
from the surrounding
neighborhood with walls.
338
00:19:11,227 --> 00:19:13,772
Access was strictly controlled.
339
00:19:17,074 --> 00:19:19,298
The beast masters are
in the Ludus to do one thing,
340
00:19:19,387 --> 00:19:22,265
and that is to train
for the games.
341
00:19:22,354 --> 00:19:25,452
The training itself
is exceptionally tough.
342
00:19:25,540 --> 00:19:27,340
They were being trained
in how to use a net,
343
00:19:27,534 --> 00:19:29,612
how to use a spear,
how to use a bow.
344
00:19:29,700 --> 00:19:31,065
It really depends
on what animal
345
00:19:31,154 --> 00:19:32,492
they're going to be fighting.
346
00:19:32,580 --> 00:19:33,690
Different techniques involved
347
00:19:33,774 --> 00:19:34,974
in fighting different animals.
348
00:19:36,740 --> 00:19:37,790
Almost everything
that we know
349
00:19:37,874 --> 00:19:38,905
about beast masters,
350
00:19:38,994 --> 00:19:40,418
from the weapons they used,
351
00:19:40,507 --> 00:19:42,105
the style of fighting
that they used,
352
00:19:42,194 --> 00:19:43,634
or even the clothes
that they wore,
353
00:19:43,854 --> 00:19:46,252
come directly from Roman art,
354
00:19:46,340 --> 00:19:47,938
so mosaics and frescos.
355
00:19:49,874 --> 00:19:51,532
There are some
beautiful mosaics,
356
00:19:51,620 --> 00:19:54,832
horrifying mosaics,
that give us details
357
00:19:55,054 --> 00:19:58,352
of various aspects
of the process.
358
00:19:58,574 --> 00:20:00,418
We see them in action
359
00:20:00,507 --> 00:20:02,892
at heightened moments
especially.
360
00:20:04,754 --> 00:20:08,752
Often the death blow
for the animal.
361
00:20:08,974 --> 00:20:11,138
There is an active
self-identification there.
362
00:20:11,227 --> 00:20:14,412
This person is carrying out
the will of the Roman people.
363
00:20:14,500 --> 00:20:16,112
This person is
a representative
364
00:20:16,334 --> 00:20:19,618
of our greatness as a society.
365
00:20:19,707 --> 00:20:22,105
They were symbols
of masculine virility.
366
00:20:22,194 --> 00:20:23,532
They were sex symbols.
367
00:20:23,620 --> 00:20:25,305
They were exceptional athletes.
368
00:20:25,394 --> 00:20:28,112
They were the superheroes
of the empire.
369
00:20:28,334 --> 00:20:30,732
In the same way
that you might put up posters
370
00:20:30,820 --> 00:20:32,332
of famous actors,
371
00:20:32,420 --> 00:20:34,260
That's how you would have
beast masters painted
372
00:20:34,414 --> 00:20:36,345
on the walls of houses.
373
00:20:41,380 --> 00:20:44,418
When carpophorus
is in the Ludus,
374
00:20:44,507 --> 00:20:47,225
he's having to learn
a whole variety of skills.
375
00:20:47,314 --> 00:20:49,858
He's having to learn
hunting skills.
376
00:20:49,947 --> 00:20:52,972
He's also having to learn
to look after the animals
377
00:20:53,060 --> 00:20:54,992
to make sure
they stay healthy.
378
00:20:55,214 --> 00:20:58,265
He's learning how
to prepare them for the arena.
379
00:20:58,354 --> 00:21:00,665
He may want to train them
in certain tricks,
380
00:21:00,754 --> 00:21:03,052
as it were.
381
00:21:03,140 --> 00:21:05,392
All of this made
the beast masters' occupation
382
00:21:05,614 --> 00:21:08,578
somewhere between a zookeeper
and a professional fighter.
383
00:21:08,667 --> 00:21:10,183
It involved a bunch
of different skill sets.
384
00:21:10,267 --> 00:21:11,632
It was extremely difficult,
385
00:21:11,854 --> 00:21:12,990
and it was also,
as you can imagine,
386
00:21:13,074 --> 00:21:14,992
extremely dangerous.
387
00:21:20,580 --> 00:21:23,458
On the other hand, we do
have these interesting stories
388
00:21:23,547 --> 00:21:27,212
about animal memory
and animal friendship
389
00:21:27,300 --> 00:21:28,332
that are striking.
390
00:21:32,187 --> 00:21:34,425
Don't get too close,
cCarpophorus.
391
00:21:34,514 --> 00:21:37,072
These animals are here
for one reason.
392
00:21:37,294 --> 00:21:39,065
One reason only.
393
00:21:39,154 --> 00:21:40,652
Remember that.
394
00:21:42,734 --> 00:21:45,218
Thinking about someone
like Carpophorus,
395
00:21:45,307 --> 00:21:47,312
He has been uprooted
from his homeland
396
00:21:47,534 --> 00:21:49,612
and brought to fight
in the capitol.
397
00:21:49,700 --> 00:21:52,258
So were many of his victims,
so were many of the animals
398
00:21:52,347 --> 00:21:54,092
That were brought
from his homeland,
399
00:21:54,180 --> 00:21:57,625
so there might have been
a strange sort of symbiosis
400
00:21:57,714 --> 00:21:59,312
or a strange sort
of camaraderie
401
00:21:59,534 --> 00:22:01,712
between killer and killed.
402
00:22:03,707 --> 00:22:05,223
There's the animals
from his homeland
403
00:22:05,307 --> 00:22:07,532
who, in a certain sense,
shared his fate.
404
00:22:09,394 --> 00:22:12,332
But the spectacle was not
just about killing the animals.
405
00:22:12,420 --> 00:22:13,690
Sometimes it was just
to watch them.
406
00:22:13,774 --> 00:22:15,094
The Romans really reveled
in them.
407
00:22:16,740 --> 00:22:18,352
Sometimes
for the Roman audience
408
00:22:18,574 --> 00:22:20,912
in the Colosseum,
just seeing crocodiles
409
00:22:21,134 --> 00:22:23,212
lying in a dish full of water
410
00:22:23,300 --> 00:22:25,785
or seeing leopards run
in a straight line
411
00:22:25,874 --> 00:22:28,898
without the blood
was a very entertaining,
412
00:22:28,987 --> 00:22:31,152
amusing spectacle.
413
00:22:31,374 --> 00:22:34,105
Roman historians report
that this line of leopards
414
00:22:34,194 --> 00:22:37,872
running by caused people
to just fall down laughing.
415
00:22:38,094 --> 00:22:40,505
The average Roman
is not going to leave Rome.
416
00:22:40,594 --> 00:22:42,732
For them to be able to go
to the Colosseum was like
417
00:22:42,820 --> 00:22:45,392
bringing the farthest reaches
of the known world
418
00:22:45,614 --> 00:22:47,458
to Rome itself.
419
00:22:47,547 --> 00:22:49,218
It's an opportunity to see
420
00:22:49,307 --> 00:22:50,818
what were to the Romans aliens.
421
00:22:50,907 --> 00:22:53,145
Imagine seeing a rhino
for the first time.
422
00:22:54,820 --> 00:22:57,058
We have sources
talking about giraffes,
423
00:22:57,147 --> 00:22:59,065
how terrified people were
of giraffes,
424
00:22:59,154 --> 00:23:00,898
an animal
with its neck so long,
425
00:23:00,987 --> 00:23:02,192
spots like a leopard,
426
00:23:02,414 --> 00:23:04,272
A ferocious creature
that could reach
427
00:23:04,494 --> 00:23:05,872
into the highest
Roman apartment
428
00:23:06,094 --> 00:23:07,138
and eat your children.
429
00:23:08,754 --> 00:23:10,892
The poet martial writes
about an incident
430
00:23:10,980 --> 00:23:14,092
in which an elephant bowed
in front of the emperor.
431
00:23:14,180 --> 00:23:15,632
Of course,
it's trained to bow,
432
00:23:15,854 --> 00:23:16,903
but the Romans
don't know that.
433
00:23:16,987 --> 00:23:19,152
They just see this creature,
434
00:23:19,374 --> 00:23:22,018
this monster, this alien,
bowing before the emperor,
435
00:23:22,107 --> 00:23:24,665
and it shows his majesty,
his divinity.
436
00:23:26,414 --> 00:23:28,025
But witnessing circus tricks
437
00:23:28,114 --> 00:23:31,938
isn't enough for Rome's
bloodthirsty crowds.
438
00:23:32,027 --> 00:23:35,618
To please them,
beast masters need to do more.
439
00:23:35,707 --> 00:23:38,338
That's good. Good.
440
00:23:38,427 --> 00:23:40,592
Good. Come on. Come here.
441
00:23:40,814 --> 00:23:42,892
Beast fights
were entertainment.
442
00:23:48,814 --> 00:23:50,745
There would have had
to be a showmanship
443
00:23:50,834 --> 00:23:52,505
from the beast masters.
444
00:23:52,594 --> 00:23:55,372
That would have had
its own sort of routine
445
00:23:55,460 --> 00:23:57,712
and its own climax
and storytelling.
446
00:23:57,934 --> 00:23:59,545
So they had to learn
all these skills
447
00:23:59,634 --> 00:24:01,063
in order to please
not just the crowd
448
00:24:01,147 --> 00:24:02,352
but the emperor.
449
00:24:12,594 --> 00:24:15,458
You are ready.
450
00:24:15,547 --> 00:24:17,136
While carpophorus is training,
451
00:24:17,220 --> 00:24:19,778
the emperor domitian returns
from germania,
452
00:24:19,867 --> 00:24:22,585
where he has been fighting
barbarian tribes.
453
00:24:22,674 --> 00:24:24,592
He decides
to celebrate his victory
454
00:24:24,814 --> 00:24:28,592
at the Colosseum and begins
planning a series of games.
455
00:24:30,414 --> 00:24:32,665
Domitian still has things
to prove.
456
00:24:32,754 --> 00:24:37,058
He still has this insecurity,
and holding magnificent games
457
00:24:37,147 --> 00:24:39,225
is one way
of working around that.
458
00:24:41,220 --> 00:24:43,385
Meanwhile,
carpophorus fights his way
459
00:24:43,474 --> 00:24:46,192
across the empire
in smaller arenas,
460
00:24:46,414 --> 00:24:48,898
earning a reputation and fans.
461
00:24:53,554 --> 00:24:54,992
Ah!
462
00:24:55,214 --> 00:24:58,018
Each victory brought
carpophorus more fame.
463
00:24:59,854 --> 00:25:02,265
Made the crowd
more interested in seeing him.
464
00:25:04,014 --> 00:25:05,612
And that meant a ticket
465
00:25:05,700 --> 00:25:07,472
to the final destination:
466
00:25:07,694 --> 00:25:09,772
Fighting in front
of the emperor himself.
467
00:25:19,794 --> 00:25:21,625
As a winning beast master,
468
00:25:21,714 --> 00:25:25,552
it's likely that carpophorus
would be given small perks.
469
00:25:25,774 --> 00:25:27,458
Money talks in ancient Rome.
470
00:25:27,547 --> 00:25:30,178
I mean, every aspect of Roman
sports involves money,
471
00:25:30,267 --> 00:25:32,972
whether you're a charioteer,
whether you're a gladiator.
472
00:25:33,060 --> 00:25:34,498
You know,
think of an average Roman.
473
00:25:34,587 --> 00:25:37,712
He's earning 9,000 sesterce
a year.
474
00:25:37,934 --> 00:25:39,458
Some gladiators could earn
475
00:25:39,547 --> 00:25:42,572
15,000 sesterce
in a single bout.
476
00:25:42,660 --> 00:25:45,932
They became
incredibly wealthy people.
477
00:25:46,020 --> 00:25:47,952
You would imagine
that a beast master
478
00:25:48,174 --> 00:25:50,192
would be paid the same
479
00:25:50,414 --> 00:25:53,232
As a chariot racer
or a gladiator,
480
00:25:53,454 --> 00:25:55,312
but this wasn't the case.
481
00:25:55,534 --> 00:26:00,418
These fighters of animals
that could kill a man,
482
00:26:00,507 --> 00:26:02,265
they worked for tips.
483
00:26:02,354 --> 00:26:05,538
You earned it.
484
00:26:05,627 --> 00:26:07,952
We do not hear
of beast masters
485
00:26:08,174 --> 00:26:10,832
growing tremendously wealthy.
486
00:26:11,054 --> 00:26:14,978
However, one thing that
beast masters might hope for
487
00:26:15,067 --> 00:26:18,252
is to get their freedom
through their fighting.
488
00:26:18,340 --> 00:26:21,072
The possibility of freedom,
it's there,
489
00:26:21,294 --> 00:26:22,672
but you have to rise
to the top.
490
00:26:22,894 --> 00:26:25,072
You have to be
somebody truly great.
491
00:26:30,574 --> 00:26:32,112
Like gladiators,
492
00:26:32,334 --> 00:26:34,978
Beast masters compete
to be featured performers,
493
00:26:35,067 --> 00:26:36,578
no matter how dangerous.
494
00:26:40,494 --> 00:26:44,272
These games
will be bigger, bolder,
495
00:26:44,494 --> 00:26:48,185
and better than anything
Rome has ever witnessed.
496
00:26:48,274 --> 00:26:52,345
The emperor has requested
one beast master
497
00:26:52,434 --> 00:26:55,778
to be the main event
of the morning opening,
498
00:26:55,867 --> 00:26:59,138
A fight with 20 beasts,
499
00:26:59,227 --> 00:27:01,698
one after another.
500
00:27:01,787 --> 00:27:03,792
The man Rome demands is...
501
00:27:07,460 --> 00:27:08,460
Carpophorus.
502
00:27:11,634 --> 00:27:15,298
There was rivalry
between opposing beast masters.
503
00:27:16,827 --> 00:27:18,352
After all,
there was glory, fame,
504
00:27:18,574 --> 00:27:20,185
and potential freedom
at stake.
505
00:27:25,060 --> 00:27:26,192
We have evidence of this
506
00:27:26,414 --> 00:27:28,098
in curse tablets
that were found
507
00:27:28,187 --> 00:27:29,858
in the amphitheater
in carthage.
508
00:27:32,260 --> 00:27:35,212
The curse tablets contain
spells and magical symbols
509
00:27:35,300 --> 00:27:37,232
that were meant
to evoke the help of demons
510
00:27:37,454 --> 00:27:39,298
to harm rival beast masters.
511
00:27:40,974 --> 00:27:43,298
"Kill, destroy,
and wound gallicus
512
00:27:43,387 --> 00:27:46,992
at his hour in the ring
of the amphitheater."
513
00:27:47,214 --> 00:27:48,825
It's a very
cutthroat industry,
514
00:27:48,914 --> 00:27:51,212
and obviously, everybody's
vying for that one spot.
515
00:27:51,300 --> 00:27:54,265
It's a very narcissistic sport,
and what we know
516
00:27:54,354 --> 00:27:57,465
is that they really hated
each other at certain moments,
517
00:27:57,554 --> 00:27:59,792
entreating the gods
to do nasty things
518
00:28:00,014 --> 00:28:02,105
to other beast hunters.
519
00:28:02,194 --> 00:28:04,492
"Bind gallicus,
the son of prima.
520
00:28:04,580 --> 00:28:07,225
Let the bear crush him
and wound him."
521
00:28:12,507 --> 00:28:14,192
I'm sorry, my friend.
522
00:28:14,414 --> 00:28:16,432
The gods will decide
our fate now.
523
00:28:20,434 --> 00:28:23,692
In 83 a.D.,
it's finally opening day,
524
00:28:23,780 --> 00:28:26,818
and domitian's great games
are ready to begin.
525
00:28:28,754 --> 00:28:30,192
The commencement
of the games
526
00:28:30,414 --> 00:28:33,378
was a major deal
for the city of Rome.
527
00:28:33,467 --> 00:28:35,472
These took place on holidays.
528
00:28:35,694 --> 00:28:37,218
A great portion
of the population
529
00:28:37,307 --> 00:28:38,745
would have the day off.
530
00:28:38,834 --> 00:28:41,378
I think it's impossible
to overstate
531
00:28:41,467 --> 00:28:44,492
the kind of excitement
and energy of a crowd
532
00:28:44,580 --> 00:28:47,372
that's been pent up
to see blood.
533
00:28:47,460 --> 00:28:48,903
The buzz would've been
building for months
534
00:28:48,987 --> 00:28:51,298
by the time
at least 50,000 people
535
00:28:51,387 --> 00:28:53,627
made their way to the Colosseum
and packed themselves in.
536
00:29:02,107 --> 00:29:04,752
You can imagine
for someone like carpophorus,
537
00:29:04,974 --> 00:29:07,952
beneath the floor
of the amphitheater
538
00:29:08,174 --> 00:29:09,858
and waiting for his turn
to go up
539
00:29:09,947 --> 00:29:11,545
And fight these 20 beasts...
540
00:29:13,220 --> 00:29:16,752
This is an opportunity
of a lifetime.
541
00:29:16,974 --> 00:29:19,385
We can imagine
the stink of fear,
542
00:29:19,474 --> 00:29:21,305
the smell of wild animals.
543
00:29:21,394 --> 00:29:22,818
Everything is ready to go.
544
00:29:22,907 --> 00:29:24,812
You can hear the buzz
of the crowd above.
545
00:29:28,100 --> 00:29:31,545
Eventually, the emperor
would take his place
546
00:29:31,634 --> 00:29:36,812
and would be watched
by everyone in the vicinity.
547
00:29:36,900 --> 00:29:40,025
I have no doubt
that domitian was well aware
548
00:29:40,114 --> 00:29:42,092
of what could happen
to an emperor
549
00:29:42,180 --> 00:29:44,578
who failed to put on
spectacular games
550
00:29:44,667 --> 00:29:46,818
for the people in attendance.
551
00:29:46,907 --> 00:29:50,105
So this matters for him
as a way of shoring up
552
00:29:50,194 --> 00:29:53,392
what seems to have been an
unsteady political reputation.
553
00:29:58,034 --> 00:29:59,778
Part of the spectacle
554
00:29:59,867 --> 00:30:01,530
of putting on a proper
beast fight in the Colosseum
555
00:30:01,614 --> 00:30:03,052
was making sure that
556
00:30:03,140 --> 00:30:04,496
the animals were
properly prepared.
557
00:30:04,580 --> 00:30:06,178
That meant starving them.
558
00:30:07,474 --> 00:30:09,292
So beast masters are faced
559
00:30:09,380 --> 00:30:10,620
with fighting apex predators...
560
00:30:11,954 --> 00:30:13,538
That are hungry,
that are scared,
561
00:30:13,627 --> 00:30:15,778
that are nervous,
that are being thrust up
562
00:30:15,867 --> 00:30:17,612
through the bowels
of the Colosseum
563
00:30:17,700 --> 00:30:19,618
into the daylight,
surrounded by screaming fans,
564
00:30:19,707 --> 00:30:21,107
and then
you've gotta go fight them.
565
00:30:21,294 --> 00:30:24,098
That is a tremendously
frightening prospect.
566
00:30:25,934 --> 00:30:28,825
One man against one animal?
567
00:30:28,914 --> 00:30:31,225
That's a show.
568
00:30:31,314 --> 00:30:33,872
A single man will fight
569
00:30:34,094 --> 00:30:36,185
20 of the fiercest beasts
570
00:30:36,274 --> 00:30:39,618
from the furthest reaches
of our empire.
571
00:30:39,707 --> 00:30:42,338
One man against 20
572
00:30:42,427 --> 00:30:45,072
was a feat
that had never been undertaken
573
00:30:45,294 --> 00:30:49,232
and would not be undertaken
ever again.
574
00:30:49,454 --> 00:30:52,812
There's every chance that
carpophorus would not survive.
575
00:31:03,694 --> 00:31:06,412
On the opening day
of domitian's great games,
576
00:31:06,500 --> 00:31:08,592
Carpophorus must
survive fights
577
00:31:08,814 --> 00:31:12,025
with 20 of the fiercest beasts
in the empire,
578
00:31:12,114 --> 00:31:13,538
One after another.
579
00:31:24,274 --> 00:31:27,705
And now, the hyena.
580
00:31:33,627 --> 00:31:36,272
Carpophorus' feat
was immortalized
581
00:31:36,494 --> 00:31:38,992
by the imperial poet martial.
582
00:31:41,134 --> 00:31:43,705
Martial was fascinated
with the games.
583
00:31:43,794 --> 00:31:46,978
He was a sort of aficionado
of all human nature.
584
00:31:49,074 --> 00:31:51,778
And of course,
nothing was more fascinating
585
00:31:51,867 --> 00:31:54,338
than what happened
in the Colosseum.
586
00:32:04,347 --> 00:32:06,978
"If former ages
had borne carpophorus,
587
00:32:07,067 --> 00:32:09,612
"marathon would not have
feared the bull,
588
00:32:09,700 --> 00:32:11,532
"nor leafy nemea the lion,
589
00:32:11,620 --> 00:32:14,572
"nor the arcadians
the maenalian boar.
590
00:32:14,660 --> 00:32:17,552
"However many were the
glorious deeds of Hercules,
591
00:32:17,774 --> 00:32:19,692
"it is far greater
to have subdued
592
00:32:19,780 --> 00:32:23,372
20 savage beasts all at once."
593
00:32:23,460 --> 00:32:25,232
Ah!
594
00:32:27,634 --> 00:32:29,392
I think it's clear
that what domitian
595
00:32:29,614 --> 00:32:31,705
is trying to do
is draw an analogy,
596
00:32:31,794 --> 00:32:34,512
That he's saying
carpophorus is like Hercules.
597
00:32:36,754 --> 00:32:38,352
The story of Hercules
598
00:32:38,574 --> 00:32:40,185
was one of Rome's most popular
599
00:32:40,274 --> 00:32:43,225
and enduring
mythological tales.
600
00:32:43,314 --> 00:32:45,712
Hercules has to carry out
12 labors,
601
00:32:45,934 --> 00:32:48,972
Including the slaying
of monstrous beasts,
602
00:32:49,060 --> 00:32:53,305
all to win the favor
of the god Apollo.
603
00:32:53,394 --> 00:32:54,978
Sometimes,
the games were put on
604
00:32:55,067 --> 00:32:56,592
with a mythological theme.
605
00:32:56,814 --> 00:32:59,212
They would reenact scenes
of mythology.
606
00:32:59,300 --> 00:33:01,932
These myths were a way
to teach the Romans
607
00:33:02,020 --> 00:33:03,385
an important lesson.
608
00:33:03,474 --> 00:33:05,058
But if you couldn't read,
609
00:33:05,147 --> 00:33:06,498
the Colosseum was
an opportunity
610
00:33:06,587 --> 00:33:08,505
for you to see them,
to experience them.
611
00:33:15,954 --> 00:33:17,932
Here's a mere mortal, a slave,
612
00:33:18,020 --> 00:33:20,012
the lowest of society.
613
00:33:20,100 --> 00:33:22,105
He is parallel to Hercules.
614
00:33:22,194 --> 00:33:24,898
Actually, you know what?
He's greater than Hercules.
615
00:33:24,987 --> 00:33:26,892
Because Hercules only had
12 labors.
616
00:33:26,980 --> 00:33:28,505
Carpophorus had 20.
617
00:33:28,594 --> 00:33:30,252
Beast 12, the rhino!
618
00:33:30,340 --> 00:33:32,812
He's worthy of a poem.
619
00:33:32,900 --> 00:33:34,892
But martial's poem
is not designed
620
00:33:34,980 --> 00:33:37,465
to praise
the beast master carpophorus.
621
00:33:37,554 --> 00:33:41,058
His true subject watches
the combat unfold
622
00:33:41,147 --> 00:33:42,732
from the imperial box.
623
00:33:44,274 --> 00:33:46,658
By extolling the exploits
of carpophorus,
624
00:33:46,747 --> 00:33:48,912
the poet martial is
shedding glory
625
00:33:49,134 --> 00:33:51,458
on the emperor domitian himself
626
00:33:51,547 --> 00:33:54,672
because domitian is
the sponsor of these games.
627
00:33:56,420 --> 00:33:59,532
Beast number 19!
628
00:34:18,674 --> 00:34:21,132
The emperor's
beast hunts also serve
629
00:34:21,220 --> 00:34:24,985
another vital function
for Romans.
630
00:34:25,074 --> 00:34:28,112
One of the most
remarkable aspects
631
00:34:28,334 --> 00:34:30,992
of gladiatorial fighting
in ancient Rome
632
00:34:31,214 --> 00:34:33,072
when it comes
to these exotic animals,
633
00:34:33,294 --> 00:34:36,172
Whether it be giraffes
or rhinos
634
00:34:36,260 --> 00:34:39,138
or lions or tigers
or the like,
635
00:34:39,227 --> 00:34:41,378
is that the meat
from the dead animals
636
00:34:41,467 --> 00:34:44,912
was given out
to the people of Rome,
637
00:34:45,134 --> 00:34:47,632
and this seems to have been
a real crowd-pleaser,
638
00:34:47,854 --> 00:34:50,178
but also seems
to have actually made
639
00:34:50,267 --> 00:34:52,090
an impact on the nutrition
of the Roman people.
640
00:34:52,174 --> 00:34:53,456
It was an important source
of protein
641
00:34:53,540 --> 00:34:54,818
that they could count on.
642
00:34:57,294 --> 00:34:58,978
You have been invited
by the emperor
643
00:34:59,067 --> 00:35:00,578
to eat with him,
to drink with him,
644
00:35:00,667 --> 00:35:02,412
to share in the games
with him.
645
00:35:02,500 --> 00:35:05,392
You remember the emperor
that gave you lion burgers.
646
00:35:05,614 --> 00:35:07,458
You'd never had that before.
647
00:35:07,547 --> 00:35:09,072
Another reason
we know about this
648
00:35:09,294 --> 00:35:11,705
is because they drained
one of the sewage systems
649
00:35:11,794 --> 00:35:13,470
in the Colosseum,
and what they found in it
650
00:35:13,554 --> 00:35:16,258
was bones of a bear,
of an ostrich,
651
00:35:16,347 --> 00:35:18,178
of a wild boar, of horses.
652
00:35:18,267 --> 00:35:21,378
So they obviously
would have cut the meat up,
653
00:35:21,467 --> 00:35:23,623
and then the bones were just
thrown into the sewage system,
654
00:35:23,707 --> 00:35:25,392
and they've survived
to this day.
655
00:35:30,674 --> 00:35:32,432
On the sands of the arena,
656
00:35:32,654 --> 00:35:34,572
only one final beast
657
00:35:34,660 --> 00:35:36,812
stands between carpophorus
658
00:35:36,900 --> 00:35:38,412
and freedom.
659
00:35:40,274 --> 00:35:41,945
One final adversary!
660
00:35:59,387 --> 00:36:03,545
They arrived together
from far Numidia,
661
00:36:03,634 --> 00:36:07,705
but only one...
Only one can live.
662
00:36:14,254 --> 00:36:17,072
The lion's
a fearsome opponent.
663
00:36:17,294 --> 00:36:19,632
It is seven times stronger
than a human being
664
00:36:19,854 --> 00:36:21,552
and can weigh
up to a half a ton.
665
00:36:21,774 --> 00:36:23,472
It can run 50 miles an hour.
666
00:36:23,694 --> 00:36:25,872
And the swipe of a lion's paw,
667
00:36:26,094 --> 00:36:29,305
delivering 400 pounds,
was enough to decapitate
668
00:36:29,394 --> 00:36:30,978
a human being.
669
00:36:31,067 --> 00:36:34,412
For carpophorus,
facing this apex predator,
670
00:36:34,500 --> 00:36:36,432
this was
a massive undertaking.
671
00:36:46,020 --> 00:36:48,492
The famed
beast master carpophorus
672
00:36:48,580 --> 00:36:52,505
has somehow managed to slay
19 fearsome beasts
673
00:36:52,594 --> 00:36:54,192
and survive.
674
00:36:54,414 --> 00:36:56,985
Now, he has one opponent left.
675
00:36:59,620 --> 00:37:01,378
There's almost like
a religious aspect
676
00:37:01,467 --> 00:37:02,512
to the lion.
677
00:37:02,734 --> 00:37:03,938
He's this revered animal,
678
00:37:04,027 --> 00:37:05,383
much as the eagle was
to the Romans.
679
00:37:05,467 --> 00:37:06,818
He's the top predator.
680
00:37:06,907 --> 00:37:08,505
He's the top of the food chain.
681
00:37:10,020 --> 00:37:11,298
And that, for the Romans,
682
00:37:11,387 --> 00:37:14,178
is a representation of Rome.
683
00:37:22,180 --> 00:37:24,418
The lion has always been
a symbol
684
00:37:24,507 --> 00:37:26,092
of strength and ferocity
685
00:37:26,180 --> 00:37:28,012
in many ancient societies.
686
00:37:35,707 --> 00:37:38,832
They appeared in the palaces
of Babylonian kings
687
00:37:39,054 --> 00:37:42,032
and in the court
of Alexander the great.
688
00:37:44,334 --> 00:37:46,892
But what the Romans do is,
they import lions
689
00:37:46,980 --> 00:37:48,258
in their thousands.
690
00:37:48,347 --> 00:37:50,252
So this is the Romans, as ever,
691
00:37:50,340 --> 00:37:52,258
trying to go one step further
692
00:37:52,347 --> 00:37:54,096
than the civilization
that went before them.
693
00:37:57,614 --> 00:38:00,258
So they're saying, "it's not
just that we can kill lions.
694
00:38:00,347 --> 00:38:02,905
"It's that we can
mass-slaughter
695
00:38:02,994 --> 00:38:05,552
"the most ferocious
and powerful creature
696
00:38:05,774 --> 00:38:07,312
that mother nature
has to offer."
697
00:39:40,667 --> 00:39:42,352
For carpophorus,
698
00:39:42,574 --> 00:39:45,785
it's an epic achievement
that, sure enough,
699
00:39:45,874 --> 00:39:48,332
has made his name
live down in history.
700
00:39:52,100 --> 00:39:54,425
Perhaps by his victory
and accomplishments,
701
00:39:54,514 --> 00:39:56,258
Carpophorus actually challenged
702
00:39:56,347 --> 00:39:58,818
the very foundations
of Roman society
703
00:39:58,907 --> 00:40:00,258
here was an enslaved person
704
00:40:00,347 --> 00:40:03,472
who actually elevated himself
as a hero
705
00:40:03,694 --> 00:40:05,945
and, in victory,
became a symbol
706
00:40:06,034 --> 00:40:08,912
to the Roman people
of success.
707
00:40:09,134 --> 00:40:11,632
So perhaps
Carpophorus challenged
708
00:40:11,854 --> 00:40:13,305
the very notion
of what it meant
709
00:40:13,394 --> 00:40:14,658
to be a slave.
710
00:40:19,140 --> 00:40:20,912
Well done, brother.
711
00:40:35,694 --> 00:40:37,452
Carpophorus was
at the center of all
712
00:40:37,540 --> 00:40:41,145
because his feats
in fighting exotic animals
713
00:40:41,234 --> 00:40:44,432
really was the highlight
of domitian's games,
714
00:40:44,654 --> 00:40:47,472
and domitian's games were meant
to impress the people.
715
00:40:56,900 --> 00:40:59,458
The games are
a propaganda tool.
716
00:40:59,547 --> 00:41:02,832
The collection
and systematic execution
717
00:41:03,054 --> 00:41:04,972
of a bunch of exotic animals
718
00:41:05,060 --> 00:41:06,905
was a very strong statement
719
00:41:06,994 --> 00:41:08,912
about the sort of
superhuman power
720
00:41:09,134 --> 00:41:10,192
of the emperor himself.
721
00:41:12,014 --> 00:41:14,092
Domitian's games
were a great success.
722
00:41:14,180 --> 00:41:16,418
The fact that they were
written about to that extent,
723
00:41:16,507 --> 00:41:18,092
that people remembered them,
724
00:41:18,180 --> 00:41:20,269
meant that he had been a hit
with the Roman people.
725
00:41:20,354 --> 00:41:22,039
The games had served
their purpose.
726
00:41:26,194 --> 00:41:28,185
Of course,
that didn't last forever.
727
00:41:28,274 --> 00:41:32,172
In Rome, the love
of the people wasn't enough.
728
00:41:32,260 --> 00:41:34,265
In 96 A.D.,
an increasingly paranoid
729
00:41:34,354 --> 00:41:35,692
and tyrannical domitian
730
00:41:35,780 --> 00:41:37,232
made enemies among the senate,
731
00:41:37,454 --> 00:41:38,992
among Rome's elite,
732
00:41:39,214 --> 00:41:41,452
and on their orders,
he was knifed to death.
733
00:41:49,307 --> 00:41:51,298
We don't know what happens
to Carpophorus,
734
00:41:51,387 --> 00:41:53,132
where he goes from here,
735
00:41:53,220 --> 00:41:56,272
what profession he pursues.
736
00:41:56,494 --> 00:41:58,585
Does he go elsewhere
in the Roman world?
737
00:41:58,674 --> 00:42:01,552
Does he find peace somewhere?
738
00:42:01,774 --> 00:42:04,332
If a beast master
were ever going to have
739
00:42:04,420 --> 00:42:06,585
a chance for a life
after the Colosseum,
740
00:42:06,674 --> 00:42:09,452
Carpophorus would be
a good candidate for that.
741
00:42:09,548 --> 00:42:11,374
We don't have to assume
that coming to Rome,
742
00:42:11,459 --> 00:42:12,758
whether willingly
or unwillingly,
743
00:42:12,843 --> 00:42:14,427
was a one-way street.
744
00:42:16,187 --> 00:42:18,265
I'd like to imagine
that carpophorus,
745
00:42:18,354 --> 00:42:19,705
after this triumph,
746
00:42:19,794 --> 00:42:21,292
has enough fame
and enough money
747
00:42:21,380 --> 00:42:23,052
to buy his own freedom
748
00:42:23,140 --> 00:42:25,050
and perhaps, one day,
to return to his homeland,
749
00:42:25,134 --> 00:42:28,012
where he's not the stranger
750
00:42:28,100 --> 00:42:30,512
and the exotic
professional hunter,
751
00:42:30,734 --> 00:42:34,280
but someone who could live
at ease in his native soil.
752
00:42:35,305 --> 00:43:35,277
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