CREULTY AND CIVILIZATION: The Roman Games

red & white 1/2 cloth hardcover 8vo. (octavo). dustwrapper in protective brodart book jacket cover. very fine cond. mint cond. looks new. like new. as new. binding square & tight. covers clean. edges clean. contents free of markings. dustwrapper in fine cond. minor wrinkle to top edge with tiny nick, not torn or price clipped (no price listed). nice clean copy. no library markings, store stamps, stickers, bookplates, no names, inking, underlining, remainder markings etc~. first printing (#1 in # line) of this edition. (1972 original translated from the french). 222p. b&w photo illustrations. short glossary. index. ancient history. ancient rome. roman empire. military history. true crime. ~ The great spectacles of ancient Rome were not mere casual entertainments; they gave Roman life its rhythm and luster. In the time of the Empire, Roman citizens lived in excited anticipation of gladiatorial combats, chariot races, and circuses. The thrills of these games, which almost invariably led to some kind of carnage, compensated the Roman populace for its lack of political power. As part of the innumerable Roman festivals, these carefully orchestrated productions were staged at great expense in magnificent amphitheaters. Within their walls, Roman spectators watched others die agonizing deaths and developed a cult of the "star." Idol and outcast at the same time, doomed to a bloody end in the arena, the champion gladiator was in reality an instrument of a macabre collective pleasure. In Cruelty and Civilization, Roland Auguet gives a detailed reconstruction of these spectacles. He explores the emotions of the crowds and the motives of the rulers. Beyond this, he analyzes the importance of the games to the life of the imperial city and delves into what their popularity reveals about the collective mentality of the citizens of Rome. The book also includes twenty~four illustrations that capture the pomp and drama of the Roman games.…