Learn about 'Sport & Spectacle in Ancient Rome' Nov. 11
The Geneva Library Foundation Speaker Series will present "Sport & Spectacle in Ancient Rome: Chariot Racing, Charioteers and Sports Fans" from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, in the lower-level meeting room of the Geneva Public Library, 127 James St.
For most, the topic of sport in Ancient Rome conjures images of gladiators battling to the death on the sands of the Colosseum. This, of course, is primarily the result of contemporary film and television, such as Russell Crowe's Oscar-winning performance in the critically acclaimed "Gladiator."
However, the popular belief that gladiatorial combats were the premiere spectacle of Rome and that these events attracted the biggest audiences and the most partisan fans is only one of many misperceptions surrounding the history of sport and spectacle of Ancient Rome. Join the Geneva Library Foundation and professor Sinclair Bell as they explore the true passion of Roman sport fans: chariot racing.
Despite the Colosseum's deserved notoriety, the Circus Maximus in Rome - the original and largest venue for chariot racing - was many centuries older and considerably larger. In addition, chariot races drew the largest crowds and most fervent fans in Rome and throughout the Roman Empire, and continued to do so centuries after the gladiatorial games faded away. Bell's presentation will explore the circus games' activity and setting, their star performers, spectators and fans, and the central importance of the circus games for Roman society as a whole.
Sinclair Bell is a classical archaeologist and an associate professor of art history at Northern Illinois University, where he teaches courses in Greek, Roman, and Egyptian art and architecture. His work has taken him around the world, excavating Etruscan and Roman sites in Italy and Tunisia and interning in museums in Germany and Greece.
He studied classical archaeology at the University of Oxford, the University of Cologne, and the University of Edinburgh, where he received his Ph.D in Classics in 2004. Since then, he has given nearly 50 lectures and published nine books and more than 30 scholarly articles, book chapters and reviews about the art and archaeology of ancient Italy.
This event is free. Reservations are not required, but suggested. You can register at www.genevalibraryfoundation.org.
The Geneva Library Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. It is committed to providing a substantial, permanent, and stable source of funds to support the Geneva Public Library.