This course studies ancient Roman gladiators and spectacle-the public entertainment that included staged beast hunts, mock naval battles, chariot races, and the punishment of criminals. Students use historical, literary, and archaeological approaches to study the development of gladiatorial combat and its reception in later periods. Emphasized topics may include: slavery in ancient Rome, the relationship between politics and spectacle, the architecture and engineering of the Colosseum, the representation of gladiators in modern film and video games, and the intersection of violence and entertainment in ancient Roman and modern American culture. All readings are in English; no knowledge of Latin is required.