Why were the Ancient Romans so fascinated with blood sports and games?
540970
The same reason people like to watch boxing or other violent sports. The same reason kids like to play the most violent video games. Humans seem to have violent natures. There are only a handful of other animals that kill or attack for sport.
340562
There is a game, like the Sims in principle, called "The British Empire" that invoivles the same play as The Sims but in Roman Britain. it invovles pretty much the same thigns as you were describing, uilding houses and aqueducts. I hope that fits the bill, though am not certain it is exactly the same game as was very old, there have been a couple of others in much earlier epriods that invovled, for insatcme killing eelphants for food with hunters etc.
139102
because the game has a lot of blood, and other activities that are not legal in real life
868306
Nails were historically almost never used by romans.  The iron was too hard to work, meaning nails were extremely costly at the time.  Most criminals were in fact TIED to the tau-cross and left to asphyxiate.
643204
if u are doing something about Greece, then why u don't try to see the paralell between the ancient olympics and the modern ones.  Here is the games from ancient Greece that are still being practiced now:\nAncient ones\nBoxing \nEquestrian events \nChariot racing \nRiding\nPankration \nPentathlon \nDiscus= disk\nJavelin \nJump \nRunning \nWrestling\nRunning \nWrestling\n\nModern ones:\nSummer sports:\n\nAquatics\nArchery\nAthletics\nBadminton\nBaseball\nBasketball\nBoxing\nCanoe / kayak\nCycling\nEquestrian\n   Fencing\nFootball\nGymnastics\nHandball\nHockey\nJudo\nModern Pentathlon\nRowing\nSailing\n   Shooting\nSoftball\nTable Tennis\nTaekwondo\nTennis\nTriathlon\nVolleyball\nWeightlifting\nWrestling
466872
The very earliest form of the game for which there is scientific evidence was an exercise of precisely this skilful technique dating back to the 2nd and 3rd centuries B.C. in China. \n\nA military manual dating from the period of the Han Dynasty includes among the physical education exercises, the "Tsu'Chu". This consisted of kicking a leather ball filled with feathers and hair through an opening, measuring only 30 - 40 cm in width, into a small net fixed onto long bamboo canes - a feat which obviously demanded great skill and excellent technique. A variation of this exercise also existed, whereby the player was not permitted to aim at his target unimpeded, but had to use his feet, chest, back and shoulders whilst trying to withstand the \n\nattacks of his opponents. Use of the hands was not permitted. The ball artistry of today's top players is therefore not quite as new as some people may assume. \nAnother form of the game, also originating from the Far East, was the Japanese Kemari, which dates from about 500 to 600 years later and is still played today. This is a type of circular football game, far less spectacular, but, for that reason, a 'more dignified and ceremonious experience, requiring certain skills, but not competitive ' in the way the Chinese game was, nor is there the slightest sign of struggle for possession of the ball. The players had to pass the ball to each other, in a relatively small space, trying not to let it touch the ground.\n\nThe Greek game "episkyros", relatively little of which has been handed down, was much livelier, as was the Roman game "Harpastum". The latter was played with a smaller ball with two teams contesting the game on a rectangular field marked by boundary lines and a centre-line. The object was to get the ball over the opponents' boundary lines. The ball was passed between players and trickery was the order of the day. Each team member had his own specific tactical assignment and the spectators took a vociferous interest in the proceedings and the score. The role of the feet in this game was so small as scarcely to be of consequence. This game remained popular for 700 or 800 years, but, although the Romans took it to England with them, it is doubtful whether it can be considered as a forerunner of contemporary football. The same applies for hurling, a popular game with the Celtic population, which is played to this very day in Cornwall and Ireland. lt is possible that influences were asserted, but it is certain that the decisive development of the game of football with which we are now familiar took place in England and Scotland.\n\nThe game that flourished in the British Isles from the 8th to the 19th centuries had a considerable variety of local and regional versions - which were subsequently smoothed down and smartened up to form the present day sports of association football and rugby football. - They were substantially different from all the previously known forms - more disorganised, more violent, more spontaneous and usually played by an indefinite number of players. Frequently, the games took the form of a heated contest between whole village communities or townships - through streets, village squares, across fields, hedges, fences and streams. Kicking was allowed, as in fact was almost everything else. However, in some of these games kicking was out of the question due to the size and weight of the ball being used. In such cases, kicking was instead employed to fell opponents. Incidentally, it was not until nine years after the football rules had been established for the first time in 1863 that the size and weight of the ball were finally standardised. Up to that time, agreement on this point had usually been reached by the parties concerned when they were arranging the match, as was the case for the game between London and Sheffield in 1866. This match was also the first where the duration of the game was prearranged for one
157970
He is the Roman god of the dead.
474944
torino, italy \n\nThe Ancient Olympic Games were an athletic and religious celebration held in the Greek town of Olympia from (historically) as early as 776 BC to 393 AD. There were 292 Ancient Olympic Games.
1129626
Many forms of the game have been played for centuries.  The Romans Aztecs and in medevial britian for instance.  The modern version we know is a derivitive of a game made famous at Eton school.  It is called football but has a wall and very loose rules involved.  The modern game was organised and generated by business and government in the mid nineteenth century in order to give the working class something to do other than get drunk and fight after various acts of parliment gave them time off work.\n\n\nPS the other explanation of rugby is wrong.  It was created by a Mr Ellis who picked up a football and ran with it during a match at Rugby School
731618
Hmmmm interesting. Sorry, not up on my latin. Sounds like you want to seduce a vampire or something. Is that accurate?
554369
Well, I am fond of the Greeks for their literature and art.  The Romans, however, took the Greek basis and expanded the ideas.  Their art tends to contain deeper messages which some people appreciate.  I like the older Greek stuff, though...and especially the Archaic poets.  Have you read any Sappho?\n\nSo...Greek :)
557882
Because, for a lot of them, ANYONE can learn how to be good at them, or at least play.\n\nMajor sports are such big business, if you aren't the best you can't play sometimes.  Plus, pro sports are so much about the money these days, it makes some people feel fed up.\n\nBut karate, billiards/pool, darts, fishing, dodgeball and bowling all can be learned by an Average Joe.  (Except it takes years to get really good at karate).\n\nPlus, Karate, Bullriding, Rodeo, World's Strongest Man, and Dodgeball are all fun to watch.
72610
They used leeches to draw blood from people.  They thought illnesses were caused by poisoned blood and getting it out would cure the illness.
552484
Our sports heros are the gladiators of this era.\nPeople seem to be able to identify with them more than doctors, nurses, teachers, etc.\nThe media glorifies them and we desire to "be like Mike".
502307
Their bloody doctrines are full of blood alright. There's hemoglobin everywhere. They must love the stuff. On the surface it's about being good and all that; below the surface it's all about blood. Blood this blood that. "Eat my flesh and drink my blood." From the start to the end it's mainly about blood. Who can bare such a thing? Perhaps they are made in the image of their god; that is, bloodthirsty? But they're not scary, amusing would be closer to the truth.
510558
Its a cross between boxing and chess, in the past you had battles. Today there is rugby. A battle with tactics and physicality, without the chance of being killed. How can that not be fun ?
423657
Yeah that was cool. Also I liked when the Romans crucified everyone. stuck them on crosses along the roads.