Abstract
In this paper, the author investigates how gladiatorial games worked in the societies of Spain under the Roman Empire. As archaeological research has recently been developing, various collections of papers on the spectacles have been published. As far as the author knows, however, no work has been accomplished to synthesize the views offered in the papers. On the other hand, epigraphic evidence has already been compiled. Especially the compiling work by A. Ceballos Hornero is notable as the start point of discussion. Also in this article, referring to this work, the author thoroughly examines the evidence related to the gladiatorial games. The distribution pattern of the evidence allows us to focus on the games in Baetica. The shows there were closely linked with the emperor and imperial cult since the Flavian period. There are two reasons for this. One reason is that the gladiators appearing in the spectacles in Baetica came from the imperial ludi(i.e. schools for gladiators) or the ludi which had some connections with emperors. The other is that among the persons who held a show were priests of the imperial cult. Examining the inscriptions of the SC de pretiis gladiatorum minuendis, the gladiatorial shows in Batica were likely to be administrated under the state control. Similar to the games in Baetica, the games in Lugdunum (modern Lyon) were closely related to the imperial cult. The amphitheater there had some reserved seats for tribal representatives. The amphitheaters at least in Corduba, the center of the imperial cult in Baetica, would have the similar seating. So, the reason why the games were linked with the imperial cult must be that emperors paid close attention to the inland tribes of Iberia, who could disturb the peace and order in Baetica. Therefore, it can be concluded that gladiatorial games carried out a social function to keep order within Baetica. Meanwhile, the local elites, who organized the spectacle shows, could not hold the gladiatorial games as a means of evergetisme because of the state control. This led to the clear difference between the number of the gladiatorial shows and that of other shows, such as theatrical shows and chariot racings. The number of the honorary inscriptions and tombstones which were proud of having held a gladiatorial game was about ten, while that of the inscriptions which were proud of having held a theatrical show were about twenty and a chariot racing about thirty.
