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The amphitheater was the most popular form of entertainment in Pompeii. Seeing a "show" in Pompeii around that time would be going to the amphitheater to see somebody get impaled on a stick or a lion ripping into his live flesh. Pompeii’s amphitheater was built around 80 BC, making it one of the oldest amphitheaters in roman history. The contests Pompeian's enjoyed were extremely violent and gory, ranging from gladiator against gladiator hand to hand combat to one gladiator against two lions.
Fights in the amphitheater often lasted up to two or three days. They were highly publicized and well attended, not only by the people of Pompeii but also people from near by towns, and in a way were a lot like modern sporting events. In 59 AD there was a riot between people from Pompeii and Numerical, and the amphitheater was closed for ten years as a punishment for what the people did. The riot was recorded in graffiti on one of the walls in the town, "Campanians, you perished with the Nucerians in our victory." (The region surrounding Mount Vesuvius was called Campania). Other graffiti has been found about people opinions on gladiator fights and people's favorite gladiator. Gladiators were often foreign slaves, and both men and women idolized them; one piece of ancient graffiti reads: "Celadus the Thracian makes all the girls sigh."
Fights in the amphitheater often lasted up to two or three days. They were highly publicized and well attended, not only by the people of Pompeii but also people from near by towns, and in a way were a lot like modern sporting events. In 59 AD there was a riot between people from Pompeii and Numerical, and the amphitheater was closed for ten years as a punishment for what the people did. The riot was recorded in graffiti on one of the walls in the town, "Campanians, you perished with the Nucerians in our victory." (The region surrounding Mount Vesuvius was called Campania). Other graffiti has been found about people opinions on gladiator fights and people's favorite gladiator. Gladiators were often foreign slaves, and both men and women idolized them; one piece of ancient graffiti reads: "Celadus the Thracian makes all the girls sigh."