During the heyday of the Roman Empire, its rulers sought to keep the inhabitants of its capital city from engaging in an insurrection. The emperors did not want to be overthrown by a mob of proletarians. And so, they sought to keep the lower classes distracted.
The method used was “bread and circuses.” Gladiators, who sometimes fought to the death, riveted the attention of the poor in the Coliseum. Charioteers, who often threw caution to the wind, similarly elicited raucous cheers in the Hippodrome. This fun was free. So were the many holidays where work could be set aside.
Nor was […]
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