Magic and Ritual in the Roman Amphitheatre of Beit Guvrin, Israel
Magic and Ritual in the Roman Amphitheatre of Beit Guvrin, Israel

Summary/Abstract: The amphitheatre of Beit Guvrin, Israel, was built in the 2nd century AD and held gladiatorial games and wild beast hunts for c. 150 years. The excavations of this spectacle building unearthed a cultic room (sacellum) and hundreds of cultic artefacts, including two votive altars, hundreds of ritualistic oil lamps and four curse tablets that attest to the use of magic and rituals in the context of gladiatorial games. These artefacts were likely used prior to the spectacles in order to gain divine assistance and enhance the winning chances of the gladiators and venatores who participated in the bloody spectacles that took place at the arena. The sacellum and the cultic artefacts found in the amphitheatre were only briefly mentioned in the published preliminary report on the amphitheatre, but no attempt has been made until now to investigate the cultic and magical rituals that took place in this spectacle building. This article, which is based on the original excavation diaries, thus provides a unique perspective on the importance of magic and ritual within the gladiatorial games at the amphitheatre of Beit Guvrin, offering an insight into the cultic beliefs and practices of the gladiators and functionaries who occupied this spectacle building. The amphitheatre of Beit Guvrin, Israel, was built in the 2nd century AD and held gladiatorial games and wild beast hunts for c. 150 years. The excavations of this spectacle building unearthed a cultic room (sacellum) and hundreds of cultic artefacts, including two votive altars, hundreds of ritualistic oil lamps and four curse tablets that attest to the use of magic and ritu als in the context of gladiatorial games. These artefacts were likely used prior to the spectacles in order to gain divine assistance and enhance the winning chances of the gladiators and venatores who participated in the bloody spectacles that took place at the arena. The sacellum and the cultic artefacts found in the amphitheatre were only briefly mentioned in the published preliminary report on the amphitheatre, but no attempt has been made until now to investigate the cultic and magical ritu als that took place in this spectacle building. This article, which is based on the original excavation diaries, thus provides a unique perspective on the importance of magic and ritual within the gladiatorial games at the amphitheatre of Beit Guvrin, offering an insight into the cultic beliefs and practices of the gladiators and functionaries who occupied this spectacle building.

• Details
• Contents