Rebellion In The Roman Empire

The Roman games are consistently viewed in modern times as a glorified form of ancient entertainment complete with chariot races, gladiator fights and the Circus Maximus. A well-known spectacle that has been consistently reproduced in pop culture, the Roman Circus combined has a much darker background than a mere form of entertainment. Combined with the grain dole, the Roman Circus games, known as Panem et circenses, or bread and circuses were a form of appeasement and distraction used to placate the plebian population and prevent rebellions. Social, economic and political conditions in Rome made the empire vulnerable to rebellion, but Panem et circenses proved to be a successful political strategy used to maintain control and suppress rebellion in Rome …show more content…
In the Roman Empire, the quality of life at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder was very poor. Plebeians, who encompassed the lowest level of society suffered greatly in the Roman Empire in contrast to the wealth and status enjoyed by the elites. It was rare for a commoner to reach old age, and skeletal analysis of Plebeians in the ancient Roman Empire showed a high rate of infant mortality . While Elite individuals did not undergo manual labor, the Plebeians were subjected to harsh working conditions, poor living conditions and the malnutrition and undernutrition that comes along with famine . In the Roman Empire, plebeians were not afforded much in the way of social mobility, as they were not allowed to marry out of their low class into the wealthier patrician