Little difference between gladiators and All Blacks - academics

The gladiators of the Roman arenas had a lot in common with the All Blacks as they go into the Rugby World Cup, according to Victoria University academics. File photo / Thinkstock

The All Blacks have a lot in common with ancient Roman gladiators as they go into the Rugby World Cup, say Victoria University academics Matthew Trundle and Marc Wilson.

"In 2011, New Zealanders will flock to giant arenas where our modern day gladiators the All Blacks will seek to bring pride to a nation, and continue their central role in New Zealand identity," associate professor of psychology Dr Wilson said.

"Rugby is central to New Zealand's sense of national self worth - which can be a problem given New Zealand's recent track record of not winning world cups," he said.

"We love our rugby. That's great when the All Blacks are winning (like between rugby World Cups), but when they lose it's a different story."

In a public lecture next month the academics will address questions such as "will an All Blacks success win National the election, and will a loss mean the economy crashes?" and will also provide some therapeutic suggestions for how to deal with it the team doesn't win.

In ancient Rome, when "bread and circuses" were seen as key factors in keeping the population contented, gladiators entertained the masses with exploits in giant arenas, which created icons of the Roman Empire and were central to Roman identity.

With Dr Trundle, an associate professor of classics, Dr Wilson will explore the parallels of arena spectacles in modern New Zealand and ancient Rome in the lecture in Wellington on September 7.

Dr Trundle said that, much like world cup rugby in the professional era, there was a huge business that underpinned the arena spectacles of ancient Rome, which grew bigger with each successive emperor.

"As Rome grew and the power of Roman elites grew with it, the shows put on for the urban poor became more elaborate and bloodier."

But the gladiators had a much more complex relationship with their fans than the modern-day All Blacks.

"There is a huge ambiguity around gladiators because they were loved and idolised, but they were also feared and hated," he said.

"Gladiators were the ultimate outsiders, unmentionable slaves, yet central to Roman identity - their blood was said to cure epilepsy; their touch brought fertility.

"Feared and loved simultaneously, they were icons of the Roman Empire."

- NZPA