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Cleaing up the gladiators - richsc - 09-03-2002 Rome Steps in to Stop Gladiators Making a Killing<br> <br> ROME (Reuters) - Forget lions and tigers. Rome's modern<br> gladiators were under fire from city authorities on Monday<br> after tourists complained about exorbitant prices and shabby<br> uniforms.<br> Rome's council has vowed to clamp down on the costumed<br> characters who hang around the Colosseum, offering tourists a<br> glimpse of 80 AD when a 100-day festival of ferocious warfare<br> opened the city's most famous monument.<br> Twenty-first century gladiators, who only pose for<br> photographs, will have to charge fixed rates and display prices<br> prominently under new rules, due to come into force before the<br> end of the year.<br> "It sounds like a good idea. We were forced to pay $20. It<br> was a total rip-off as we didn't know we had to pay when we<br> took the photos," said LaJoyce Brown, an irate tourist from<br> Pennsylvania.<br> Shannon Shogren from Atlanta, Georgia, suffered a similar<br> fate. "They came up to me and gave me a helmet to wear so I<br> took a photo with two of them and then they said it was five<br> euros (dollars) apiece. I didn't want to mess with them," he<br> said.<br> The Colosseum is Italy's most visited archaeological site,<br> attracting almost three million tourists a year. City fathers<br> fear the unregulated gladiators are giving the whole country a<br> bad name.<br> "We want to create a new professional gladiator figure and<br> make visitors feel confident they are paying fair prices,"<br> Daniela Valentini of the council's business department told the<br> Corriere della Sera newspaper.<br> The city also plans to ensure gladiators look more like the<br> real thing -- making them discard plastic helmets, T-shirts and<br> sandals and invest in metal headgear, authentic breast-plates,<br> tunics and shin-high leather boots.<br> "They definitely look plastic and cheap at the moment. The<br> less like Halloween costumes and the more authentic the<br> better," said American tourist Sergio Buccilli, as one<br> T-shirt-clad gladiator brandished his sword.<br> Roberto Coen, self-styled head of a 40-strong gladiator<br> troupe, said he'd have to go shopping.<br> "I'll need to buy a new helmet which will probably set me<br> back 300 euros, but it's just something I have to do. Anything<br> that improves the city for tourists is a positive step for us,"<br> said the seven-year veteran of the Colosseum.<br> Although plastic helmets are out, plastic swords are still<br> in. In March, police caught a gladiator with a real sword and<br> he faces up to three years in jail for carrying illegal arms.<br> Coen, a swarthy 42-year-old, insisted the five-euro photo<br> charge was standard but said gladiators often asked for less if<br> they thought tourists came from poorer countries.<br> He was unfazed by proposals to make gladiators register and<br> take a mini-exam in English and people management.<br> "We regulate ourselves now but under these plans, we will<br> be officially qualified and it will improve our standing."<br> Belgian tourist Martine Bekaert said the gladiators needed<br> an etiquette and acting coach as well as a makeover.<br> "It's a good idea to try to recreate history, but it should<br> give a real natural flavor of the times. At first glance the<br> gladiators are very nice, but then you get a bit closer and<br> it's a group of men hanging around smoking."<br> <br> <br> <p>Richard Campbell, Legio XX. http://www.geocities.com/richsc53/studies/ </p><i></i> Re: Cleaing up the gladiators - TITVS SABATINVS AQVILIVS - 09-03-2002 <br> <br> That's a really disgusting situation, due to few "desperados"<br> a big section of the image of a whole city looks compromised.<br> <br> So, you can understand the strong need of "real" and "authentic" roman events right here, in the Fatherland:<br> people wants authenticity, overhere too.<br> <br> I hope to help doing the gathering at Albano (new dates 4-5-6 October 2002).<br> <br> Uale,<br> Titus Sabatinus Aquilius <p></p><i></i> Re: Cleaing up the gladiators - Anonymous - 09-03-2002 <br> That is a beautiful roman story!<br> They'll NEVER change...<br> The swindlers are back in front of the Colosseum. It's a beginning...E EM<br> But don't forget: when in Rome, do as the Romans. Have you ever seen a Roman being photographed with one of those comediantes?<br> sheesh...E EM <p></p><i></i> Re: Cleaing up the gladiators - Muzzaguchi - 09-04-2002 Hi<br> <br> When my wife and I were in Rome last year we took photos of these 'gladiators' and didn't pay - that is probably why the guy I'd photographed twice stabbed me! The first photo he was on his brigh orange mobile phone and then a few days later the same guy was eating an ice cream in uniform so I had to take photos. If I'd known they charge that would have explained why they were irate! There is something hilarious (and I don't want to offend any re-enactors here) when they use the wrong and out of date (or not yet in date I should say) stuff. I've got a great photo from Kirby Hall 2000 with a Napoleonic figure on his mobile in the foreground and a Confederate infantryman in the background eating an ice cream (What is it with phones and ice cream?!<br> <br> CheersE EM<br> <br> Muzzaguchi <p>It is an unscrupulous intellect that does not pay Antiquity its due reverence - Erasmus of Rotterdam</p><i></i> Re: Cleaing up the gladiators - TITVS SABATINVS AQVILIVS - 09-04-2002 <br> <br> Yes, anachronism is fun! I laugh yet for the pic of the IX Hispana at:<br> <br> www.legio-ix-hispana.org/P1010122.gif<br> <br> Uale,<br> Titus Sabatinus Aquilius<br> <br> <br> "Desilite, inquit, commilitones, nisi vultis aquilam hostibus prodere" D.B.G. (4.25) <p></p><i></i> great photo - Goffredo - 09-04-2002 Ciao Tito<br> I really laughed at your IX Hispana photo!<br> Molto buffo. Very funny indeed <p></p><i></i> Re: great photo - TITVS SABATINVS AQVILIVS - 09-04-2002 <br> Vero eh?<br> Hai visto tutte le altre (gallery, anachronism)?<br> <br> <br> Sure!<br> Did you see the other ones (gallery, anachronism)?<br> <br> Ciao,<br> Titus Sabatinus Aquilius <p></p><i></i> |