When Rome Cried

Why did Rome fall? No agreement here but political instability, foreign invasion, reduced tax revenue, constant invasions and endless civil wars, weakening central authority, social and economic problems, fertile land becoming nonproductive, high taxes and abusive slavery, disease, water and food shortage are all mentioned. Elsewhere, sports are mentioned as another cause due to lavish productions, widespread events with exorbitant costs.

Rome of course was known for its gladiators fighting wild beasts, humans and each other in huge arenas lasting hours, even days. All for the entertainment of the spectators. By the 1st century BC, magistrates used private games to gain support in elections. The emperors successfully continued this practice and the games became more and more lavish as each tried to out-do his predecessor.

Later on emperors would exert a near complete monopoly on staging public entertainment which included chariot racing, the circus, hunts of wild animals, public executions, theatrical performances, marathons and gladiator fights. Wild animal contests died in the 6th century. Chariot racing fell silent in the late Roman empire in the west, but continued in the east afterward.

As an octogenarian, I've seen many sports, participated in a few, but fail to understand many rules and procedures. Take curling during the 2010 Winter Olympics. I tried to figure out the scoring but gave up causing me to research it. In looking back, as seniors are apt to do on occasion, I see a sporting professionalism emerging not totally unlike ancient Rome. Not only is there a proliferation of games but an exponential rise of salaries, costs at the box office and posh arenas.

Even more, academic university coaches are outdistancing professors monetarily by huge ratios unheard of when I was a kid. Or even when middle aged. Now don't get me wrong, I love many sports, even some I don't fully understand. But our senior moment, sports wise, may cause tears when it becomes unaffordable and a subtle contributor to a demise of that which we hold dear, our culture and even our country.

Perhaps this is why we study history but do we learn from it? Time will tell.