16.08.43: TWO THOUSAND years after the Roman
Emperor Claudius, a huge colosseum in Las Vegas is drawing capacity crowds of 150,000 to watch
modern-day gladiators battle to the death.
The event is a global broadcasting spectacular attracting
billions of bloodthirsty viewers.
The original gladiators were slaves, Christians or prisoners of war; their 21st-century
counterparts are mostly former special forces soldiers or martial arts experts. Successful gladiators
receive great acclaim and colossal cash prizes. They make it into the Hall of Fame if they survive 10
bouts, becoming emperor for a day with the power to give a thumbs-up - or down.
In a sanitised world, the concept of gladiatorial contests complete with lions, elephants and
chariot races is proving a huge success, but few believe it can last and the Las Vegas shows may have
to close. James Martin, a GladWeb spokesman, defended the Blood Games: "Gone are the days when
families huddled around their sets to watch soap operas or the Olympics. This is the ultimate sporting
contest, watched from the safety of their own home. Audiences are both repelled and fascinated by the
high stakes."
Liberals are appalled at the brutality of the games, but supporters argue that for centuries men
have risked their lives to prove their courage. Proponents also point out that, following changes to
legislation on violent sports such as prizefighting, contestants enter the competition of their own
volition. They are free to risk their lives, and all the animals are robotically engineered life
forms. SC
