07.02.2014 – 12:26
Exhibition at the Liechtenstein National Museum: Gladiators and the Colosseum - Heroes and Architecture in the Service of the Powerful
The story of the gladiators and the Colosseum continues to resonate to this day. Countless films such as Gladiator, Spartacus or Quo Vadis describe the extraordinary phenomenon of the men who fought for life and to the death, and examine the dedicated architecture that was created for their performances. This was the amphitheatre, the precursor of today's areas. The Liechtenstein National Museum is dedicating an exceptional exhibition to this topic.
Original exhibits from the Colosseum are being shown for the first time in the Alpine region, and for only the second time outside Italy. These illustrate both the architecture as well as many individual features. The many materials used in the complex structures are strikingly described in the form of exhibits that may be touched. This will also help make the architecture tangible for visitors.
The exhibition also includes, for example, the most magnificent and best-preserved examples of gladiator armour that have ever been found. These come from Pompeii's legendary Gladiator School, and belong to the National Museum of Naples. Further original items from Italy relate evocative stories about the gladiators.
Armour and weapons of the individual gladiator types have been recreated in accordance with the very latest academic insights. This exceptional exhibition is further augmented by fascinating documentaries and films about gladiators and the Colosseum, the archetypal Roman building, the most iconic landmark of Rome, of Italy and of the Roman Empire.
Many questions are posed and answered in the exhibition. How was the Colosseum built, how was it designed, who were the gladiators, how did they fight, live and feel? What role did they play in society?
The exhibition relates everything worth knowing about gladiators and the dedicated architecture created for their set-piece battles. It throws light on the institution of the gladiator with all its highs and lows - a story that takes the breath away even to this day.
For this exhibition a number of academics and researchers under the auspices of Dr Rossella Rea, the Director of the Colosseum, have drawn up an entirely new catalogue. This is characterised not only by its lucid texts, but also by its vivid illustrations. The exhibition catalogue as well as the exhibition texts have been drawn up in the German and English languages. The exhibition catalogue as well as specially created biological perfumes for women ("Messalina" and "Hedone") and men ("Gladiator") and red wine created together with the Wine Cellars of the Prince of Liechtenstein that is limited to only approx. 600 bottles are available exclusively from the Museum Shop of the Liechtensteinische Landesmuseum.
Further events will accompany the exhibition. For example, gladiators from the famous Gladiator School of Trier will engage in battle on certain weekends. And on 26 March 2014 the distinguished experimental archaeologist Dr Marcus Junkelmann will be giving a talk on the institution of gladiators in the presence of gladiators.
The exhibition will be held at the Liechtenstein National Museum in Vaduz from 20 February to 24 August 2014.
The press conference for the exhibition will be held on 19 February 2014 at 11.00 a.m. Gladiator battles will also be presented on this occasion.
Liechtenstein National Museum
Prof. Dr. Rainer Vollkommer
Städtle 43, P.O. Box 1216
Principality of Liechtenstein
Tel: +423 239 68 20