Did the Romans really flood the Roman Colosseum and bring in sharks to feast on the defeated? Did gladiators historically contend with armored rhinoceroses? Find out what's historic spectacle and what's Hollywood myth as two Penn State professors react to scenes from Gladiator II (released Nov. 2024). 00:30 - Was it possible to flood the Colosseum? 01:14 - Did gladiators really ride or domesticate rhinoceroses? 02:05 - What did thumbs down or thumbs up mean in ancient Roman culture? =========================================================================== Dr. Mathias Hanses is Melvin and Rosalind Jacobs Endowed Fellow in the Humanities and Associate Professor of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies, African Studies, and African American Studies in the Penn State College of the Liberal Arts. He works on Latin literature (including Roman drama); Africana receptions of ancient Greece and Rome; and race, status, and difference in the ancient Roman world.  cams.la....