The Security of Mass Events in the Ancient Rome in Comparison with the Contemporary Solutions Cover Image

Bezpieczeństwo imprez masowych w antycznym Rzymie na tle współczesnych rozwiązań
The Security of Mass Events in the Ancient Rome in Comparison with the Contemporary Solutions

Author(s): Bronisław Sitek
Subject(s): Law, Constitution, Jurisprudence
Published by: Wydawnictwo Diecezjalne »Adalbertinum«
Keywords: security; mass event; ancient Rome; contemporary culture

Summary/Abstract: From time immemorial the society has had the need of mass entertainment, defined nowadays as the mass events. The example of this can be the organization of the Roman society, where, after analyzing the source materials, we can indicate some numerous examples of the mass events, religious, sports, or political ones. In the Roman legislation we can find a series legal regulations concerning the rules of organizing such events, chiefly, if it is About the public security. In each city, also in Rome, there was the calendar of mass events, which was completed all the time. The bodies responsible for organizing the mass events in Rome were the consuls and ediles, while, in municipalities the duumvirs and ediles. They had to provide the appropriate measures to organize the events and to guarantee the security. In case of the political events, organized during the election, the responsibility lay with the organizers. The security of the participants, particularly at the amphitheatres, was guaranteed through the legislative regulation of the principles of taking the seats at the audience. Breaking the rules was punished by the high fine. The security of the mass events in the Ancient Rome maybe was not so clearly defined as it is nowadays, but it was the matter of the Roman legislators and the public bodies. Hence, during the frequent sports events or the other entertainments organized at the huge buildings, as for example at Circus Maximus, which could contain even about 300,000 spectators, the construction disasters or public riots were the rareness.

  • Issue Year: 13/2011
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 331-341
  • Page Count: 11
  • Language: Polish