Dec 08, 2024 17:00:00

Criticism of 'Colosseum Gladiator Experience Tour' as Cultural Insult

The Colosseum in Rome, Italy, is an amphitheater that dates back to 80 AD during the Roman Empire and is also a tourist destination registered as a World Heritage Site. The accommodation booking platform Airbnb has partnered with the Colosseum Archaeological Park to run a ' Gladiator Experience Project ,' which plans to have people experience being a gladiator in the Colosseum by wearing gladiator-style costumes and having a meal before a fight. However, the project has been criticized for 'degrading the dignity of cultural assets.'

Airbnb 'Gladiator' Experience at the Colosseum Prompts Outcry in Rome - The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/03/world/europe/airbnb-gladiator-colosseum-rome.html

On the page announcing the project, Airbnb states, 'For centuries, Rome's Colosseum has been the scene of epic battles and legendary gladiators. Now, after nearly 2,000 years, the Colosseum will return to its original purpose as a performance venue, where brave warriors will be able to enter this historic arena to forge their own path and shape their own destiny. Those brave enough to rise to the challenge will be able to follow in the footsteps of victorious warriors from the past, suit up in historically accurate armor and test their skills to decide their fate in battle. Win, establish yourself as the ultimate gladiator and make your mark on history.'

The Colosseum Gladiator Experience Project will take place from May 7th to 8th, 2025. Each program takes about three hours, and according to the official website, the following experiences are available. Each program can accommodate eight participants and accompanying persons, for a total of 16 people, and participants will be selected by lottery from those who have made reservations. Participation is free, except for transportation costs to the site.

Enter the candle-lit Colosseum after dark

- To prepare for battle, players go down to the underground 'Hippodium' and equip themselves with their favorite style of gear, such as 'Murmillo (a beetle shaped like a fish),' 'Retiarius (a fighting style using a net, trident, or dagger),' or 'Provocart (challenger).'

Eat the food gladiators ate before a fight, such as grapes, almonds, pomegranates, and walnuts.

- Watch thrilling duels between skilled gladiators and test your courage by facing off against warriors when it's your turn

The project is part of Airbnb's cultural heritage commitment, which includes more than $10 million in donations to restore the Colosseum's permanent exhibits and aims to enhance and revitalize it as a tourist destination.

The gladiator experience project has been met with criticism: Massimiliano Smeriglio, a member of Rome's city council, said: 'We are all in favour of companies sponsoring monuments and restorations, but they should not be asked to give anything in return. We are against turning the Colosseum into a theme park and will be meeting with Airbnb executives shortly to try to change their mind.'

Some critics have also questioned the involvement of accommodation platform Airbnb in the industry of the Colosseum, one of Europe's leading tourist destinations, at a time when many European cities are struggling to balance the needs of local residents with the post-pandemic tourism boom fuelled by the accommodation platform. In Europe, overtourism has become a problem, including housing issues and the impact of rents, as the number of tourists increases, and in the summer of 2024, protests against mass tourism also occurred in Barcelona and Athens. Viviana Picchirilli di Capua, coordinator of the Residents' Association in the center of Rome, criticized, 'Airbnb has paved the way for the destruction of our community. Before partnering with Airbnb, the Colosseum, a national facility, should have been more sensitive,' and there are a certain number of people who are anti-Airbnb.

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Meanwhile, Federico Morricone, a member of the Brothers of Italy political party led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, pointed out that 'these criticisms are the result of Rome's 'extremist forces' who believe that the arena is sacred. The Colosseum was originally built for rowdy entertainment.' Morricone added that other historical arenas have become attractive tourist destinations by properly fulfilling their roles, such as the amphitheater in Nimes , France, where bullfights are still held today, and said, 'There is nothing wrong with using historical buildings as tourist resources.'

In a statement, the Colosseum's authorities said the collaboration with Airbnb aims to 'enhance the history and cultural heritage of the amphitheater, based on rigorous historical research.' Dario Battaglia, founder of ARS DIMICANDI , which studies gladiators and promotes the ancient martial art of gladiator fighting as a sport, said, 'The blockbuster movie 'Gladiator' portrays gladiators with a lot of misunderstanding of history. In response to this, the Colosseum is changing its policy to try to deepen understanding of the profession of gladiator, which is completely misunderstood. Therefore, rather than entertainment, the Airbnb event will be an 'immersive experience' of history that will show for the first time what really happened.' He supported the significance of the project.