What do Ancient Roman gladiators, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and Classical Studies professor Dr. Andy Findley all have in common? They all understand that, even for spectacle entertainment built on physicality, the show is only as good as the character mythology behind all the violence and vamping. In other words, slamming people to the ground is fun, but only to the extent that you care who is slamming whom and why. Contrary to popular belief (looking at you, Gladiator, and Gladiator II, and That-Show-Whose-Name-I-Can-Never-Remember-But-With-Anthony-Hopkins),most gladiator vs gladiator events did not involve one of the gladiators dying, because a business model where 50% of your expensive and highly trained stars dies every time is a terrible business model (imagine if at the end of every NFL game the losing team just died). Instead, gladiator fights were carefully arranged displays of physical skill and drama, with the gladiators creating stage characters and encounters that both showcased their talents and drew in the audience’s emotional investment. The best modern parallel is in fact Professional Wrestling, where stars must mix together physical prowess, improvisation, and storytelling.

Want to learn more about both the ancient and modern iterations of “mythology building meets body building”? Join us on Friday, January 31, 12:00 PM for Building Character: The Art of Professional Wrestling, where CLAS faculty Dr. Andy Findley will be holding a discussion with WWE’s Director of Character Development, Rob Fee, on how professional wrestling reflects and shapes contemporary American culture through storytelling, mythology, athletic performance, and more. This event, sponsored by the IU-Indianapolis Arts and Humanities Institute, will be held in Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hall, with online options available as well. Registration is required, so sign up now to avoid suffering a body slam of disappointment.