Gladiatorial contests

Gladiatorial contests are a recurrent theme of fascination in fiction and in SF.

Typically works that feature societies with gladiatorial contests are intended to suggest thmes associated with the fall of the Roman Empire: a debased and inhumane populace, with the wealthy able to satisfy any vices, the poor subject to slavery or abuse, a lack of ethics protecting the weak and disenfranchised, and a lack of religious codes restricting various sexual or other codes.

Characters may be sent to compete in gladiatorial contests, to show their nobility of spirit, strength, fighting skills, etc.

In a number of works featuring gender division, men are disempowered directly or indirectly, but have a major role as athletic competition.

• "Angel" episode
• Marion Zimmer Bradley books
• Elizabeth Bear, Carnival (2006) (men win glory by athletic and martial competitions)
• Ursula K. Le Guin, "The Matter of Seggri" (1994)

See also:

• pouty slave boys