Today, if you and your family want to have fun, you might go to the movies, take a walk in a park, or watch a ballgame. When Romans wanted to amuse themselves, they chose quite different activities.
In ancient times, Romans went to public bathhouses to talk, gossip, and even make business deals. For an evening out, wealthy Romans might go to a play or concert. But poor people chose chariot races and the bloody fights known as gladiator games. Emperors and other powerful public leaders paid for these games to win the support of the people. Politicians used the games to help the poor forget their troubles. At a chariot race or gladiator contest, the crowds expressed their frustrations by yelling at the players instead of at their leaders.