The system of <em>“Panem et Circensus</em>” that means “bread and circuses” was the mechanism that Roman Emperors used to influence people. Usually, we see this only by the example of gladiators fighting until death in the Coliseum, but it was more than that. This mechanism included more items, such as the <em>distribution of food, public baths, exotic animals, chariot races (remember Nero?), sports competitions and theater representations.</em>
These politics started without any preparation, the gladiators fights started at the city’s administration building before it had a specific place.
Roman Emperors were so good at this that they mixed people without any social classes “exclusive seats” so people could feel even more pleased with the government.
Julius Ceasar was the emperor that gained more public feedback from this politics. he made huge games with hundreds of gladiators.
These politics didn’t only happen in Rome itself, provinces of the empire also had it, and they took place in the amphitheaters that are still here today in many places such as Portugal, France, Spain, and all over Italy.
An interesting fact is that for us, at the present time, the Coliseum is the biggest example of this mechanism of public influence. But the Circus Maximus - that doesn’t exist anymore - was the most grandiose construction for this purpose ever. It was 650 meters long and 125 meters wide, had 350 thousand seats available. Around the place were stores and businesses.
But as said before, public baths and theater were also options if you were not a so violent roman citizen. These baths were divided between male and female and were a complex of rooms. You can see it clearly in Pompeii and the city of Herculaneum.
