The new, expanded college football playoffs saw enthusiastic crowds attending bowl games across the country. This year’s NFL Super Bowl is broadcast to millions worldwide. It’s a season when sport and spectacle collide, as stadiums rally civic pride, and athletes compete in a violent struggle for dominance. But the world has seen something like this before when Roman gladiators entered the famous Colosseum. Though separated by centuries, we are closer to the people of the ancient world than we might think. What is the legacy of sport and spectacle, and what can we learn about ourselves as we tune in?

Host: Andrew J. Falk

Guest: David Pollio

Past is Prologue is a humanities podcast that provides the public with the background behind the day's headlines, and offers much-needed context to understand the significance of current events that people observe around them. It seeks to contribute to the public conversation in an engaging, informative, accessible, and constructive way. It's produced by the Department of History in the College of Arts & Humanities at Christopher Newport University in Virginia. We welcome your inquiries and feedback at pastpodcast@cnu.edu.