“Don your outfit and unleash your inner gladiator in the legendary arena of Rome. » Here is a new rather unusual ad published by Airbnb. The company specializing in vacation rentals offers visitors to the Colosseum, in agreement with the site, a unique experience within the confines of the famous Roman monument, brought back into the spotlight with the release of the film “Gladiator II” . This did not fail to trigger the anger of certain elected officials in Rome.
Interested parties can submit a reservation request for the three-hour “Train for Gladiator II glory” experience between November 27 and December 9, said an Airbnb press release. The lucky ones will then be able to visit the site on May 7 or 8 and follow training in a small group of 16 people.
The trip to Rome and overnight stays are not included in the experience, which is free. Gladiator training will take place “outside normal opening hours” and will “not interfere with normal visits to the site, ensuring full access to the monument”.
Fears of turning Rome into an amusement park
A proposal which triggered an outcry from elected officials in Rome. “We cannot transform one of the most important monuments in the world into an amusement park,” reacted Massimiliano Smeriglio, municipal councilor responsible for culture in Rome (Alliance of Greens and the Left) in a message published on Instagram. “Rome is not Disneyland,” says city councilor Enzo Foschi to the Telegraph.
“The idea of cosplaying the violence inflicted on the bodies of professional gladiators, usually slaves, lower-class citizens, or immigrants, at the site of so much violence, as an “asset” to your stay on Airbnb – a company that ALSO profits directly from tourism in Rome – seems to me to be a bad way to approach ancient Rome,” responded Lauren Donovan Ginsberg, professor of classical studies at Duke University, in the columns of the Washington Post.
Airbnb defends the preservation of the site’s memory. “We are proud to support the ongoing conservation work of the Colosseum to find new ways to inspire and educate visitors about the historical significance of this bygone era,” explains the company, recalling that it brings a financial support of $1.5 million as part of a larger donation to historic sites in Europe.
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