Femina Furisoa: Female Arena Performers and Their Role in Ancient Roman Spectacle

This thesis looks at what motivated elite males to include female arena performers, when male performers were the norm. This study will also look at the different ways in which female arena performers were presented for the audience and unpack why those personas were chosen for them. Gender, sexuality, and exotic ethnicities were all highlighted in the case of the female arena performer. What messaging was being sent to the spectators and how did it serve the sponsors to do so? The goal for the elite male sponsors was to gain favour with the people to increase his reputation, gain political support that would impact the trajectory of his political career, and to positively affect his legacy