cup

Early mold-blown glasses made in the western Roman Empire include cups and beakers depicting gladiatorial contests and chariot racing. These popular sports drew huge crowds to the amphitheater and the circus. “Sports cups” were blown in two-part molds and decorated with pairs of fighting gladiators or charioteers, identified by inscriptions. Unlike the sophisticated and often deliberately colored products of Ennion, sports cups are relatively crude and made of “natural” green or amber glass. Presumably, they were modestly priced and intended for the mass market. Although some of the gladiators are known to have fought in Italy, the distribution of the cups suggests that many were made in the western provinces. This also implies that the cups were not made to be sold as souvenirs at the events they depict, but to celebrate sporting heroes whom the purchasers may never have seen in action.