“How often do you think about the Roman empire?” A question men got from their partners during this online trend a couple of years ago. Well, often. I figured. Not every day, not every week, but often. And it got me thinking, why? Who thinks about the Roman empire on a regular basis? Me apparently, but what do I think about?
The Roman Empire is fascinating and definitely worth thinking about. Way ahead of their time on so many subjects. Being Dutch I am personally fascinated by their water management. The infrastructure of the aqueducts, the sewer system with flowing water, and in some buildings primitive heating systems.
In general the ability of organizing things as a civilization is extremely impressive. Romans were ahead of their time on so many subjects. Especially in engineering. They built roads that still exist today. Bridges that survived floods and wars. Buildings that have stood for two thousand years without modern machinery. They understood materials in a way that feels almost modern. Concrete that hardens underwater. Structures that stay upright because every stone is placed with purpose.
And yet even with all that engineering the thing I keep coming back to is the Colosseum. A stadium in the middle of a growing empire. Built not just for architecture but for people. A place where tens of thousands could gather and feel the same heartbeat. A place made for leisure, entertainment for stories. The Romans understood that a city needs more than roads and water. It needs some place to come together. Somewhere to feel part of something bigger than yourself. Somewhere to escape daily life for a moment. That is why they built the Colosseum. And that is what got me thinking about writing stories about this subject.
Of course there are a lot of negatives about the empire and the idea of getting people together. Slaves had a prominent role in Rome. The “entertainment” was very cruel for gladiators, slaves and animals. Having the people together was also used for propaganda, not only entertainment. And while everyone was welcome, where you sat in the Colosseum was based on your place in society. Ahead of their time but not even close to how we look at modern society.
Ajax!
From the empire’s arena to my own modern one in Amsterdam. My name is Max and I live in Amsterdam. This year marks my twentieth year as a season ticket holder in the Johan Cruijff arena. Being 27 I do not know any better than to go and watch Ajax in the stadium. First with my father and brother, later moving to the more fanatic side of the stadium. With this move I met a lot of new friends. Now, almost ten years later, we still see each other every game. Great people I would not have met without going. All different, but united by one thing. Coming back to the stadium for all games.
Being an Ajax fan has been quite the experience in the past ten years. We’ve seen glorious results in Europe in 2017 and 2019, followed by a great downfall. The cycle of being a football fan… But that does not stop me from climbing the stairs of the Johan Cruijff Arena bi-weekly. Travelling all over Europe following the club has led to the realization that this happens in all stadiums. There are thousands of other Max’s with similar stories all over Europe. With Tales of the Stands I aim to find those stories and share them. A combination between entertainment and informing people.
Stadiums stand as the gathering points for society. Some jokingly call it their church, and there are definitely similarities. Community building, coming together in a place that unifies. People share the same emotions even if they live completely different lives outside the stands. For a few hours the whole place moves in the same rhythm.
When football fans reach the news it is usually about misbehavior. But like politics, the extremes reach the news. The “silent middle” is often forgotten. Normal people, with regular jobs, homes and family watching football as a hobby. Coming together, engaging with their club and socializing with the fans around them.
A stadium is not an exact mirror of society. Men are over represented and a lot of people have no interest in football. There are differences per country, but the one link is the over representation of men. A problem? I don’t think so. But something to keep in mind when claiming that stadiums are a place where “everyone” comes together.
“How often do you think about the Roman empire?”. Like I said, often. And it was this question leading to me launching this platform. Reading about history and football have been hobbies of mine since I was young. When I was in school history and societal studies were my favorites. And now, it’s time to write. I intend to inform and entertain. To be factual but not boring. To get younger generations reading instead of scrolling, and learn something while doing so. Tales of the Stands, the crowd beyond the concrete.
Thank you! For your interest and finding this platform. New stories weekly so don’t forget to come back. Any questions, feedback or want to collaborate? Let me know on contact@talesofthestands.com.
