| "Bread and Circuses" | |
|---|---|
| Star Trek: The Original Series episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 25 |
| Directed by | Ralph Senensky |
| Written by | |
| Story by | Gene Roddenberry[1] (uncredited) |
| Cinematography by | Jerry Finnerman |
| Production code | 043 |
| Original air date | March 15, 1968 |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"Bread and Circuses" is the twenty-fifth and penultimate episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by Gene Roddenberry and Gene L. Coon and directed by Ralph Senensky, it was first broadcast on March 15, 1968.
In the episode, Captain Kirk and his companions are forced to fight in gladiatorial games on a planet resembling the Roman Empire, but possessing mid-20th century Earth technology.
Its name is a reference to the phrase "bread and circuses" taken from the Satire X written by the poet Juvenal. In modern usage, the phrase implies a populace distracted from greater issues by the base pleasures of food and entertainment.