7 Fascinating Facts About the Gladiators of Ancient Rome

Things you probably didn’t know about the Ancient Roman Gladiators.

Sal
Lessons from History
5 min readApr 12, 2021

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Photo Credits: Grunge

If you think about the long-lasting Ancient Roman Empire, the first thing that pops up in your head must be the marvelous architecture of buildings like the Colosseum and, more importantly, the warriors who fought within them. These warriors were known as the Gladiators and have been sensationalized today as slave fighters who fought until one of them perished within the arena, purely for the masses’ entertainment.

While their status in society and the tales of their brutal fights have been discussed in many movies and works of fictional literature, most fail to capture the true essence of what it was like to be a Gladiator in Ancient Rome. To clarify some misconceptions, and also shed some light on the lives of Gladiators, here are seven fascinating facts about the Gladiators of Ancient Rome.

The Hoplomachus — The Gladiators You Are Most Familiar With

Photo Credits: Colosseum Rome Tickets

Contrary to popular belief, many different types of Gladiators fought within the coliseums in Rome. Some…

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Sal
Lessons from History

I am a History Educator and a Lifelong Learner with a Masters in Global History.