| Ancient Roman gladiators: the soccer stars of their | | | | and net, each of which had its own fighting style. The |
| day. | | | | net-fighter was the most vulnerable of all the gladiators |
| Ancient Roman gladiators could only have existed in | | | | - he was given only a shoulder covering to protect him. |
| ancient Rome. Imagine trying to lay on a gladiator fight | | | | Training: ancient Roman gladiator school. |
| today: two or more men fighting to the death armed | | | | Equally, different types of fighters required individualised |
| only with a net, a spear or a sword, encouraged by an | | | | training according to their armor, weapons and fighting |
| enthusiastic audience of thousands who liked nothing | | | | techniques. Gladiators clothed in heavy armor were |
| more than a gory end. | | | | slower and required different techniques and skills than |
| Yet we know from both historical documents and | | | | those like the net-fighters who were lightly armed and |
| from graffiti at Roman sites like Pompeii that this is | | | | therefore much faster. |
| exactly what happened. Ancient Roman gladiators | | | | Gladiators learned their art at one of several gladiator |
| were the celebrities of what is generally agreed to | | | | schools or 'ludi' around the Roman Empire. They were |
| have been a civilised society. They were revered as | | | | taught not only how to fight but how to die, for dying |
| heroes, followed by an often very large fan-base, | | | | without fear was an expected part of a gladiator's |
| trained at an illustrious gladiator school, and a day at | | | | repertoire. |
| the Colosseum was seen as the ultimate in Roman | | | | The gladiator school concentrated on training the |
| entertainment. | | | | whole man and so a high energy, healthy diet was part |
| Who would volunteer to be a gladiator? | | | | of their regime. Training often began at a very young |
| Although originally gladiator fights were staged by | | | | age - in teenage years - and gladiators were well |
| slaves who had no choice, made to fight as a tribute | | | | looked after by medics. |
| at funerals, the combats quickly turned into huge | | | | Not until they were brought to the point of peak fitness |
| spectacles often staged by the wealthy to make a | | | | and great skill were the gladiators allowed to train with |
| public show of their wealth and status. | | | | real weapons: to do otherwise would have been too |
| Such was the popularity of the fights and the celebrity | | | | dangerous. Until then they used wooden weapons. |
| status of the gladiators, new recruits were often free | | | | A modern day gladiator school. |
| men who chose the lifestyle against the risk of death. | | | | If you're looking for things to do in Rome, for either |
| Just like modern day celebrities, the gladiator troupes | | | | adults or children, think about going to a real |
| often toured different arenas and formed societies | | | | modern-day gladiator school. It's not well-known, but |
| who looked after each other - it is likely that one of | | | | within a couple of miles of the ancient Roman |
| the associations' main duties was to bury their | | | | Colosseum a group of Italian enthusiasts have set up a |
| colleagues and decorate their tombstone. | | | | gladiator school complete with a small museum and a |
| The different type of ancient Roman gladiators. | | | | fighting arena. |
| The popular image of a gladiator is a man with a | | | | For a magical couple of hours you'll be taken back to |
| sword. But there were many different types of | | | | the times of ancient Roman gladiators, allowed to |
| gladiator, defined by both their means of fighting and | | | | handle and wear their armour, trained to fight as they |
| by their status - and they included women. | | | | fought, and finally given your very own combat against |
| 'Gladiatores meridiani', for example, only fought in the | | | | other 'gladiators'. |
| afternoon when the sun was at its hottest; 'catervarii' | | | | Kids love it. Adults love it. The young, the old and the |
| fought only in groups, 'fiscales' were the Emperor's | | | | middle aged love it. Everyone who goes says it's one |
| own troupe, paid by the state, and 'postulatitii', fighters | | | | of the best things to do in Rome ever! The link at the |
| of great skill and the highest rank of gladiator. | | | | end of this article will take you to a page telling you all |
| Fight rules were based on the different types of | | | | about it, with a link to book your session. |
| combat. Defenses varied from a full-body shield, the | | | | Don't miss it - it will make your stay in Rome the most |
| 'murmillo', to the medium sized 'thraex' and the small, | | | | memorable of any holiday. And for your children, it will |
| round 'hoplomachus'. | | | | bring history to life in a way that no ancient ruins ever |
| Means of attack included the sword, trident, dagger | | | | can. |