Roman Gladiators
The first gladiators are believed to have been slaves forced to fight to the death at the funeral of Junius Brutus Pera. The event was organized by the dead man’s relatives to honor his memory.
This practice was later copied at other funerals and eventually evolved into staged events put on by wealthy locals for the entertainment of the population. Spectators paid a fee to watch a variety of gladiatorial contests.
Most gladiators were slaves trained in special schools. They learned to fight with weapons such as daggers, swords, forks, and nets. They often faced other slaves or criminals, who were either unarmed or armed only with a net.
A fight ended when one man died. If a gladiator was wounded and unable to continue, he could signal for mercy. The crowd would then decide his fate: thumbs up meant he should be killed, while thumbs down meant he should be spared.
The largest and most spectacular gladiator games were held in the Colosseum in Rome. This enormous circular amphitheater could seat up to 50,000 people. Spectators received tickets indicating their seat and which of the 80 entrances to use.
The fights took place on the central stage, beneath which was a network of rooms and corridors used to store costumes and props for larger spectacles. Some rooms served as dressing areas for the gladiators, and lifts brought them up to the arena when it was their turn to fight.
This article is part of a larger resource on Roman culture, society, economics, and warfare.
