Ironically, as these battles grew in popularity, some people signed up and chose to become Gladiators. However, there were some who CHOSE to be a Gladiator! Gladiatorial battles may have been ‘entertainment’ but they were savage and few questioned them. They were often fighting for their lives, survival and freedom. Their status meant they were forced into the role. Most were slaves, prisoners of war or criminals. They were warriors but sometimes their reason they were Gladiators in the first place was tragic. Some historians believe that the Gladiators date back to the time of the Etruscans who were predecessors to the Romans in Italy. Their role existed for some 700 years or more. Gladiators were fighters that date back to the 4 th century BC.

They were professional fighters who fought in ancient Roman times, in front of a crowd, usually in large amphitheatres, including the Colosseum. In Latin, the name Gladiator literally translates as ‘swordsman’.

The Colosseum played host to a notorious form of entertainment in ancient times – the Gladiatorial battle – where Gladiators would fight for their freedom and their lives, in front of a packed crowd inside the Colosseum. Rome’s Colosseum has long been the symbol of the Eternal City, however the stories about what took place inside the Colosseum are just as famous as the sight of this ancient structure.