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Movie scenes of gladiators fighting to the death in the Roman Colosseum are inaccurate. Gladiators were highly trained professionals who made their living by fighting, not dying. They entertained the Roman aristocracy and the most successful warriors became stars. Gladiators were not always slaves or criminals and some became trainers. The fighting began as a ritual at the funerals of wealthy nobles.
Sorry to burst the bubble, but the portrayal of Hollywood history isn’t always accurate. For example, movie scenes involving gladiators fighting in the Roman Colosseum, fighting to the death, have been recreated for dramatic effect. In reality, ancient Roman gladiators were highly trained professionals who made their living by fighting, not by dying. To entertain the Roman aristocracy, a large team of skilled gladiators had to be maintained and be ready to put on a show. The most successful warriors became stars of the Roman world.
The first fighting game:
That’s not to say gladiators weren’t injured, and some certainly died in the arena. At times they have suffered debilitating injuries and have had to retire from the sport. Some became up-and-coming gladiatorial trainers.
Not all gladiators entered the arena in chains. The earliest combatants were slaves or criminals, but in the first century AD, freemen enrolled in gladiatorial schools in search of fame and significant cash prizes.
Most historians think the fighting began as a macabre ritual staged at the funerals of wealthy nobles. When aristocrats died, their families held gatherings at the grave as a kind of eulogy.
