daily life of a gladiator in ancient rome

In ancient Rome, highly trained gladiators faced each other in the Colosseum and fought to the death for the entertainment of thousands of spectators. There are people who became a gladiator by choice and trained hard or criminal and slaves who are forced to train and fight. Unlike some beliefs, not all gladiators are slaves or criminals. Only one gladiator, who survived an extraordinary 150 bouts, survived more than 10 death fights that most gladiators do. Besides damage to his face from his helmet and a weeping eye, he had an injured arm that forced his retirement.How is life as a gladiator? Life is great and tough like an athlete, except for the death rate of around 20% in the arena. He must have been a success in the arena because he survived until 40. Sergius, however, had little else going for him. Eppia sacrificed not only her husband but her family and honor to leave with Sergius for Alexandria –all because, according to Juvenal, he was a gladiator. Juvenal’s Satire VI gives an account of a gladiator, Sergius who eloped with a senator’s wife, Eppia. This was because once they ceased to be a gladiator, they became nothing.įor those survivors rendered unfit for the arena by injury, their prospects in life were pretty bleak. Like Sigerius, most who achieved their freedom would sign up again or else become trainers. On the whole, however, life for the survivors was not easy. Some, such as Flavius Sigerus of Caesarea, continued as gladiators until forced to retire- In Sigerus’s case at the age of sixty. It is gravestones like these which give us information about the gladiator’s lives not just in but outside the arena. But the stars of the arena could afford something more detailed to ensure their immortality.

For most ordinary gladiators, those graves would be marked with a simple stone stating their names and perhaps the number of their fights. Most gladiators were part of burial clubs who ensured their remains were interred with respect. Given his evident skill with the sword, perhaps Attilius was an ex-soldier fallen upon hard times. It seems his luck continued for he won his next fight too, against yet another victorious gladiator. He was matched against Hilarius, a slave and veteran of the arena with fourteen fights under his belt, twelve of them victories. In Attilius’s case, the Nola games were his first. The graffiti also tells us the number of contests fought and won by the gladiators. He is depicted with a gladius, long shield and short shin plates protecting his legs, making him a murmillo. Whatever the reasons for his choice, the graffiti tells us a great deal about his career in the arena. It is most likely that Marcus Attilius took to the arena because he needed the money-desperately.

Daily life of a gladiator in ancient rome