Despite the fame and notoriety attached to gladiators, they were still considered to be lowly types, and Roman citizens of good standing wouldn’t want their sons or daughters becoming one.

Bloody, brutal but popular, gladiatorial contests are often seen as the dark side of Roman civilization ... organized, gladiators became more specialized. There were five types of gladiator ...

There were around 20 types of gladiator ... The strangest volunteer gladiator was a Roman Emperor. His name was Emperor Commodus, who you might recognise from the movie Gladiator.

Among the names that intrigued researchers is Memnon, identified as a secutor—a type ... of gladiator. Although no amphitheater has been discovered in Colchester, the presence of the Roman ...