Gladiators: the stars of the ancient Roman world: but it’s not gold all that glitters. 

Before Pompeii and Hercolaneum were rediscovered by archaeologists in the 18th century, we knew relatively little about them and the way they lived, but today, also thanks to the findings coming from these  two cities, we can reconstruct fairly well the way these entertainment-warriors were selected, perceived by the public and trained. 

Who were they?
First of all, gladiators were not a prerogative of the Romans: indeed, sources tell us that the Etruscans, too, had a penchant for arena fights, a way to entertain but also a window for the rich and famous of the time to show off their wealth and power. In this, our cousins the Etruscans were not much different from our forefathers, the Romans, who used gladiatorial games as a way for the Emperor to display power, riches and, often, his right of life and death upon other human beings.