7 Things Roman Gladiators Did That You Won’t Read in History Books.

The image of Roman gladiators as titans of strength, courage, and brutal fighting has been a long-established one, yet much of the popular narrative about them is mythologized or simplified. The gladiators weren’t bloodthirsty fighters battling to the death for the  crowd's pleasure. Their lives were much more nuanced, and history has glossed over some interesting elements of their stories. Here are seven things you might not learn in history books about Roman gladiators.

1. They Followed a ‘Gladiator Diet’ for Maximum Performance

Despite the depictions of gladiators as grizzly, starving combatants, they were feasted upon and treated as athletes. The elite gladiators, especially those involved with the most rigorous training schools (called ludi), were put through a regimented diet plan intended on keeping them in peak physical form. Archaeological evidence indicates gladiators ate a high-carbohydrate, plant-based diet that was heavy on barley, beans and other grains. They called them hordearii (“barley men”) because they required significant amounts of grains in their meals. They also drank a special beverage composed out of plant ashes: this it was believed that the drink helped bones to heal faster and made strong in battle.

2. They Were Famous Celebrities

Although gladiators often get a bad rap as simple fighters, the truth is they were treated like celebrities in Ancient Rome. Popular gladiators had fan bases, and some were as well-known as modern-day sports stars. Sort of as brands, they had their names widely known. They were revered not just for their performance on the battlefield but for their physical abilities, and some even appeared in endorsement contracts for products of the era. Gladiators were also compensated for their combat and the more decorated gladiators and successful gladiator's commanded significant over time and thus possessed some wealth and value among the citizens of Rome.

3. They Might Earn Their Freedom

Not all gladiators were slaves, and it's one of the most misunderstood facts about them. While many were, some were volunteers looking for glory or the opportunity to earn a cash prize. Even slaves were offered the opportunity for freedom if they fought well enough in the Colosseum. This was known as a rudis—a wooden sword awarded to a gladiator to indicate that they had won their freedom. It wasn’t guaranteed, but for a gladiator who lived long enough and earned themselves a reputation, the dream of freedom was a very real possibility.

4. They Had Their Own Training Regimen

Training to become a gladiator did not involve simply swinging swords and connecting with targets. They were rugged fighters, brainwashed to be tactically astute, in a process of dehumanising indoctrination involving vigorous training and conditioning. They trained doing mock battles, strenuous activities, and targeted drills that refined combat skills. Gladiators were trained to fight with various weapons, and each type of gladiator specialized in one (the murmillo, for example, combined heavy armor, a large shield, and a short sword; the retiarius, net and trident). They were trained under the supervision of seasoned doctors, often ex–ex-gladiators themselves.

5. They Had a Code of Conduct

Savage as the games were, gladiators followed a code of conduct. Although some gladiators fought to death, many bouts were not necessarily fatal. The Roman law governed the games to give players a more or less secure dose of public morality. So, for instance, a fight might come to a close when one gladiator clearly lost or was injured, and the audience or emperor would vote on whether the loser should live or die. Gladiators were drilled to respect the will of the crowd and some of the most notable gladiators made the most theatrical displays — raising a hand, kneeling — when they sought mercy or a stay.

6. They Fought In More Than The Colosseum

The Colosseum is the most well known venue for gladiatorial combat, but gladiators fought across the Roman Empire in many arenas. Amphitheaters were built across the empire, some, like the Rome’s Colosseum, of colossal size, from Hispania to North Africa and cities big and small. Some of the largest and most impressive gladiatorial spectacles were actually staged in smaller cities far from Rome itself. These regional games were usually tied up with grand celebrations, state holidays, or imperial propaganda tours to demonstrate the power of the emperor and Rome as a whole.

7. They Faces Constant Danger and Fear

A popular misconception is that the gladiators lived in a never-ending cycle of combat. The overwhelming majority of gladiators, in reality, spent most of their time gearing up, nursing injuries, or fretting over their next fight. The first rule of all gladiators was not to get killed: the weapons in the arena were razor-sharp, while the actual fighting could be extremely brutal. They were also at the mercy of the mob, or the emperor, who had the final word on whether a vanquished gladiator lived or died. The fear of dying or being maimed loomed ever so clearly, and many gladiators had sleepless nights as they wondered if tomorrow’s fight would be their last.

Conclusion

The life of a Roman gladiator was a much more nuanced and complex one than we tend to acknowledge. They were athletes and celebrities and, sometimes, free men who traded the life of war for glory, survival or money. Their training was grueling, their lives filled with danger, but they also shared a sense of community and code that didn’t entirely erase the brutal nature of their profession. So when you hear of gladiators the next time, there’s quite a lot more going on in their story than what history might have in store for you.