Sketchy literature places the origin of the Gladiator as an Etruscan tradition. Gladiators came from all around the Roman Empire including North Africa. read more
It’s only the Romans who had gladiatorial arena-prisoners of war or criminals fighting to the end kinda thing. Noone like Chinese, Persians, etc have gladiatorial matches in arena in ancient times. That depends on where you stand on violence as entertainment. read more
Gladiatorial fights started as burial ceremonies, as a sort of human sacrifice to honor the soul of the deceased Roman. But with time they became a show. But not the most popular one. read more
Modern excavators, working in the armoury of the gladiatorial barracks in Pompeii found eighteen skeletons in two rooms, presumably of gladiators caught there in an ash storm; they included only one woman, who was wearing rich gold jewellery, and a necklace set with emeralds. read more