Who were the gladiators?

A gladiator (Latin: gladiator,"swordsman", from gladius,"sword") was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. read more

Gladiators were mostly first-generation slaves who had been bought or acquired in war or were convicted criminals, but they were a surprisingly diverse group. They usually common men, but there were a few women and a few upper-class men who had spent their inheritances and lacked other means of support. read more

The Gladiators came from criminals, prisoners of war or slaves that were condemned to gladiator schools. In time, most of them were volunteers attracted by the idea of becoming famous or to get some money. read more