What we know about the "Social Pope"
Russell Crowe’s iconic roar “Are you not entertained?” echoes through pop culture like a sword clash in the Colosseum. And clearly, we are entertained! From blockbuster films to flashy Vegas shows, gladiators still steal the spotlight. But much of what we think we know is more Hollywood than history. Alexander Mariotti, historical consultant on hits like 'Rome', 'Spartacus', and the new 'Gladiator' sequel, breaks down common myths pop culture keeps getting wrong about ancient Rome.
Ready to separate fact from fiction? Click on to see what ancient gladiators really looked like behind the scenes.
Think gladiator battles were always fatal? Think again. Mariotti says the idea of a guaranteed death match is a myth: most fights ended with both warriors walking away, not one lying in the sand.
Death was usually accidental because Romans valued virtus, a mix of courage, discipline, and skill. This means gladiator fights were a test of endurance, not just bloodsport. Spectacle mattered, but so did honor.
The real Roman crowd didn’t cheer for quick kills—they admired skill. As in 'Gladiator' (2000), silence often followed senseless violence, but in reality, fans came for spectacle, not slaughter.
While arena deaths did happen, it was rare. They could declare a fight to the death, but this practice was outlawed by Augustus, aiming to reduce the frequency of lethal combat.
Most gladiators were slaves, but their lives weren’t nonstop bloodshed. Typically, they fought just two to three times a year over a three to five year career, and with enough skill and luck, they could win their freedom.
The fame and riches of gladiatorial life were so tempting that some free men voluntarily joined. Like modern athletes, they enjoyed celebrity status and could retire after just five years, often earning a steady income by training future fighters.
Gladiators weren’t just fighters, they were investments. With months of training from expert trainers (doctores) and top-tier medical care, they were treated like athletes. The renowned physician Galen even started out tending to gladiators.
Given the high cost of training and maintaining star gladiators, death wasn’t the goal, as they were often insured with hefty policies. As Mariotti explains, if a gladiator was injured, the owner could lose a significant portion of their potential earnings.
Gladiatorial combat was more than just violence. According to Mariotti, it’s best compared to modern MMA, where fighters are judged not only on strength but also on their unique fighting style.
There were 20 to 30 gladiatorial styles, but, like MMA, most fighters stuck to a few favorites. Your style was often determined by your body type, athleticism, and what your doctores thought suited you best.
One standout style, the retiarius, was known for its minimal armor. As Mariotti explains, this gladiator was unique for being one of the least protected in combat, relying more on agility than heavy defense.
On the opposite end, the murmillo was heavily armored, wearing segmented armor and leg coverings, and wielding a large shield. This gladiator relied on defense and strength to overpower opponents.
The retiarius relied on speed and agility, while the murmillo took a more strategic, tactical approach. It was the ultimate clash of David versus Goliath: quick versus powerful.
Unlike modern MMA, there were no weight classes in ancient gladiator fights. In fact, the Romans mixed heavyweights (murmillo) with lighter fighters (retiarius) to test which fighting style and body type reigned supreme.
The Colosseum wasn’t a battlefield—it was more like a boxing or MMA ring. Just like modern sports, gladiatorial combat had its own set of rules, ensuring the fights were controlled and structured.
“There absolutely were rules,” says Mariotti. For instance, if a gladiator tripped, he was allowed to get up. Fights were even held in rounds, which is rarely shown in pop culture depictions.
Modern combat sports use rounds for a reason, because our bodies can’t sustain all-out effort for long. Add armor, helmets, and weapons, and exhaustion hits fast, which is why gladiators fought in rounds, not for hours.
Gladiator matches had rules and referees to enforce them. Each fight typically had two rounds: the summa rudis and secunda rudis, just like modern sports. The referees called fouls, gave cautions, and even heard appeals.
Ancient Rome was wealthy, but most Romans weren’t—one in four people was a slave. So, how did the empire prevent revolt? Simple: keep the people fed, entertained, and distracted with free water, baths, theater, and games.
Since gladiator games were the peak of Roman entertainment, they were totally free. Citizens got tickets made of bone or terracotta, marked with their entrance and seating, and sorted by social class.
The buzz before gladiator games was huge. The news spread via posters, announcements, and word of mouth. With all that hype came pressure, so to avoid last-minute injuries, fighters trained with wooden weapons.
Organizers weren’t just worried about injuries; they feared suicides, as some gladiators preferred to die on their own terms rather than become public entertainment. Honor, even in death, meant everything to them.
One of the biggest myths is that a thumbs down meant death and thumbs up meant mercy. In truth, those gestures likely weren’t used at all, or at least not how Hollywood shows it. The real signals remain a mystery.
Most gladiator fights were competitive until one raised a finger to yield. At that point, the game’s organizer, typically the emperor or a governor, made the final decision: life or death for the defeated fighter.
Unless a gladiator performed disgracefully, they were almost always spared. As mentioned previously, training and maintaining these fighters was costly, and losing half the roster after every event would have been financially unsustainable.
While gladiator combat was the main event, arenas hosted a variety of spectacles. Public executions were often part of the program, sometimes involving condemned men facing lions or even trained gladiators in brutal displays.
It’s important to challenge these myths to understand that the Romans weren’t barbaric, bloodthirsty creatures. They gathered in the tens of thousands not to witness torture and death, but to watch a popular sport filled with skill, strategy, and spectacle.
As Mariotti puts it, the desire to see physical prowess and bravery is deeply ingrained in us, which is why the Colosseum’s legacy endures, with modern MMA being the fastest-growing sport. It seems that we’re not so different from the Romans after all.
Sources: (War History Online) (The Roman Guy) (Big Think)
See also: Ancient Rome's most outrageous emperors
What Hollywood got wrong about gladiators
An expert debunks the top gladiator myths
LIFESTYLE Ancient History
Russell Crowe’s iconic roar, “Are you not entertained?” echoes through pop culture like a sword clash in the Colosseum. And clearly, we are entertained! From blockbuster films to flashy Vegas shows, gladiators still steal the spotlight. But much of what we think we know is more Hollywood than history. Alexander Mariotti, historical consultant for popular series like 'Rome' and 'Spartacus' as well as the 2024 'Gladiator' sequel, breaks down common myths pop culture keeps getting wrong about ancient Rome.
Ready to separate fact from fiction? Click on to see what ancient gladiators really looked like behind the scenes.