WHO WANTS TO BE A ROMAN GLADIATOR? GLADIATORS WERE THE ROMAN EQUIVALENT OF THE FAMOUS SPORTSMEN AND ATHLETES WE HAVE TODAY. LIKE FOOTBALLERS, WRESTLERS, BOXERS AND OLYMPIANS, GLADIATORS WERE ATHLETES WHO PERFORMED FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT OF THE PEOPLE OF ROME.

BUT FOR THOSE INVOLVED, THE STAKES WERE A LOT GREATER.

IT WAS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH. THEY WERE TRAINED IN GLADIATOR SCHOOLS CALLED LUDI. THEY RECIEVED 3 MEALS A DAY AND MEDICAL ATTENTION IF NEEDED. THERE WERE GLADIATOR LUDI ALL OER THE EMPIRE AND 4 IN THE CITY OF ROME. ONE WAS CONNECTED TO THE COLESSIUM BY UNDERGROUND TUNNELS. GLADIATORS WOULD TRAIN LIKE ATHLETES EVERYDAY. THEY WOULD EVEN LEARN HOW TO DIE DRAMATICALLY SO THAT THE CROWD WERE ENTERTAINED. They often had fights with animals too.

THERE WERE DIFFERENT TYPES OF GLADIATOR EACH WITH THEIR OWN ARMOUR, HELMETS, WEAPONRY AND MYTHOLOGY. A GLADIATOR WOULD FIGHT BETWEEN 2-5 BATTLES PER YEAR.

IF THEY SURVIVE FOR 3 YEARS, A GLADIATOR WHO STARTED AS A SLAVE COULD WIN HIS FREEDOM. THE ODDS WERE STACKED AGAINST GLADIATORS... AFTER FIGHTING WITH WILD ANIMALS, THEY HAD TO BATTLE ARCHERS RIDING HORSE DRAWN CHARIOTS...

WARRIORS WITH SPEARS AND EXCELLENT AIM... IMAGINE SUCH WEAPONRY COMING AT YOU AT GREAT SPEEDS WHILE YOU ARE STANDING STILL... GLADIATORIAL GAMES TOOK PLACE IN AMPITHEATRES AROUND THE ROMAN EMPIRE. THE MOST FAMOUS AND PRESTIGEOUS WAS THE COLISSEUM IN ROME. THE GROUND LEVEL OF THE COLISSEUM WAS ONCE FLOODED SO A SEA BATTLE BETWEEN SHIPS COULD BE RE-ENACTED.

GOOD LUCK BRAVE WARRIOR.

IF YOU SURVIVE THE GLADIATORIAL GAMES, PERHAPS YOU CAN WIN YOUR FREEDOM. Task

• Design yourself as a Gladiator, what would you wear? How many battles have you won? Give yourself a made up name, use the ones in this Powerpoint for inspiration. • Template on the next slide if needed.