Gladiators

Digital scans unveil new love notes and sketches on ancient Pompeii wall

The once-thriving city of Pompeii, near Naples, was buried in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, preserving buildings, objects, and graffiti under meters of ash.

The archaeological site of the ancient Roman city of Pompeii is seen, as it reopens to the public with social distancing and hygiene rules, after months of closure due to an outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Pompeii, Italy, May 26, 2020.
A reconstruction of the amphitheater in the Roman city of Viminacium - modern Kostolac, Serbia.

This 1,700-year-old bear skull tells a disturbing story about life in Roman amphitheaters

 2,000-year-old garlanded sarcophagus found in City of Gladiators.

2,000-year-old garlanded sarcophagus found in City of Gladiators

 Lion tooth marks on bones.

Pelvis bite marks on Roman skeleton reveal gladiator battles with big cats


Gladiator tomb found in Liternum necropolis in Campania

The finding suggests that Liternum was not only a residential area but also a resting place for gladiators after their careers in the arena.

 Gladiator tomb found in Liternum necropolis in Campania.

Re-evaluation of 2nd century Colchester vase fleshes out Roman-era gladiator fights in Britain

An inscription on the vase names gladiators Memnon and Valentinus, suggesting it commemorates a real combat event in Colchester.

 Re-evaluation of 2nd century Colchester vase fleshes out Roman-era gladiator fights in Britain.

A Scandinavian Roman gladiator in York: Research shows pre-viking Scandinavian genes in Britain

DNA analysis shows 25% of genes in a man buried in York came from northern Europe.

 A Roman-era city wall in York, UK.

Roman sewage found in the "City of Gladiators" kept draining water effectively for 2,250 years

Recent excavations in the ancient city of Stratonikeia discovered a sewage system large enough to walk in.

 Stratonikeia Ancient City, known as the "City of Gladiators”.

Airbnb’s Colosseum Gladiator Experience draws outrage

The event is part of the promotion for Ridley Scott's 'Gladiator II', but locals fear it trivializes the monument's heritage.

 Airbnb: Fight like a gladiator in the colosseum.

Shaped like a gladiator: Rare 2,000-year-old Roman knife handle discovered in England

The knife handle is a testament to how pervasive the gladiator celebrity culture was in the Roman Empire, reaching all the way to Hadrian’s Wall at the very edge of the Roman Empire.

 2,000-year-old Roman gladiator-shaped knife handle.

A Jewish gladiator in Roman Pompeii?

A helmet found in the ruins of the famous Roman city wiped out by a volcano eruption a few years after the destruction of Jerusalem depicts a palm tree, a symbol of Judea.

 ladiator helmet, Thracian type, Chieti subtype, bronze. Naples: National Archaeological Museum.

Were there Jewish gladiators in the Roman Empire?

A new scholarly article examines the historical evidence of Jewish participation in the gladiatorial arena.

 A gladiator in armor