What do you know of the gladiators in Roman times ?

On the History Channel they had a special on Gladiators. Gladiators were first slaves,who were forced into it. Later men would become Gladiators so they could pay off their debts. At first gladiators fought until one was killed. Then the people reaized if they kept that up,they would run out of men will quick! Roman's loved to watch animals (like Tiger,Lions and Leopards) attack innocent people! They just didn't watch gladiators fight! Roman's were crazy! They loved watching gory volience! I even heard they had woman gladiators,too but I have not found information on that,yet! I did watch "Gladiator" starring Russel Crowe! It is a very good movie and a favorite of mine! I also enjoy Joaquin Phoenix ans the evil Commodus!

Gladiator are usually prisoners slaves and such in the mercy of the roman empire and such.They honor is get killed and if they are really good they may survive and gain their freedom if they able to please the audience which basically comes to see blood and gory to remind them of the glory of the roman empire conquering half the world and such.Human life is cheap those days.

I studied Latin at school, and part of Latin was to study the Roman culture, which was fascinating. so I know about the different types of gladiator (which was probably covered more int he life of brian than in gladiator) and traditions surrounding the ampitheatre. it's not what it's portrayed to be. and gladiators were like celebrities.

I know that gladiaitors were very courageous and heroic. they they were very btave and fearless. they were a force not to be reckoned with. a gladiator was someomeone who would fight the battle at any cost.

Spartacus was the most famous gladiator. I think he was from Thrace. Many times, when the Roman Empire conquered other tribes and nations, they took the men and made them outright slaves or gladiators. Spartacus was one such man. He got other gladiators and later slaves and they rose up against Rome. He also had other allies. His army kept defeating the Roman armies and they could have escaped to freedom, but instead, he chose to march on Rome. The armies of Pompeii and another Roman general surrounded his army and defeated it. He was either crucified or killed in battle. We are worse than animals because we should know better. We've gone from gladiator fights in the arenas to sports events such as football, baseball, and other things that people like to watch in stadiums and gymnasiums. The athletes' hormones still rage from the roar of the crowd.

I think we humans enjoy watching violence. Even in todays society we still enjoy violence but in a slightly brutal way. Boxing and MMA are one of the biggest sports events that draw millions. These sports are less brutal since it is seldom that people die in these sports but I still think these are still violent sports. As for the gladiators before, not all of the gladiators were slaves. Some gladiators are from rich families that fight in the coliseum to attain glory. Gladiators during that time were superstars like the boxing stars of today.

Mortality was something that had to be developed. Most people grew up in a world where having slaves and murder and torture and all these other things were just the norm. If you're taught that it's the norm, most people will accept it as the norm. Just look at how things like religion are still passed down. Now, I'm not comparing religion to gladiators killing one another, but a child taught something from birth grows up believing that. Whether they rebel later in life is later in life. People only know what they learn, so people believe in Santa and the Tooth Fairy and that their dad can beat up your dad until they don't believe it. I think the better question is: When did humans stop enjoying watching a slave who had no freedom but just to kill another slave? The answer to that: Still hasn't happened. We've just toned down the fatalities a little bit. Now you have Mortal Combat to tear somebody's heart out but the UFC when you want to see modern-day gladiators pound each other. We're not worse than animals or better than animals. We are animals. And no matter how many of us enjoy to visualize more "humanity" and a holding of hands and sharing of wealth and all that other stuff, there's still a flip side to that coin within every one of us.