+Historical Perspective+
Originally, captured soldiers had been made to fight with their own weapons and in their particular style of combat. It was from these conscripted prisoners of war that the gladiators acquired their exotic appearance, a distinction being made between the weapons imagined to be used by defeated enemies and those of their Roman conquerors

Most gladiators were prisoners of war, slaves bought for the purpose, or criminals sentenced to serve in the schools (damnati ad ludos). At a time when three of every five persons did not survive until their twentieth birthday, the odds of a professional gladiator being killed in any particular bout, at least during the first century AD, were perhaps one in ten. But for the criminal who was to be publicly executed (damnati ad mortem) or for Christian martyrs who refused to renounce their faith and worship the gods, there was no hope of survival in the arena.

Seneca, who once arrived at the amphitheater in the middle of the day, between the wild-beast shows that occurred in the morning and the gladiatorial shows presented in the afternoon, protested this lunch-time slaughter of common criminals.

"The men have no defensive armour. They are exposed to blows at all points, and no one ever strikes in vain....There is no helmet or shield to deflect the weapon. What is the need of defensive armour, or of skill? All these mean delaying death....The spectators demand that the slayer shall face the man who is to slay him in his turn; and they always reserve the latest conqueror for another butchering. The outcome of every fight is death, and the means are fire and sword. This sort of thing goes on while the arena is empty" (Epistle VII).

Free men also volunteered to be gladiators (auctorati) and, by the end of the Republic, comprised half the number who fought. Often, they were social outcasts, freed slaves, discharged soldiers, or former gladiators who had been liberated on retirement but chose to return for a period of service. They signed on for a fee and swore a fearful oath of absolute submission to the lanista to be burned, flogged, beaten, or killed if so ordered




Behold the reigning champion in all his glory.

~The Cast~
Lanista(owner of gladiators)-
Lanista's wife-

Doktore(trainer of the slaves)-played by me
Gladiator champion-
Emperor of Romulus-
Romulus General-

Slave Physician-

Gladiator Staple
Gladiator 1-HunterOdo
Gladiator 2-
Gladiator 3-
Gladiator 4-
Gladiator 5-
Jr Gladiator-

Personal Slaves to the Lanista family
Domestic slave-

+Arena and Champion Info+
Additionally, there are various types of champions.

World Champion: This is the champion who rules over all.

Arena Champion: Similar to a World Champion, except on a smaller scale. There are currently 4 arena champions, 2 in Romulus, one in Pompeii and one in the far east.

Womens Champion: The idea of how to approach the Womens champion division has lead to some long standing controversy, some believing that female gladiators are just as capable as male gladiators therefor there shouldn't be a separate category for female champions, while others believe the exact opposite, some are offended at the sight of women partaking in "gruesome death duels" . There are currently 5 female gladiators in roster , 1 holds the rank of Arena Champion, and another is a junior champion.

Duo Champion: A championship held by two warriors who work together to win matches , this is the equivalent of what we consider "tam team" champions.

Jr Champion: This is a title awarded to champion under the age of 18.