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Gladiators were exciting figures. The sport was thought to have been started by the Etruscans, who started this as a religious practice for sacrifice to the spirits of the deceased. They were brave men (and sometimes women) who fought against other men and animals. The women were rare and were considered to a disgrace to society. Some gladiators didn’t have any type of defensive armor to protect them; all they had was a sword. Others were decked down in armor. As we know now, this fighting wasn't smart entertainment, but Romans loved gladiators. The gladiatorial games were amazing. Romans enjoyed seeing death and bloodshed.The fights were religious and fun. The ability, perseverance, and events that affected the gladiators in ancient and medieval Rome were as important then as they are now. The gladiators wanted to look like barbarians by wearing advanced armor and using special weapons. They were like any warrior of that time. Gladiators had to go to gladiatorial schools. They were taught many things, including how to die. A gladiator wasn’t supposed to yell or request life, but instead die with dignity. In big cities, the gladiators would fight until death, but in small cities the gladiators would mostly fight until one man was badly injured. There were more than just man-to-man fights at the amphitheaters and coliseums. At the beginning of a gladitorial event, men fought with animals. The animal fights were just as brutal as the fights between the men. Many animal races disappeared because of these games, and captured animals were to fight against the man and die.There were bears, bulls, ostriches, lions, tigers and alligators. These animals were abused so they would fight. If the man was eaten, which was rare, the crowd cheered. We might think of this as silly. Why would a crowd cheer at a man’s death? The Romans, however, saw it differently.

Sports

Gladiators were exciting figures. The sport was thought to have been started by the Etruscans, who started this as a religious practice for sacrifice to the spirits of the deceased. They were brave men (and sometimes women) who fought against other men and animals. The women were rare and were considered to a disgrace to society. Some gladiators didn’t have any type of defensive armor to protect them; all they had was a sword. Others were decked down in armor. As we know now, this fighting wasn't smart entertainment, but Romans loved gladiators.

The gladiatorial games were amazing. Romans enjoyed seeing death and bloodshed.The fights were religious and fun. The ability, perseverance, and events that affected the gladiators in ancient and medieval Rome were as important then as they are now. The gladiators wanted to look like barbarians by wearing advanced armor and using special weapons. They were like any warrior of that time. Gladiators had to go to gladiatorial schools. They were taught many things, including how to die. A gladiator wasn’t supposed to yell or request life, but instead die with dignity. In big cities, the gladiators would fight until death, but in small cities the gladiators would mostly fight until one man was badly injured. There were more than just man-to-man fights at the amphitheaters and coliseums.

At the beginning of a gladitorial event, men fought with animals. The animal fights were just as brutal as the fights between the men. Many animal races disappeared because of these games, and captured animals were to fight against the man and die.There were bears, bulls, ostriches, lions, tigers and alligators. These animals were abused so they would fight. If the man was eaten, which was rare, the crowd cheered. We might think of this as silly. Why would a crowd cheer at a man’s death? The Romans, however, saw it differently.