Gladiators were all male slaved fearsome warriors. They were all professional fighters. They were condemned criminals, prisoners of war, and some were even Christians. The successful gladiators would receive a great acclaim. They were all forced to become swordsman. They would fight each other in an arena that was called a coliseum. A lot of free men would fight for popularity and money. They would play about ten to twelve days per year. They all used weapons when they fought. People can't see gladiators now but they can see where they fought and where they were kept in Rome.