Gladiator: Fighting for Life, Glory and Freedom

GLADIATOR                                              BEN HUBBARD

With their origins as blood rites staged at the funerals of rich aristocrats, gladiatorial combat is one of the defining images of ancient Rome. For more than 600 years, people flocked to arenas to watch these highly trained warriors participate in a blood-soaked spectacle that was part sport, part theater, and part cold-blooded murder. From Spartacus’s slave revolt to the true story of Emperor Commodus (of Gladiator fame), from female fighters to the great battles involving hundreds of exotic animals, this engaging history looks at service in the Roman arenas. It explores the lives of the prisoners of war, criminals, slaves, and volunteers who became gladiators; their training; and the more than 20 types of gladiators they could become, fighting with different types of weapons. Covering everything from weaponry to celebrity, this expertly written book includes 200 color and black-and-white photographs, artworks, and maps.

PAT'S REVIEW

A book that is filled with history, first about the Roman empire and then men who were its leaders and the rise and then the fall of Rome. He leads you through the take over from Cesar and all of the Emperors to the end of Rome.
Between all of that you get a look at all of the different gladiators, when it was just slaves, then when they added animals and then when it became like what we now have in boxing matches. That after let say 20 matches, he was able to retire. He will also show you through archeology finds the different types of gladiators which were seven.
The author takes you the different time periods of Rome the good and the bad, through this book you get to see actual artifacts that were found decades ago. You also see the building of a new coliseum after the original one burned down. He also shows you that the only true record of a gladiator was one by the name of Spartacus, who was a Legionnaire and then became a slave who would fight for his freedom.
I found this book to be full of Roman history but also the life of its citizens, the collapse of the empire, and of course the life of the Gladiators. Truly a very good book, if you are into history if not this could be a dry read for you. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com