The regular population had mixed feelings about the gladiators. Some felt they were not to be bothered with, as they were just slaves and criminals. Other gladiators, however, gained a sort of celebrity and were sought after by women. There is evidence that there were some female gladiators, and it’s said that at least one emperor enjoyed staging fights between women and dwarfs.
Gladiators were an interesting and important part of culture of Rome, but their existence did not last long during the empire. In fact, gladiator fights only took place for about 150 years, and they were banned after several Servile Wars with gladiators fighting against Rome. Hollywood has always been fascinated by gladiators, and it’s safe to say that more movies starring this group of people will probably grace the screen.
