Gladiator - Preface
First Chapter
A bronze Roman gladiator's helmet from the first century. Maintained at the British Museum, Room 69: Greek and Roman life.
Hail, Caesar,
Those about to die
Salute thee
(Or, in Latin,
the language of the day):
Ave Imperator,
morituri te salutantSuetonius
Historian of Ancient Rome
Usually "those about to die" in the Roman Colosseum were condemned prisoners, professional gladiators, Christians, or animals. The spectacle of the "games" was often bloody, a tradition started in Rome by its earlier conquerors, the Etruscans.
But not until the reign of Commodus (180-192 AD) did Roman citizens witness wholesale slaughter by a Caesar himself, dressed as a gladiator and acting like a madman. Who was this Emperor, this Caesar, who thought of himself as a god?
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