The Gladiators
and how they affected the city of Rome
How The Battles Began
Before I give facts on the effects on the city, the battles would have never been so great if they weren't created, this is a bit about how they were created. The first ever battle was held at a funeral to honor D. Junius Brutus Pera in 264 A.D. over 300 years before the Colosseum was built, the battle consisted of three pairs of gladiators battling each other to the death. It drew a big crowd and many people enjoyed it so after that almost at every funeral there was some form of battle. A few years after that the sport was still growing and becoming an event on its own and the battles were moving to amphitheaters where more people could watch. The battles continued continually gaining more and more popularity for over 300 years until the new emperor Vespasian believed it proved to its own sport and he believed the battles were worthy of taking place in their own arena made just for the sport. The building of the Colosseum started in 69 A.D. after the election of Vespasian and was opened in 80 A.D by Titus who was the brother of Vespasian and the new emperor because Vespasian was killed.
About the gladiators
The three main types of gladiators
Thracian
Held small curved dagger and a bronze shield
Wore Bronze helmet
Secutor
Carried a short sword and shield
Wore a smaller bronze helmet
Retiarus
Least armored gladiator
Was armed with a trident and a weighted net to catch the other gladiator
Fastest moving gladiator