8th June 2010, 2:49 PM
Darunia Wrote:Seems contradicting to take such care and have such esteem for someone... yet, to force him to fight to the death for you amusement.
There were different classes of Gladiators, You had some that voluntarily signed up into the profession in exchange for huge sums of money.
pro-gladiators were neither slaves or freemen, but something in between, They could move about freely in town and did not live in chains like a prisoner , some of the more accomplished Gladiators were given "body slaves" and comfort women to serve them,They Were guaranteed a retirement with a pension if they survived long enough.
The Slave gladiators would be criminals , Deserters, Prisoners of war, They were essentially expendable fodder to be slaughtered by the "pros" and wild animals.