What is gladiator school

And four different Roman gladiator academies rose above the nearly others, to become the best of the best. At these schools, you'd learn specific fighting styles, and how to have an excellent death. What set these four schools apart? And what sort of training could you expect in the Ivy League of gladiator training schools?

All images from Spartacus: Blood and Sand, except where noted. The Four Prominent Schools Early gladiatorial events culled participants from slaves, criminals, and prisoners of war.

But eventually, people could sign up to compete in the arena, and even go to gladiator school. These volunteer gladiators received payment for their participation, and kept any gifts the crowd wanted to give them. The gladiators often used the money earned to pay off massive debts.

Emperor Domitian personally commissioned the creation of these four schools, and placed them within close proximity to the Roman Colosseum — thus setting the four apart and creating a foundation for gladiator training in the city.

Dacicus and Gallicus represented the conquered people of Gaul and Dacia, and trained students in the techniques of their native soldiers. Ludus Matutinus, meanwhile, trained its students to fight wild beasts , with a training regimen that was somewhat different from the others. The school of Ludus Magnus was the most high-profile, benefiting from a direct connection to the Colosseum of Rome through a series of underground tunnels.

You've inherited a plot of land and decided to build your own gladiator school. Now you must recruit fighters and command them to train hard. Every decision will matter. What weapons should they use?

What skills should they learn? It is your job to prepare them as best as you can before you send them away to fight. Your goal is clear, make your gladiators famous in the arena to earn as much coin as possible. Make the crowd go wild Manage your gladiators practice schedule and treat their wounds.

Customize your gladiators name, armor and weapons. Arrange fights, promotional events and sponsordeals. Scout new recruits with active potential rating system. Hire veteran, expert or master staff to assist with training. Buy, upgrade and manage training equipment in the school grounds. Instruct your gladiators in the arena, adjust your tactics in combat. Level up as a gladiator trainer and gain new insight and knowledge. Promote your gladiators and gain more fame in the empire.

Compete or interact with other gladiator schools and factions. Earn the right to challenge the champion of the colosseum. See all. Customer reviews. Overall Reviews:. Recent Reviews:. Review Type. All Positive Negative Before emperor Septimius Severus banned them in AD, female fighters were rare but not completely unheard of. The objects in the museum were faithfully reconstructed from careful historic research.

As well as weapons and armour used by gladiators, legionaries and praetorians the elite personal bodyguards of the emperor , the exhibits include models of heavy weaponry and objects that depict daily life in ancient Rome.

Visitors are invited to try on a helmet for size and test out the model onager — a type of catapult used for besieging forts and settlements. Each gladiator-in-training is given a typical Roman tunic and a wooden training sword known as a rudis. The retiarius , for example, carried a trident and a net, and most commonly fought against the scutarius.

Those that prefer to take in a blood-soaked spectacle from a safe distance can cheer on the competitors from the viewing gallery. Whether you go for glory and wield a sword or just form part of the baying crowd, a trip to Gladiator School will make that visit to the Colosseum even more awe-inspiring. We and our partners use cookies to better understand your needs, improve performance and provide you with personalised content and advertisements.

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