Gladiators: A Day in the Life
The Ancients5 Loka 2025

Gladiators: A Day in the Life

The Colosseum packed with roaring crowds, the sand stained with sweat and blood. But today, you’re not watching - you’re fighting. Welcome to a day in the life of a Roman gladiator.


In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by historian and author Dr Harry Sidebottom to uncover the brutal reality behind Rome’s most iconic fighters. From their training regimes and daily routines to the myths of gladiatorial combat, discover what it really meant to step into the arena. Were these warriors condemned slaves or celebrities of the ancient world? And did they really salute the emperor with the famous words: “We who are about to die salute you”?


MORE

The Roman Gladiator

Roman Beast Hunts


Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Tomos Delargy, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds

The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.


Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.


You can take part in our listener survey here:

https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jaksot(593)

Ashurbanipal: The Last Great King of Assyria

Ashurbanipal: The Last Great King of Assyria

Known as the 'King of the World' and the last great king of Assyria, Ashurbanipal bestrode the ancient Mesopotamian world as a warrior but also a scholar, ruling the great Assyrian empire at the heigh...

21 Elo 202552min

The White Huns

The White Huns

The Huns weren’t just Attila’s warriors in Europe — in Central Asia, the White Huns built the most powerful Hunnic empire, ruling for a century and dominating the ancient Silk Roads.While the European...

17 Elo 202553min

Roman Aqueducts

Roman Aqueducts

How did Roman aqueducts help build an empire? They’re some of the most iconic structures from the ancient world — feats of engineering that transformed cities. But how exactly did Roman aqueducts work...

14 Elo 20251h 4min

How to Survive in Carthage

How to Survive in Carthage

From towering tenements to Punic porridge — step into the streets of ancient Carthage.In this immersive episode of The Ancients, Tristan travels back to 210 BC to explore daily life in the heart of on...

10 Elo 20251h 8min

The Olmec: Mother of Mesoamerican Civilisations

The Olmec: Mother of Mesoamerican Civilisations

Iconic monumental stone heads, the intriguing Lord of Las Limas, the enigmatic 'were-jaguar' figures, so much survives from the ancient Olmec civilisation.Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Jillian Molle...

7 Elo 20251h 8min

Livia: Empress of Rome

Livia: Empress of Rome

Powerful, cunning, uncompromising, even murderous (allegedly)... meet Rome’s first empress and one of ancient history’s ultimate power players.Livia Drusilla has long been cast as the bloodthirsty mat...

3 Elo 20251h

Siberian Ice Mummies

Siberian Ice Mummies

In this special episode of the Ancients, released just hours after the embargo on new research was lifted, Tristan Hughes discusses the fascinating discovery of ancient Siberian ice mummies and their ...

30 Heinä 202549min

Fall of Roman London

Fall of Roman London

Why was London transformed from a bustling Roman metropolis into a ghost town by the fifth century?Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Dominic Perring to explore the rich archaeological findings that revea...

27 Heinä 202558min

Suosittua kategoriassa Historia

olipa-kerran-otsikko
gogin-ja-janin-maailmanhistoria
mayday-fi
huijarit
mystista
tsunami
rss-ikiuni
konginkangas
totuus-vai-salaliitto
rouva-diktaattori
rss-subjektiivinen-todistaja
rss-i-dont-like-mondays-2
rss-peter-peter
sotaa-ja-historiaa-podi
rss-kirkon-ihmeellisimmat-tarinat
rss-iltanuotiolla
rss-sattuu-sita-suomessakin
maailmanpuu
rss-outoja-uutisia-pohjois-suomesta
rss-antiikki-nyt