A day in the life of a gladiator

Welcome to the History Extra podcast, fascinating historical conversations from the makers of BBC History magazine. What was the life of a gladiator really like? Well, in this episode, We're stepping into the blood-soaked sand of the Roman arena to uncover the truth behind one of history's most iconic spectacles. Rachel Dinning is joined by the historian and author Harry Sidebottom, whose new book, Those About to Die, follows 24 hours in the life of a gladiator.

from the tense night before battle to the brutal reality of combat. He introduces us to these ancient fighters and reveals what their world tells us about Roman society, power, and entertainment. So Harry, thank you for joining me today on the History Extra podcast. Now, your book those who are about to die takes readers inside the Roman gladiatorial arena for a single day.

Firstly, I wanted to ask you a bit about how the Romans themselves viewed gladiators. So today, the thought of sitting in an arena to watch men fight with swords, animals be slaughtered, and crowds roar their approval seems quite alien to us. It seems quite horrifying. But was this how the Romans saw it? Why were they able to enjoy such extreme violence and spectacle?

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