This is the Journal of a glatiator that I wrote to learn facts about Glatiators, Colloseums, and life in Rome.

Exerpt:

Today I was working in the bread

shop with master, when I was told that the emperor requested I was to be sent

to become a gladiator. They took me away along with a few other slaves.

They took us to the barracks where I will stay during my training.

I was sent to barrack number 15, and I will start my training tomorrow with all

the other gladiators. Most of us are slaves, but some of the other gladiators

were free men who volunteered for fame, and there are a couple upper class Romans

who were forced to become gladiators for the emperor’s amusement. I wish I was

sent to one of the larger barracks because one of the other slaves told me that

they had their own fighting grounds there and that members of the same fighting

style have their own private trainers. Some of the other gladiators bond

together in their own formal associations. Membership is constantly fluctuating

here. I heard that when a gladiator dies they often let their fellows bury

them. When we got here they had us take an oath that meant giving ourselves

slave status, not that I already am. I am still unsure if I should make some

friends here because I might have to face them in battle.







         Today we were sent

to the training school. Last night they fed me very well and I met many new people.

I was surprised to see that not all gladiators are men, some of us are woman.

They will put me on a special diet so that I can have lots of energy for battle.

The trainers tested us to see what type of gladiator we will be, and what

techniques and fighting styles we will use. I was chosen to be a Retiarius, because

I used to be owned by a fisherman and I am very handy with a net. I was sent to

a special training unit because I am left handed. Most of the other gladiators are

jealous because left handed gladiators have an advantage over right handed ones

because there not used blocking their left side. Most fighting styles came from

those the Romans conquered, so I was given the Egyptian fighting style since I was

born there. Fighting styles are also very stereo typed here, so I hope I don’t get

laughed at. People in the straining school are very competitive with their

grades (paloi).