Gladiator Schools

To train as a gladiator, men were sent to a 'Ludis Gladiatorius' (A Gladiator School) where they would be trained to fight. At the school, Gladiators would be trained by a 'lanista'; a retired gladiator.

During their training, gladiators would exercise daily with weights to build muscle and gain strength and practice fighting with a wooden sword until they were skilled enough to use a real weapon.

Gladiators were treated very poorly by their owners and if they didn't train hard enough, they would be whipped.