The fighters of ancient Rome — feared, but loved by the crowd.
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Before we read, let's learn the important words. Match each word (1–8) to its meaning (A–H). Say your answers out loud — "I think 1 is D" — then check.
1 = B (a gladiator) · 2 = F (a slave) · 3 = D (an arena) · 4 = C (a school)
5 = H (the crowd) · 6 = E (famous) · 7 = G (a revolt) · 8 = A (a myth)
Read each part. Then try the questions from memory, and talk about the last one.
A gladiator was a fighter in ancient Rome. The word comes from the Latin word gladius, which means a short sword.
Most gladiators did not choose this life. Many were slaves. Some were prisoners from wars. Some were criminals. A few men were free and chose to fight — for money or for fame. But all of them belonged to an owner. They were not free.
The fighters lived and trained in a special school. Life there was hard, but the men were not treated badly all the time. A good fighter cost a lot of money, so the owner did not want him to die. The men ate good food, doctors looked after them, and they trained for many hours every day. Different gladiators used different weapons. One man had a big shield and a sword. Another man had only a net and a long spear, like a fisherman. This made the fights more interesting to watch.
1. Where did most gladiators come from? Were they free?
2. Why did the men get good food and doctors?
1. Most were slaves, prisoners from wars, or criminals. A few were free men who chose to fight. But they all belonged to an owner — they were not free.
2. A good fighter cost a lot of money, so the owner wanted to keep him strong and alive.
The fights were a big public show. Thousands of people came to watch. In Rome, they built a huge building called the Colosseum. It could hold tens of thousands of people. A day at the games had animal hunts in the morning and the gladiators in the afternoon.
The games were very expensive. Rich and powerful men paid for them. Why? Because a happy crowd was useful. If you gave the people a good show, they liked you. And if they liked you, they would help you in politics. People said the Romans only wanted two things: "bread and circuses" — free food and a good show.
The best fighters became famous, like film stars today. People wrote their names on walls. They painted their faces on cups and lamps. A winning gladiator could get money. After many years, a great fighter could even win his freedom. So a man who started as a slave could sometimes become free and famous.
1. Why did rich men pay so much money for the games?
2. What good things could a winning gladiator get?
1. A good show made the crowd happy. A happy crowd liked you and helped you in politics. People called this "bread and circuses".
2. Money, fame (people wrote their names on walls and painted their faces), and sometimes his freedom.
Many people think that every fight ended in death. This is a myth — it is not true. Fighters cost a lot of money, so the owner did not want them to die. Many fights stopped when one man was hurt or said "stop". The crowd often let a brave loser live. Yes, gladiators did die sometimes. But it was not every fight.
You may know the picture of the emperor putting his thumb down to kill a fighter. We are not really sure this is true. It comes mostly from an old painting, not from Roman times. We do not even know which way the thumb pointed!
But one thing is true: sometimes the fighters fought back. In 73 BC, a gladiator called Spartacus and about seventy other men escaped from their school. More and more slaves joined them. Soon they had an army of thousands. For two years, they beat the Roman soldiers again and again. But in the end, a Roman general called Crassus stopped them. Spartacus died in the last big fight. Today, people still remember his name. He is a symbol of slaves who said "no" to their masters.
1. Why is "every fight ended in death" a myth?
2. Who was Spartacus, and what did he do?
1. Fighters cost a lot of money, so owners did not want them to die. Many fights stopped when a man was hurt, and a brave loser was often allowed to live.
2. Spartacus was a gladiator. In 73 BC he and about 70 men escaped. They built an army of thousands and beat the Romans for two years, until a general called Crassus stopped them.
When you use two or three adjectives before a noun, English puts them in a special order. We say "a big old shield", not "an old big shield". The right order makes your English sound natural — and it helps the listener see the picture.
Put the two words in the right order before the noun. Write the whole phrase.
1. shield — (old / big) → a shield
2. helmet — (brown / old) → an helmet
3. crowd — (big / loud) → a crowd
1. a big old shield (size → age)
2. an old brown helmet (age → colour)
3. a big loud crowd (size → opinion-type word)
Put all three words in the right order: opinion → size → age → colour. Write the phrase.
1. arena — (old / huge / Roman) → a arena
2. sword — (small / sharp / old) → a sword
3. fighter — (young / brave / strong) → a fighter
1. a huge old Roman arena (size → age → origin)
2. a sharp small old sword (opinion → size → age)
3. a brave young strong fighter (opinion → age → size; "a brave strong young fighter" is fine too)
Add very, really or so to make the picture bigger. Say it out loud.
1. The crowd was big.
2. The fighter had a old helmet.
3. The arena was loud.
Many answers are right. For example:
1. very big · really big · so big
2. really old · very old
3. so loud · really loud · very loud
There is a real podcast about the gladiators. It is for native speakers, so it is fast and quite difficult — that is normal! You do not need to understand every word.
From the Noiser podcast network. Hosted by historians, roughly 50 minutes.
Listen on Spotify →Do all three tasks out loud. Use the timer to keep talking.
Tell the story of the gladiators in your own words. Use these steps to help you: who the fighters were (slaves and prisoners) → the school and the training → the games, the Colosseum and "bread and circuses" → the famous fighters → the myth and the revolt of Spartacus.
Help me see it. When you talk about the arena, the crowd or a fighter's helmet, use two adjectives in the right order ("a big old shield", "a huge old arena", "a very big crowd"). Use some of the key words (gladiator, slave, arena, school, crowd, famous, revolt, myth).
The Romans filled an arena to watch fights. Today, we fill stadiums and watch sport on TV. Why do people like to watch big, exciting, and sometimes dangerous shows? What do you like to watch?
Tell me about any big show you choose — a football match, a concert, or a TV competition. Describe it so I can see it: the big crowd, the bright lights, the loud music. Use adjectives in order and words like very, really, so ("a very big crowd", "a really loud concert"). Who pays for it? Who becomes famous from it?
Not sure what to talk about? Choose one: