This was Rome, a city of bloodshed and laughter, of food and starvation.
Rupert Matthews explores.
From Gladiator fights in grand amphitheaters to chariot racing at the Circus Maximus, Romans had their pick of extreme spectator sports.
But why was so much wealth, time and trouble lavished on free entertainments? The Age of the Gladiators explores many savage spectacles of Ancient Rome, many of which have become proverbial for their cruelty, bloodlust and glory.
This was Rome, a city of bloodshed and laughter, of food and starvation