A powerful survey . . . offering the newest research on gladiators to revise the standard perception of their combat, equipment, and lives and social status." — Bookwatch   The richest knowledge of the history of this most interesting phenomenon—the history of the Roman arena where, in blood and gold, magnificent performances developed, which devoured enormous sums of money and took away the lives of thousands of human beings and animals. The book is based on a huge amount of ancient resources, as well as the newest findings and research." —Michael Gorelik, author of The Warriors of Eurasia