But few fans of these ancient warriors know they can do more than build their own gladiator armor and read-up on their history on obscure websites. At the Scuola Gladiatori Roma, in Rome, they can actually train to fight in the arena like their lives depended on it.
Students have to go through rigorous physical training that tests their agility, coordination, speed and strength, before moving on to the actual weapons training.
Just like the fighters of ancient Rome, they train with a wooden sword called “Rudus”, which is lighter and safer than a metal blade and teaches them to judge the distance from their opponent.