10 Popular History Myths (You Probably Believe)

There's a nearly-universal notion about what it meant to be a gladiator. First and foremost, a gladiator was a slave - usually with washboard abs, at that. They were forced to become a gladiator, fighting in brutal matches for aristocratic Roman spectators, and those wealthy aristocrats gave the final thumbs-up or thumbs-down to determine whether you lived or died.

Here's the thing, though: very little of that is true, at least universally. Yes, some gladiators were slaves. There's no doubt about that. But all of them? Hardly. In fact, many gladiators were free citizens - aristocrats, even - who voluntarily signed up to fight. Gladiator matches were a spectator sport, and if you were successful, there was incredible wealth, fame, and glory to be had in the ring.

Not all matches ended in death, either. When both lived to the end, it was up to the sponsor of the match to give the final word. Why would they kill one of their famous faces?

As for the abs, most gladiators were actually a little chubby. Dad bods, galore. Think 2021 Russell Crowe, not 2000 Russell Crowe. Their sponsors made them pack on weight so that they could sustain shallow, non-lethal cuts in their subcutaneous fat. The crowds liked blood, and they were going to give it to them! Showbiz, baby!