#318 | A Job From Hell | Slaves in Ancient Rome
English Learning for Curious Minds
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Why Didn't You Want to Be a Gladiator?
49% of slaves were owned by the Patricians or Senators, who made up just 1.5% of Rome's entire population at the start of the public era. The strongest and fittest men were often selected to become gladiators, and they would be specially trained to fight in amphitheaters like the Colosseum. But contrary to what you might think, there was a fate worse than becoming a gladiator, and that was those slaves who became actors. These were usually criminals, and their fate could be extremely grim. We will go into much greater detail in part 3 of this miniseries.
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