Gladiator fights were a popular form of entertainment in ancient Rome, and the fighters were most often slaves, prisoners and, on occasion, volunteers.

A gruesome but fascinating discovery in an ancient cemetery near York has brought fresh light to the brutal world of Roman gladiators. For the first time in Europe, scientists have found physical ...

Fights also included staged hunts, and it’s conceivable that gladiators rode exotic wildlife. In Gladiator II, a gladiator rides on a rhinoceros in one fight.

When news broke earlier this year that 30 officers at a Los Padrinos juvenile detention facility were charged with facilitating gladiator fights between youth inmates, it evoked scenes straight ...

Bite marks discovered on the skeleton of a gladiator in Roman-era England suggest the man faced off with a lion in the arena, according to a new study.

He becomes the toast of the Coliseum, leading the other gladiators to victory against rhinos, sharks and all manner of human and animal beast.

‘Gladiator II’ falls short of capturing its predecessor’s glory as another champion fights to deliver Rome from tyranny. Some films tell epic stories that captivate audiences long after the ...

The gladiator-shaped knife handle was discovered in a river near Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland, northern England.

TIME talked to historians of ancient Rome about what we know and don't know about gladiator fights.