This was a well-researched, in-depth look at the development of gladiators arena fighting in ancient Rome. Epplett examines the different kinds of gladiators, their weapons and costumes, their possible origin in terms of Roman psychology (from using prisoners of war from different conquered areas of Rome to gladiators merely dressing in ways that remind Romans of those conquered warriors), and their place in Rome's social strata. The variety of animal fights in the arenas are also examined, along with their popularity even outstripping those of gladiator fights. Epplett has a tendency to repeat himself, and phrases like "as we shall see" or "as we have seen" get used with far too much frequency, but overall the book is carefully researched and presented with scholarly thoroughness.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review