Theatres
The Romans especially loved to entertain themselves by witnessing fights between gladiators, men who fought each other or wild animals for public entertainment. All of these competitions and combats were watched from huge theatres, called forums, which surrounded a round stage where the performers performed. It was all in the name of fun and enjoyment but some people lost their lives in "fights to the death."
The Colosseum
The colosseum was the biggest amphitheatre in the Roman world. It seated 50 000 people and professional gladiators fought beasts to the death. The Colosseum was also called the Flavian Amphitheatre. It got its name from the time is was built which was during the Flavian Empire in Rome. It was commissioned by the emperor Vespasian in 72 A.D. and completed by his son Titus nearly ten years later in 80 A.D.
Gladiators
As you know, gladiators are men who fought each other or wild animals for public entertainment. Roman courts were given the authority to sentence criminals
to death fighting as gladiators, so most gladiators were criminals. Other gladiators though, were slaves, ex-soliders, or prisoners of war. The word 'Gladiator' was from Gladius which was the
Latin word for sword.