Film

Gladiators: The Brutal Truth

1999 · 49m · Documentary

For 750 years, the local colosseum was the only place to go if you were looking for some action. What began as human sacrifice during funeral rites for wealthy families resulted in a violent, bloody battle staged in front of 50,000 fans. Gladiators were slaves, but the archaeological remains at Pompeii and the Roman Colosseum reveal that they were held in the same esteem as modern day sports stars. Gladiators explains how this "sport" was used as a tool of political power and how the Gladiators rose up and waged war against their owners. Two versions are available: presenter-free, and presenter-led, with Terry Jones of Monty Python fame.

Richard Denton

Narrator

Terry Jones

Host

• Alan EreiraDirector

Release date

January 1, 1999

Status

Released

Original language

English

Runtime

49m

Genres

Documentary