GLADIATORS

They trained in gladiator schools and were owned by the trainer (lanista). Places like Rome had resident troupes of gladiators but a number of touring bands travelled round the Empire and it would have been a very special event when the gladiators came to Roman London. Outside the London amphitheatre archaeologists found there would have been market stalls selling food and mementoes of the shows held. There, they would have sold bowls that had pictures of gladiators or wild animals shows on them, like going to a sport event today. However, not all of those contests were to the death. If the trainer had spent money training, feeding and arming his gladiators, he did not want them to be killed in the first combat so the shows sometimes only displayed their different fighting skills. Some gladiators became quite famous and if they won enough times they were sometimes granted their frIENDS.

BOUDICA FIGHTS THE ROMANS

he British tribes stopped to celebrate and spent time looting rather than continuing to advance. This gave time for the governor to reach London with a small force of cavalry but there were not enough to defend London and he evacuated all those Londoners left and they headed towards St Albans along Watling Street. The British tribes spent several days in London burning the buildings and killing anyone who was left, mainly the elderly and sick.

The tribesmen moved on to attack St Albans and the Roman historian, Tacitus, recorded that some 70,000 people were killed in all three towns. We do not know where the final battle took place but the Britons were unable to escape having brought their families to watch in wagons and carts behind them. Many were killed. We do not know what happened to Boudica – she either poisoned herself or she fell ill and died. The queen was probably in her mid to late thirties when she died but her final resting place is unknown.

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