This blog post was updated on October 11, 2018.
What man, or woman, did not love the movie Gladiator and kind-of-sort-of not wish they were also a fight-to-the-death warrior as well? Ok, so maybe without that whole dying part, right?
Well, I’m sure now if I had known that there was an actual gladiator school in Rome about a month ago, we (my boyfriend and I) would still be there.
Yes, there is a way that wanna-be heroes can live out their dreams by attending a two-month gladiator school in Rome. The course is run by Gruppo Storico Romano and involves two lessons each week for two months during which time trainees learn to use the exact same weapons used over 2000 years ago.
These weapons include swords, nets, and tridents – each lending themselves to their own fighting styles and techniques. Different levels of armour are also used for training to make it as realistic as possible.
Upon graduation, trainees will be given a level qualification. For males, there are four: Mirmillon, Secutor, Retiarius, and Trace. For women, there is only one: Amazon (named after a female gladiator from Greece).
In order to sign up for the course of a lifetime, wanna-be gladiators must become a member of Gruppo Storico Romano, provide a medical certificate noting good health, and pay the course fee.
Luckily, the course fee includes a bag of gear: a tunic, sandals, belt, protective glove, and a wooden training sword. You know what they say: Looking the part is half the battle!
And, while two months in Rome might not be an option for typical holiday goers, there is also a single-day gladiator course that can prove to be a fun option.
So what are you waiting for? Do you think you have what it takes to be a real gladiator?
Book a flight to Rome and tap into your fighting spirit!
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photo: domhuk
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