Spectacle · Roman Empire Daily
Most gladiator matches did not end in death. Trained fighters were expensive and worth keeping alive.
Deep dive
Gladiators required costly training and upkeep, so their owners had strong incentives to avoid losing them. Evidence from inscriptions and skeletal remains suggests many fighters survived multiple bouts, and a defeated fighter could be granted reprieve.
Source: Fagan, 'The Lure of the Arena,' 2011; Kanz & Grossschmidt skeletal studies (Ephesus).
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