Are gladiators Greek or Italian?
the Roman Republic
A gladiator (Latin: gladiator, "swordsman", from gladius, "sword") was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals.
Because of their definitively non-Greek origin, their wide diffusion and the variety and quantity of evidence, gladiatorial games serve as an appropriate case study for analysing the depth of Roman cultural influence on the Greek world.
Gladiators lived in ancient times. Their role existed for some 700 years or more. Some historians believe that the Gladiators date back to the time of the Etruscans who were predecessors to the Romans in Italy.
gladiator, professional combatant in ancient Rome. The gladiators originally performed at Etruscan funerals, no doubt with intent to give the dead man armed attendants in the next world; hence the fights were usually to the death.