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.

Originally released by BBC, 2000. Streaming video file encoded with permission for digital streaming by Infobase on April 23, 2019.

Introduction: Gladiators - The Brutal Truth (1:22); --Pompeii and the Coliseum (3:43); -- Killing Wild Animals (3:30); -- Public Executions (3:11); -- Celebrated Gladiators (5:01); -- "Life of Brian" (7:17); -- Arena Deaths (3:10); -- Combat Origins (5:00); -- Celebrating Violence (9:33); -- Roman Influences (5:40); -- Credits: Gladiators - The Brutal Truth (0:53); .