Gladiators: The Brutal Truth

Gladiators: The Brutal Truth

  • Overview
  • Cast
  • Crew
  • Recommendations

Status

Released

Release Date

Jan 1, 1999

Runtime

0h 49m

Genres

Documentary

User Score

60%

Original Title

Gladiators: The Brutal Truth

Production Companies

BBC

Director

Alan Ereira

Description

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.