Gladiadores

How did the modest Etruscan funeral rituals become the greatest spectacles of the Roman Empire? This book immerses us in the fascinating world of the gladiators, warriors who captivated the imagination of an entire civilization and whose legacy endures to this day. Although we will see that reality, once again, surpasses the fiction we are used to seeing in films and novels. Amongst the blood-soaked sand and the roar of the crowd, we will discover the stories of the men and women who risked their lives in spectacular combat. We will meet the agile retiarius with their characteristic nets, the imposing murmillones with their shining armor, and we will witness impressive hunts where exotic beasts challenged both the fighters and the Roman conception of untamed nature. But beyond the spectacle, this work reveals the astonishing social paradox of the gladiators: slaves who became idols, convicts who achieved glory. Among them, women broke all the molds of their time, defying social conventions in a profession dominated by men. They conquered not only the arena, but also the Roman imagination. They left their mark on art, literature and even imperial propaganda, and became living symbols of virtues such as courage and discipline, as well as the power and greatness of Rome. Through the latest archaeological evidence and historical sources, this book reveals how these legendary warriors forever transformed the culture of the ancient world.

Manuel P. Villatoro es licenciado en Periodismo por la Universidad Complutense de Madrid y ha realizado diversos cursos en el Instituto de Historia y Cultura Militar. Es uno de los coordinadores de la sección de Historia del periódico ABC desde hace once años, especialista en Segunda Guerra Mundial e historia militar y coautor de 'Lo que nunca te han contado del Día D' y la saga 'Sin mitos ni tópicos'. Ha participado en diversos congresos y eventos relacionados con temática histórica y colabora en revistas como Muy Historia e Historia Hoy. Obtuvo el premio APCR de Periodismo 2020 por el reportaje Bandoleros, la verdadera historia.