Those Who Are About To Die

Bestselling author Harry Sidebottom takes readers on a thrilling journey through a day in the life of the most iconic figure of the ancient world: the Roman gladiator'Magnificent... Was I not entertained? I absolutely was'Dominic Sandbrook, Times Books of the Year'Wonderfully panoramic ... endlessly informative, rich with unexpected detail but never heavy to read' Literary Review'Grippingly original'Tom Holland'Blends extensive research with a talent for vivid storytelling to distil 700 years of gladiator history into the 24 hours around match day'The Times*A TIMES AND ECONOMIST BOOK OF THE YEAR*Dressed in armour and clutching a bloody sword, the Roman gladiator is the most iconic figure of the ancient world. Both fascinating and repulsive to us now, he was in his own time a deeply controversial character, by turns hated and idealized - and always at the heart of Roman culture. But what did he really mean to the Romans? What did they see in the gladiator and the spectacle of the...