Interesting, but not better than Legionary. I thought that was much better. ( )

Like the others in the series (Knight and Legionary), this is both top-notch history and very amusing, often laugh-out-loud funny. I learned a lot: for instance, I thought all gladiators were criminals or prisoners of war who were not there voluntarily, but it turns out some were free men -- though often desperate ones with little to lose. The author consulted some gladiator re-enactors and has pictures of them fighting in their combat gear. He also has, in addition to plenty of quotes from ancient writers, a fictional first-person account of what it would be like to actually be fighting in the ring.

WIN again, Dr. Matyszak. ( )