Gladiators, Nina explained, were revered like the football stars or Hollywood celebrities of the present day. They were examples of courage, bravery and discipline. Contrary to popular belief, and this may be disappointing to some, they were not all necessarily tall and muscled and handsome, as Nina’s favorite gladiator...Russell Crowe. (Remember the movie "Gladiator"?!) Rather, they were often quite short and plump, a bit stocky; the excess fat was useful protection from wounds. Contrary to what they show you in movies in fact, gladiators fought with their bare chests, not with an armor. Yet, even if not always good-looking, they were favorites of the ladies; more than one noble Roman woman are said to have run away with a gladiator. - See more at: http://www.italymagazine.com/featured-story/where-gladiators-stood#sthash.XwOKPwdP.dpuf