gladiator
... In Rome, a successful gladiator received great acclaim. ... Ladies would also pamper him, and if he survived many combats, he might be relieved from further obligations as a gladiator all together. ... When a gladiator had beaten his opponent, the spectators would wave their handkerchiefs if they wished to let the defeated man live, and turn their thumbs downward if they wanted the man to die. ... " (NBCi) The movie, "Gladiator" directed by Ridley Scott encaptures and brings to life some of the mystique of the Old Roman Empire and The Colosseum. ... Found lifeless with grief and anguish, Maximus is captured by slave traders and sold into the service of a former gladiator, Proximo. Maximus distinguishes himself as a courageous gladiator and rises through the ranks in the local arenas.