Salvete,
Another interesting little fact found in the newspaper today :
"Bloodthirst of Roman gladiators disappoints"
Source : De Standaard, 04/03 (my translation)
Roman gladiators did not look like musclemen, but rather like sumo wrestlers. An investigation shows they primarily ate vegetarian food, and that they often carried a lot of weight with them. That way, they could take a hard hit somewhat easier.
The Austrian Archaeological Institutes is doing excavations on a gladiator's graveyard in Ephesos, now in Turkey. Bone analysis of the found skeletons show that gladiators primarily consumed beans, vegetables and certain kinds of fruit.
Valete,
Q. Pomponius Atticus