Both magnificent and menacing, the Worcester gladiatorial helmet invites us to enter the world of the Roman arena with its spectacular combats of men against men and against beasts. What inspired the Romans to develop such events and to build monumental facilities to house them? Who were the fighters and how did they see themselves? What meanings did civilized Romans see in the displays of blood, skill, and courage? How did females and Christians respond to the performances? **Dr. Donald G. Kyle**, Professor of History at the University of Texas, Arlington, addresses such questions by integrating recent archaeological discoveries as well as new interpretations of the preparation, lives, and deaths of gladiators.
Dr. Donald G. Kyle is a Professor of History at the University of Texas at Arlington. He is an internationally recognized expert on ancient sport and spectacles who has delivered numerous invited lectures, been interviewed by the media, and consulted and appeared on History Channel shows on Roman gladiators and on the Ancient Olympics. He has also served on the editorial boards of three journals of sport history. Dr. Kyle's book publications include \_Athletics in Ancient Athens\_ (1993), \_Spectacles of Death in Ancient Rome\_ (1998), and \_Sport and Spectacle in the Ancient World\_ (2007, second ed. 2015). He has additionally co-edited volumes such as \_Essays on Sport History and Sport Mythology\_ (1990) and \_A Companion to Ancient Sport and Spectacle\_ (2014) and written articles and book chapters on his topics of expertise.