{"id":2191,"date":"2023-03-11T10:31:18","date_gmt":"2023-03-11T09:31:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.learnancientrome.com\/?p=2191"},"modified":"2023-03-11T10:31:18","modified_gmt":"2023-03-11T09:31:18","slug":"what-did-the-ancient-romans-believe-gladiator-blood-would-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.learnancientrome.com\/what-did-the-ancient-romans-believe-gladiator-blood-would-do\/","title":{"rendered":"What did the ancient romans believe gladiator blood would do?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The ancient Romans believed that blood from gladiators would bring them good luck.<\/p>\n

The ancient Romans believed that the blood of gladiators had the power to heal people and ward off evil spirits. They would often collect the blood of fallen gladiators and use it to bless people and objects.<\/p>\n

Did Romans drink gladiators blood? <\/h2>\n

Pliny the Elder was a great historian of the Roman Empire who described the mad rush of spectators into arenas to drink the blood of fallen gladiators. Centuries later, Marsilio Ficino similarly promoted drinking young blood as a means for the elderly to regain their youthful vigor.<\/p>\n

Roman writers Tertullian and Festus believed that human blood helped purify the deceased person’s soul. They believed that these contests may have also acted as a crude substitute for human sacrifice.<\/p>\n

What was the significance of the blood sports and gladiators <\/h3>\n