Gladiators: Warriors of the Ancient World

This series chronicles the lives of Rome's greatest gladiators - from Spartacus's defiant rebellion to Flamma's ultimate sacrifice in the arena. Their stories reveal the brutal rise and fall of gladiatorial combat, exposing how bloodsport shaped Roman power, culture, and identity. Through rebellion, spectacle, and survival, these warriors became legends in an empire built on violence and glory.

Nat Geo TV · Documentary · Streaming on Disney+ · 6 episodes

Episodes: S1 E6 Flamma and the Death of the Games — Born in Syria, and likely captured by the Roman Empire in its relentless expansion, Flamma is sent to fight in the arena in Sicily. After an astonishing 34 brutal bouts to his name, Flamma dies at the age of 30. His gravestone erected by his colleagues reveals not just the brutality but also the comradeship and loyalty of the gladiatorial games.; S1 E5 Commodus: The Emperor Gladiator — 192 CE, Emperor Commodus stuns Rome by becoming a gladiator, headlining 14 days of violent sport in the Colosseum. As he slays beasts and opponents, his obsession with fame spirals into megalomania. But behind the roar of the crowd, conspirators close in. The man who crowned himself Hercules may soon face a fate worse than anything in the arena.; S1 E4 The Colosseum And Its Beast Hunter — In 80 CE, Emperor Titus opens the Colosseum with 100 days of spectacular games. Among the stars is Carpophorus, a skilled African-born beast hunter who earns legendary status by slaying 20 predators in one day. But behind the glory lies devastation - enslavement, ecological ruin, and a legacy of violence masked as spectacle.; S1 E3 Pompeii's Last Gladiators — Marcus Attilius, a Roman citizen in debt, becomes a gladiator in Pompeii. He rises to fame in deadly games, but a bigger threat looms - Vesuvius.; S1 E2 Nero's Favorite Gladiator — In 60 CE, Spiculus, Nero’s champion gladiator, rises to fame and fortune, becoming a symbol of power, spectacle and deadly celebrity in Imperial Rome.; S1 E1 Spartacus: Rise of the Gladiator — 75 BCE, Spartacus rises from enslaved gladiator to rebel leader, defying Rome and sparking a legendary uprising that shakes the Republic to its core.