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Those Who Are About To Die: Gladiators and the Roman Mind
Bestselling author Harry Sidebottom takes readers on a thrilling journey through a day in the life of the most iconic figure of the ancient the Roman gladiator
‘Magnificent… Was I not entertained? I absolutely was’
Dominic Sandbrook, Times Books of the Year
'Wonderfully panoramic … endlessly informative, rich with unexpected detail but never heavy to read' Literary Review
'Grippingly original'
Tom Holland
'Blends extensive research with a talent for vivid storytelling to distil 700 years of gladiator history into the 24 hours around match day'
The Times
*A TIMES AND ECONOMIST BOOK OF THE YEAR*
Dressed in armour and clutching a bloody sword, the Roman gladiator is the most iconic figure of the ancient world. Both fascinating and repulsive to us now, he was in his own time a deeply controversial character, by turns hated and idealized – and always at the heart of Roman culture. But what did he really mean to the Romans? What did they see in the gladiator and the spectacle of the games? And what does he reveal to us today about the Roman way of life?
Brilliantly written and meticulously researched, this book tells the stories of the gladiators and those who observed them – from grand emperors to lowly slaves – illuminating and analysing the all-consuming passion of the Roman Empire for the spectacle of mortal combat. In doing so, it reveals Roman ideas about everything from freedom and servitude to sex and desire, from courage and cowardice to death and the afterlife.
Taking readers on an unforgettable twenty-four-hour adventure – beginning the night before the games and ending the evening after – Those Who Are About To Die gives a blow-by-blow account of what life was really like in the brutally unforgiving arena of the ancient world.
‘Magnificent… Was I not entertained? I absolutely was’
Dominic Sandbrook, Times Books of the Year
'Wonderfully panoramic … endlessly informative, rich with unexpected detail but never heavy to read' Literary Review
'Grippingly original'
Tom Holland
'Blends extensive research with a talent for vivid storytelling to distil 700 years of gladiator history into the 24 hours around match day'
The Times
*A TIMES AND ECONOMIST BOOK OF THE YEAR*
Dressed in armour and clutching a bloody sword, the Roman gladiator is the most iconic figure of the ancient world. Both fascinating and repulsive to us now, he was in his own time a deeply controversial character, by turns hated and idealized – and always at the heart of Roman culture. But what did he really mean to the Romans? What did they see in the gladiator and the spectacle of the games? And what does he reveal to us today about the Roman way of life?
Brilliantly written and meticulously researched, this book tells the stories of the gladiators and those who observed them – from grand emperors to lowly slaves – illuminating and analysing the all-consuming passion of the Roman Empire for the spectacle of mortal combat. In doing so, it reveals Roman ideas about everything from freedom and servitude to sex and desire, from courage and cowardice to death and the afterlife.
Taking readers on an unforgettable twenty-four-hour adventure – beginning the night before the games and ending the evening after – Those Who Are About To Die gives a blow-by-blow account of what life was really like in the brutally unforgiving arena of the ancient world.
394 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 28, 2025
84 people are currently reading
5741 people want to read
About the author
Harry Sidebottom
44 books539 followersHarry Sidebottom is Lecturer in Ancient History at Merton College, Oxford, and part-time lecturer in Classics and Ancient History at the University of Warwick. He has written for and contributed to many publications, including Classical Review, Journal of Roman Studies, and War and Society in the Roman World.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
November 8, 2025
Definitely did not click for me. Compared to other books on the subject or Ancient Rome in general, author seems to jump from around with details about gladiators as the main glue but not the subject… which is supposed to be what the book is about.
Feels like someone reading an article on a webpage and then clicking a link or a reference, then perhaps another reference from within a reference and then coming back to the main article only to click on again in a bit.
Was too happy to see this book in Waterstones and too eager to buy it… :(
Feels like someone reading an article on a webpage and then clicking a link or a reference, then perhaps another reference from within a reference and then coming back to the main article only to click on again in a bit.
Was too happy to see this book in Waterstones and too eager to buy it… :(
November 11, 2025
wow. so good. didn't just learn a lot about gladiators. but about the day to day life of the roman people
highly recommended
highly recommended
January 4, 2026
This is a remarkably great read. It takes as a construct 24 hours in the life of a gladiator, and thereby takes a theme by theme approach which covers every conceivable aspect of both the life and death of gladiators and the concept of the games themselves. It is meticulously backed up and researched but written in the most accessible manner, with plenty of dry wit and tongue in cheek asides by the author. It really is a one-stop shop in gladiators, the games and the entire world within which they existed.
My one gripe is that he used the term pleb as a synonym for poor/lower class - often using them as a social class below “equestrians”. In fact all a pleb was was a non-patrician, and there were very few patricians, so there were many, many rich and distinguished plebs (Pompey and Antony to name only two) and indeed a lot of the equestrians were themselves plebs. Pleb was not a class. I know he must know this and used it as convenience and using the modern understanding of pleb but it did annoy me!
My one gripe is that he used the term pleb as a synonym for poor/lower class - often using them as a social class below “equestrians”. In fact all a pleb was was a non-patrician, and there were very few patricians, so there were many, many rich and distinguished plebs (Pompey and Antony to name only two) and indeed a lot of the equestrians were themselves plebs. Pleb was not a class. I know he must know this and used it as convenience and using the modern understanding of pleb but it did annoy me!
November 5, 2025
Very informative, but if like me you are expecting and hoping for a blood soaked tour through the colosseum, then think again. The bit underneath the title should be the real title. This is more of a deep dive into how the Romans thought about themselves which he ties to gladiators rather than a Russell Crowe epic. He also gets a bit snotty at one point about what he describes as amateur historians, i.e - the people who have just read his book. It was a good book but not really what I thought I was getting.
April 14, 2026
Thanks for the free ARC AAKnopf #AAKnopfPartner #PRHPartner . These thoughts are my own:
Through Sidebottom's prose, I was incredibly engaged and strangely invested in the lives, routines, and feelings of the gladiators of ancient Rome--a subject that I hadn't given much thought to prior to reading this book. Like most people, my mental imaginings of gladiators have been created by movies such as Spartacus and Gladiator. The reality is, of course less...Hollywood-ish. Through a composite of a 24-hour-day in the life of a gladiator, broader Roman practices and cultural norms are presented through a number of different viewpoints. A picture of Roman society emerges, as does a general sweep of the 700 years during which gladiator matches were prevalent, stitched together engagingly from a broad variety of primary and secondary sources. The influence of the same Roman value of courage that was embodied by gladiatorial combat is still felt today, and despite the myriad differences in customs and expectations between then and some 2000 years later, our shared humanity shines through. I thoroughly enjoyed being brought along on this fascinating, interesting journey.
#ABorzoiBook
Through Sidebottom's prose, I was incredibly engaged and strangely invested in the lives, routines, and feelings of the gladiators of ancient Rome--a subject that I hadn't given much thought to prior to reading this book. Like most people, my mental imaginings of gladiators have been created by movies such as Spartacus and Gladiator. The reality is, of course less...Hollywood-ish. Through a composite of a 24-hour-day in the life of a gladiator, broader Roman practices and cultural norms are presented through a number of different viewpoints. A picture of Roman society emerges, as does a general sweep of the 700 years during which gladiator matches were prevalent, stitched together engagingly from a broad variety of primary and secondary sources. The influence of the same Roman value of courage that was embodied by gladiatorial combat is still felt today, and despite the myriad differences in customs and expectations between then and some 2000 years later, our shared humanity shines through. I thoroughly enjoyed being brought along on this fascinating, interesting journey.
#ABorzoiBook
January 5, 2026
Lots of good information but presented poorly in my opinion which makes the book hard to read.
Ostensibly the book is laid out as a fictional story of 24 hours in the lives of two gladiators, Demetrius and Diodorus. Each chapter begins or ends with a short snapshot of what they are doing at that time and then follows much interesting information in the chapter itself.
This can be a bit weird—for example the first chapter obviously begins at midnight and is largely devoted to how Romans slept and how they told the time and so on—extremely interesting but not exactly what I was expecting.
Most of the book is like that; it jumps around from topic to topic covering a huge amount of detail about how Romans lived and always with gladiators as the focus but looping away from the gladiators and back again as the facts and explanations and tangents that arise lead the way rather than being marshalled and controlled by the author. The structure is very loose. So much so that every time Demetrius and Diodorus were mentioned I found myself surprised and had to remind myself who they were.
All in all very enjoyable and I learned a lot but the structure made this harder to read than it should have been.
Overall: recommended.
Ostensibly the book is laid out as a fictional story of 24 hours in the lives of two gladiators, Demetrius and Diodorus. Each chapter begins or ends with a short snapshot of what they are doing at that time and then follows much interesting information in the chapter itself.
This can be a bit weird—for example the first chapter obviously begins at midnight and is largely devoted to how Romans slept and how they told the time and so on—extremely interesting but not exactly what I was expecting.
Most of the book is like that; it jumps around from topic to topic covering a huge amount of detail about how Romans lived and always with gladiators as the focus but looping away from the gladiators and back again as the facts and explanations and tangents that arise lead the way rather than being marshalled and controlled by the author. The structure is very loose. So much so that every time Demetrius and Diodorus were mentioned I found myself surprised and had to remind myself who they were.
All in all very enjoyable and I learned a lot but the structure made this harder to read than it should have been.
Overall: recommended.
September 27, 2025
Just finished the audio version, I've enjoyed many of Harry Sidebottom's fiction works. I used to play a lot of Rome Total War.
This was a well-written and well-read audiobook; there has clearly been a huge amount of research into the subject. The style was entertaining and flowed well.
It combines enough descriptions of action to avoid becoming a dry textbook.
For fans of Rome: Total War, it's worth a read.
This was a well-written and well-read audiobook; there has clearly been a huge amount of research into the subject. The style was entertaining and flowed well.
It combines enough descriptions of action to avoid becoming a dry textbook.
For fans of Rome: Total War, it's worth a read.
October 12, 2025
Loved finding out more about gladiators, their day to day lives, how they fit within the Roman world. The book is rich with research and interesting facts. It did however read too much like a textbook and I found it a bit laborious in parts.
January 10, 2026
I love Harry's style of writing and can honestly say, this is one of his best! It gives a great explanation of the life of a gladiator. The endnotes and bibliography finish the book off perfectly.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
My thanks to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for an advance copy profiling one of the fascinating of historical sports figures, the gladiators of ancient Rome, and what a day in their life was like, what was true, and what has been mythologized, and their legacy today.
Captain Oveur once asked of a visitor to his plane's cockpit in the movie Airplane! "Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?". The answer would have to be a resounding yes, yes we do. Sand-and-sandal movies were a major export of the Italian film industry, creating long line of imitators, and careers. Academy award winning films, long running television shows, books, comics, poems, even songs tell of gladiators and their battles in arenas. Today we have professional wrestling to capture the spectacle, and the UFC and mixed martial arts for the blood, modern gladiator battles in rings and octagons, making millions for owners, and long-lasting pain for the combatants. Gladiators are something that people, well men think about once a day along with Rome itself. However most of what we know is not real, mostly myth making, from the ancient times, and to the shows we watch today. What was life like for these men and a few women. Were the entertainers, traitors, well-rewarded, or waiting for death. Questions this book answers, as well as a real view of what life in Roman Empire was like. Those Who Are About to Die: A Day in the Life of a Roman Gladiator by writer and educator Harry Sidebottom is a look at life from dawn to dawn for a gladiator, with discussions about wider issues about life in Rome, where tales of gladiators came from, and the shadow they have cast on history, both fictional and in understanding the ancient world.
The introduction discusses where the idea of the book came from, and something that I did not know about our understanding of gladiators. Sidebottom is using the same technique as another historical book, looking at 24 hours during the French Revolution. Though the French Revolution it seems has a whole lot more sources and paperwork than ancient Rome. Sidebottom shares that most of what we know about the bread and circuses are based on different works, both fictional and nonfictional. Some stories, some poems. Historical mentions in memoirs, or travelogues and history of areas. There was no formal discussion of gladiators or their history. Sidebottom then describes their days from dawn, where one could watch the gladiators eat, to the next day, with training, fights, more entertainment, and finally rest. As Sidebottom breaks the day into sections, he looks at the broader history. The pay scale for gladiators, and the promise of estates. How people became gladiators, and what they gave up to do so. Sidebottom looks at those in power who used this entertainment to prove their wealth, and the attempts by certain Emperors to control what gladiators made. Even food and drink are discussed giving a broader sense about life in Rome, a far more personal examination than I expected.
A very well-written and well-researched book, one that gave me more of an understanding of the ancient world than I expected. I had always thought there was more research, more understanding about gladiators, not realizing that most historians treated it like many historians would, Not that important, and not as understood at the time. As if someone wrote about the 60's and didn't discuss the music, and changes in entertainment. Gladiators in many ways were professional wrestlers. Trying not to get hurt, nor hurt, at least too much their fellow workers in the arena, people they trained with, drank with and had to fight with. Sidebottom also has written a series of fictional stories set in Rome, and this writing helps add excitement, and look at things from different points of view. A really excellent and fascinating history.
This is the first I have read by Sidebottom, either fiction or non-fiction, but I really learned quite a bit, and enjoyed the narrative. I look forward to reading more by Harry Sidebottom and learning more about Rome.
Captain Oveur once asked of a visitor to his plane's cockpit in the movie Airplane! "Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?". The answer would have to be a resounding yes, yes we do. Sand-and-sandal movies were a major export of the Italian film industry, creating long line of imitators, and careers. Academy award winning films, long running television shows, books, comics, poems, even songs tell of gladiators and their battles in arenas. Today we have professional wrestling to capture the spectacle, and the UFC and mixed martial arts for the blood, modern gladiator battles in rings and octagons, making millions for owners, and long-lasting pain for the combatants. Gladiators are something that people, well men think about once a day along with Rome itself. However most of what we know is not real, mostly myth making, from the ancient times, and to the shows we watch today. What was life like for these men and a few women. Were the entertainers, traitors, well-rewarded, or waiting for death. Questions this book answers, as well as a real view of what life in Roman Empire was like. Those Who Are About to Die: A Day in the Life of a Roman Gladiator by writer and educator Harry Sidebottom is a look at life from dawn to dawn for a gladiator, with discussions about wider issues about life in Rome, where tales of gladiators came from, and the shadow they have cast on history, both fictional and in understanding the ancient world.
The introduction discusses where the idea of the book came from, and something that I did not know about our understanding of gladiators. Sidebottom is using the same technique as another historical book, looking at 24 hours during the French Revolution. Though the French Revolution it seems has a whole lot more sources and paperwork than ancient Rome. Sidebottom shares that most of what we know about the bread and circuses are based on different works, both fictional and nonfictional. Some stories, some poems. Historical mentions in memoirs, or travelogues and history of areas. There was no formal discussion of gladiators or their history. Sidebottom then describes their days from dawn, where one could watch the gladiators eat, to the next day, with training, fights, more entertainment, and finally rest. As Sidebottom breaks the day into sections, he looks at the broader history. The pay scale for gladiators, and the promise of estates. How people became gladiators, and what they gave up to do so. Sidebottom looks at those in power who used this entertainment to prove their wealth, and the attempts by certain Emperors to control what gladiators made. Even food and drink are discussed giving a broader sense about life in Rome, a far more personal examination than I expected.
A very well-written and well-researched book, one that gave me more of an understanding of the ancient world than I expected. I had always thought there was more research, more understanding about gladiators, not realizing that most historians treated it like many historians would, Not that important, and not as understood at the time. As if someone wrote about the 60's and didn't discuss the music, and changes in entertainment. Gladiators in many ways were professional wrestlers. Trying not to get hurt, nor hurt, at least too much their fellow workers in the arena, people they trained with, drank with and had to fight with. Sidebottom also has written a series of fictional stories set in Rome, and this writing helps add excitement, and look at things from different points of view. A really excellent and fascinating history.
This is the first I have read by Sidebottom, either fiction or non-fiction, but I really learned quite a bit, and enjoyed the narrative. I look forward to reading more by Harry Sidebottom and learning more about Rome.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I love Roman history, probably from my four years of high school Latin and cheesy 1950s movies like Demetrius the Gladiator. So when this showed up I was excited for the read (thank you NetGalley and Knopf) and it did not fail to deliver.
First, this is an incredibly researched book. As a history nerd I’ve read many fine Roman history books (SPQR, Twelve Caesars, Rubicon, etc), so I’m pleased to be adding this among my reads. And having read these other books, the veracity of the information is impressive and important to be aware of. You are getting a certifiable accurate book!
This book in part explores myths about gladiators. A gladiatorial contest was not a death sentence. A contestant had a one in eight chance of dying per match which was once or twice a year. Also a man might only be a gladiator for three years so survival was not out of the question. Also, these guys were not the six-pack men we think of today. Their diet of barley stew cause them to bulk up so they if they were cut in a contest, the fat round protect vital organs but it was the blood the people most liked to see.
The book’s structure is most captivating. Taking apart a 24 hour period, the book provides what are “watches” of the day (Prima Vigilia, etc) from the evening meal before the next days games through to the events of the day. I think this was a splendid way to structure the book to give you an authentic feel for a gladiator’s life.
But the book is more than just a gladiator’s story. We are treated to aspects of Roman life - diet, literature, sex, sleep m, dreams, politics. The book name drops the names of emperors - who is not aware of Commodus, the gladiator emperor from Gladiator. This also helps put the gladiator into context.
Finally this is an easy-to-read book. It’s not dry but contains some funny moments. It’s a book anyone interested in learning more about Rome and Roman life can enjoy.
First, this is an incredibly researched book. As a history nerd I’ve read many fine Roman history books (SPQR, Twelve Caesars, Rubicon, etc), so I’m pleased to be adding this among my reads. And having read these other books, the veracity of the information is impressive and important to be aware of. You are getting a certifiable accurate book!
This book in part explores myths about gladiators. A gladiatorial contest was not a death sentence. A contestant had a one in eight chance of dying per match which was once or twice a year. Also a man might only be a gladiator for three years so survival was not out of the question. Also, these guys were not the six-pack men we think of today. Their diet of barley stew cause them to bulk up so they if they were cut in a contest, the fat round protect vital organs but it was the blood the people most liked to see.
The book’s structure is most captivating. Taking apart a 24 hour period, the book provides what are “watches” of the day (Prima Vigilia, etc) from the evening meal before the next days games through to the events of the day. I think this was a splendid way to structure the book to give you an authentic feel for a gladiator’s life.
But the book is more than just a gladiator’s story. We are treated to aspects of Roman life - diet, literature, sex, sleep m, dreams, politics. The book name drops the names of emperors - who is not aware of Commodus, the gladiator emperor from Gladiator. This also helps put the gladiator into context.
Finally this is an easy-to-read book. It’s not dry but contains some funny moments. It’s a book anyone interested in learning more about Rome and Roman life can enjoy.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This is not a light read, and it doesn’t pretend to be.
Harry Sidebottom delivers a deeply researched, intensely detailed exploration of Ancient Rome, with a specific focus on gladiators, violence, and the culture that surrounded the arena. Rather than a fast-paced narrative, this reads like a dense historical excavation, layered with academic insight, primary source analysis, and a clear passion for the subject matter.
At times, the level of detail is overwhelming. There are sections where the book slows down under the weight of its own scholarship, and readers looking for a narrative-driven or entertainment-focused history may find themselves working to stay engaged.
But for the right reader, someone genuinely fascinated by Ancient Rome, gladiatorial combat, and the mechanics of Roman spectacle, this book is incredibly rewarding. It offers a vivid, often brutal window into how entertainment, power, and violence were intertwined in the Roman world.
Overall, this is a book best suited for serious history enthusiasts rather than casual readers. If you love getting lost in the depth of ancient civilizations and don’t mind a challenging, information-heavy text, this will absolutely be worth your time.
Harry Sidebottom delivers a deeply researched, intensely detailed exploration of Ancient Rome, with a specific focus on gladiators, violence, and the culture that surrounded the arena. Rather than a fast-paced narrative, this reads like a dense historical excavation, layered with academic insight, primary source analysis, and a clear passion for the subject matter.
At times, the level of detail is overwhelming. There are sections where the book slows down under the weight of its own scholarship, and readers looking for a narrative-driven or entertainment-focused history may find themselves working to stay engaged.
But for the right reader, someone genuinely fascinated by Ancient Rome, gladiatorial combat, and the mechanics of Roman spectacle, this book is incredibly rewarding. It offers a vivid, often brutal window into how entertainment, power, and violence were intertwined in the Roman world.
Overall, this is a book best suited for serious history enthusiasts rather than casual readers. If you love getting lost in the depth of ancient civilizations and don’t mind a challenging, information-heavy text, this will absolutely be worth your time.
December 29, 2025
This is a good book to get information on a subject that really has little information to go by. It's well reasearched and put together as a day in the life of a gladiator which i enjoyed. You could imagine the day and all of the little side stories, histories etc that went along with being a gladiator. It is not a widely known subject because of the lack in archeological evidence, however there is enough to glean from murals, mosaics and written stories to put together a relative coherent history of how these mostly men and some women lived and spent their days and moments leading up to the contests on the sand of the arenas whether against other opponents or animals ( which I actually found quite appalling considering the number of animals which were slaughtered for sport and entertainment).
The spector of death hung in these "games" and the people seemed to love it though most combats with people did not end in death as has been the way of hollywood. Nevertheless, they were not bloodless events by any stretch of the imagination.
All in all a very good read. Well written and referenced in endnotes and bibliography.
The spector of death hung in these "games" and the people seemed to love it though most combats with people did not end in death as has been the way of hollywood. Nevertheless, they were not bloodless events by any stretch of the imagination.
All in all a very good read. Well written and referenced in endnotes and bibliography.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The was a very intriguing book about Roman gladiators. It is labeled as “a day in the life of a Roman gladiator” but it much more than that. It is more of an entire historic look of the society as a whole at the time of gladiators. The author draws his conclusions from many different sources, and you can tell extensive research has been done prior to the making of this book. It was interesting to see how the people thought, what they did, and how it was completely different from our society today. For instance, reading about the bathrooms and bath houses and how everything was so public peaked my curiosity. It was a very different from the privacy that is the norm today. The book is full of very fascinating information from everything going on at the time. If you are into Roman history or if you are interested in what it would be like to live in those days, this is a book I think you would enjoy.
I want to thank #NetGalley and #Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for providing a copy for me to give my honest review, of which all my options are my own.
#Knopf #Doubleday #Pantheon #Vintage
I want to thank #NetGalley and #Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for providing a copy for me to give my honest review, of which all my options are my own.
#Knopf #Doubleday #Pantheon #Vintage
March 23, 2026
For those who want a propulsive and entertaining look at life in ancient Rome, look no further than Those Who Are About to Die: A Day in the Life of a Roman Gladiator. It's highly readable/accessible, even reading cover to cover (something you don't always do with a nonfiction text) and the opportunity to learn new tidbits about this period is vast. I loved every second of it.
I did, however, find the book, at least by title alone, slightly misleading. This is not just about gladiators by any means, but about Roman life as a whole. If you're just looking to read about beefcake warriors a la Russell Crowe (I assure you, this is not why I wanted to read this! But let's face it--the average person's knowledge of this era is from this movie), you may be a bit disappointed--not only has Hollywood fooled you, but Harry Sidebottom has really provides far more information about Ancient Rome than I expected to find here. From the coming and goings of emperors to the lowly slaves, not much is left out. Highly informative however, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.
Special thanks to Knopf for the opportunity to read and review this title through NetGalley.
I did, however, find the book, at least by title alone, slightly misleading. This is not just about gladiators by any means, but about Roman life as a whole. If you're just looking to read about beefcake warriors a la Russell Crowe (I assure you, this is not why I wanted to read this! But let's face it--the average person's knowledge of this era is from this movie), you may be a bit disappointed--not only has Hollywood fooled you, but Harry Sidebottom has really provides far more information about Ancient Rome than I expected to find here. From the coming and goings of emperors to the lowly slaves, not much is left out. Highly informative however, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.
Special thanks to Knopf for the opportunity to read and review this title through NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Ah. I wish I would have liked this one more than I did. I REALLY enjoyed the information presented in this book. I learned so much about the ancient Gladiator world. I have a few new party facts I can whip out if needed- but I will say I got lost in all the information. The book is supposed to be sharing a day in the life of a gladiator- from morning, noon, and night. While this story follows that trajectory, there is a lot of side tangents that made me really frustrated. Like can we just focus on breakfast? Do I need to know ALL of these side tangents? And I mean, I get it. I am an academic and in archaeology and am used to content like this. I just thought that the book would be much more accessible and managable if it was more narrowly focused as I expected it to be. The flow of this book needed some reworking and some editing.
I would recommend if you are a die hard Roman history fan or familiar with the pop culture around the topic. I would not recommend if you are not new to Roman history- you will get lost.
A special thanks to Knopf and NetGalley for my ARC!
I would recommend if you are a die hard Roman history fan or familiar with the pop culture around the topic. I would not recommend if you are not new to Roman history- you will get lost.
A special thanks to Knopf and NetGalley for my ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Didn't really work for me.
It bills itself as a day in the life a Roman gladiator, with the fictional gladiators Diodorus and Demetrius as our guides. But I guess there just isn't enough in the historical record to fill out the whole day, so it becomes more of a day in the life of a Roman, with an overview on Roman attitudes to death, food, philosophy, sex, empire, and more. The fictional gladiators barely factor into it at all.
Don't get me wrong, it's interesting and well written. You will certainly come away from the book understanding how Romans from all walks of life--from emperors and senators to gladiators, soldiers, and slaves--lived all those centuries ago. It's more of "a day in the life of a Roman, with a special focus on gladiators" than "a day in the life of a gladiator."
I received an ARC from NetGalley. What I read may differ from the final copy that hits shelves in April.
It bills itself as a day in the life a Roman gladiator, with the fictional gladiators Diodorus and Demetrius as our guides. But I guess there just isn't enough in the historical record to fill out the whole day, so it becomes more of a day in the life of a Roman, with an overview on Roman attitudes to death, food, philosophy, sex, empire, and more. The fictional gladiators barely factor into it at all.
Don't get me wrong, it's interesting and well written. You will certainly come away from the book understanding how Romans from all walks of life--from emperors and senators to gladiators, soldiers, and slaves--lived all those centuries ago. It's more of "a day in the life of a Roman, with a special focus on gladiators" than "a day in the life of a gladiator."
I received an ARC from NetGalley. What I read may differ from the final copy that hits shelves in April.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Those Who Are About to Die is described as a “day in the life of a Roman gladiator,” but it offers far more than that. Rather than focusing solely on the combatants in the arena, Harry Sidebottom broadens the perspective to include the upper class, the organizers of the games, and the women connected to the gladiators. This wide-ranging approach provides a fascinating panoramic view of Roman culture and its obsession with spectacle.
For such a concise book, Sidebottom packs in an impressive amount of detail and historical insight. That said, the style leans more toward academic text than novel, which can make certain sections feel a bit dry. Still, the wealth of information and the clear, chronological structure make this a rewarding read.
Overall, it’s a compelling and informative look into the world of gladiators and the society that celebrated them. A must read for anyone with an interest in ancient Rome or the cultural forces behind the games.
For such a concise book, Sidebottom packs in an impressive amount of detail and historical insight. That said, the style leans more toward academic text than novel, which can make certain sections feel a bit dry. Still, the wealth of information and the clear, chronological structure make this a rewarding read.
Overall, it’s a compelling and informative look into the world of gladiators and the society that celebrated them. A must read for anyone with an interest in ancient Rome or the cultural forces behind the games.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Really impressive work full of a lot of detail and many anecdotes from historical sources. Gladiators aren't among the more interesting things of Ancient Rome to me, but this book really helped show their presence in the Roman World, which is both more impactful (gladiators as symbolism, Colosseums around the empire as a way to stage politics and political "plays") and less impactful (they're not as frequent as you think) than one's current perception. With a book of this scope, there are bound to be sections that are more slow and dry than others, while some sections are page turners. I definitely liked seeing the more human side, and of course, it jumps around a lot in chronology so I'd definitely recommend a baseline knowledge of Roman history to follow along without getting lost.
Thank you to Knopf and NetGalley for the ARC.
Thank you to Knopf and NetGalley for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A look at ancient Rome through a day in the life of a gladiator.
This is a well researched and informative book on a wide variety of aspects of ancient Roman life. Although Sidebottom uses gladiators as a focus for the book, he gives information on such topics like diet, hunting, dream interpretation, and time keeping.
There are copious notes and a lengthy bibliography included, which I always consider a good sign in non-fiction works.
Where this book let me down a little was in organization. Or perhaps I should say expectation: The subtitle is A Day in the Life of a Roman Gladiator so I expected gladiators to be the focus of the book, but they're more the lens through which ancient Rome is examined. Not a bad thing, just not what I expected when I started reading.
Three and a half stars.
Received via NetGalley.
This is a well researched and informative book on a wide variety of aspects of ancient Roman life. Although Sidebottom uses gladiators as a focus for the book, he gives information on such topics like diet, hunting, dream interpretation, and time keeping.
There are copious notes and a lengthy bibliography included, which I always consider a good sign in non-fiction works.
Where this book let me down a little was in organization. Or perhaps I should say expectation: The subtitle is A Day in the Life of a Roman Gladiator so I expected gladiators to be the focus of the book, but they're more the lens through which ancient Rome is examined. Not a bad thing, just not what I expected when I started reading.
Three and a half stars.
Received via NetGalley.
October 13, 2025
This is a detailed account of the lives of Gladiators in the Roman period, but covers so much more as well, about the daily life of people in the Roman Empire across a 700+ year period from early times, through the Republic and then under the Emperors. It's packed full of the evidence from historical and archaeological sources and is presented across a 24 hour period from the last meal the evening before combat, through the early hours, the beast hunts,and executions up to the gladiatorial combat and then possible death. It covers the perspectives of those who watched the games, those who put them on and those who objected.
A comprehensive account of everything gladiatorial, with much more thrown in.
A comprehensive account of everything gladiatorial, with much more thrown in.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy!
A fascinating look at the Roman Empire, from its origins to its fall, all through the lens of the gladiator games. The frame of the book follows typical gladiators throughout a single day, showing the big dinner the night before a fight, the morning animals hunts, the midday executions, and the afternoon games, and then the cleanup of the bloody aftermath. As Sidebottom walks us through the day, he also explores all sorts of avenues of the empire, from the salves to the emperors, and how the games were such an important part of solidifying a stratified society. Excellently well researched and well presented, highly recommend for anyone interested in more about the Roman Empire.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
If you have any interest in learning more about gladiators, then this is the book for you. Reading this made me realize how many of my ideas I had about gladiators all came from Hollywood and mythology.
This book is well researched. I enjoyed the way the book was structured. Getting to follow along in the day of a gladiator was a great way to show what their days were really like outside of Hollywood. I really enjoyed getting a deeper look at who became gladiators and why, as well as how some aspects of their lives changed over the course of the Roman Empire. While we get to see what life was like for gladiators, the book also did a great job of putting them into the context of Rome and the culture they lived in.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC.
This book is well researched. I enjoyed the way the book was structured. Getting to follow along in the day of a gladiator was a great way to show what their days were really like outside of Hollywood. I really enjoyed getting a deeper look at who became gladiators and why, as well as how some aspects of their lives changed over the course of the Roman Empire. While we get to see what life was like for gladiators, the book also did a great job of putting them into the context of Rome and the culture they lived in.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Harry Sidebottom's Those Who Are About to Die covers 24 hours in the lives of gladiators facing life‑or‑death battles in the arena, offering details and insights films and TV often embellish or ignore.
Each chapter opens with what the gladiators are doing and thinking, which sets the stage nicely. Too often, though, the narrative veers into broader descriptions of Roman life—food, dreams, suicide, sex—and during those detours the gladiators recede into the background.
Sidebottom’s scholarship provides many interesting facts about gladiators. Readers expecting a fast‑paced story may be frustrated; history buffs who enjoy detail will find it fascinating.
I received an advance reading copy from NetGalley.
Each chapter opens with what the gladiators are doing and thinking, which sets the stage nicely. Too often, though, the narrative veers into broader descriptions of Roman life—food, dreams, suicide, sex—and during those detours the gladiators recede into the background.
Sidebottom’s scholarship provides many interesting facts about gladiators. Readers expecting a fast‑paced story may be frustrated; history buffs who enjoy detail will find it fascinating.
I received an advance reading copy from NetGalley.
April 23, 2026
Everything you wanted to know about gladiators but were afraid to ask…. Detailed recounting of the history of gladiators and gladiatorial games during the Roman Empire. Obviously thoroughly researched and well written. My one small nit to pick is that there are numerous times the author refers to the same information, sometimes within a couple of pages. I realize some of the content can be hard to follow, thus the use of callbacks, but these mentions that annoyed me were not needed in that sense (at least IMHO). Overall however this book is well worth reading if you have an interest in the topic or the Romans in general.
April 28, 2026
Interesting, quirky, with flashes of sex and violence balanced out with tedium and daily life. Not a whole lot of comprehensive detail, more a quick skim of the subject. I couldn't stay engaged in the 'day in the life' format long enough to maintain a steady interest, however, and ended up skimming around.
February 25, 2026
Hated it. Could not finish the book because of the style it was written in and the badly researched history.
What a waste of time this book was.
Next time I will be more careful about which books on Ancient Rome and gladiators I will read.
Less than half a Star.
What a waste of time this book was.
Next time I will be more careful about which books on Ancient Rome and gladiators I will read.
Less than half a Star.
February 26, 2026
Oh man what a treat! I love watching anything in Rome or the Roman empire and now reading about the day in the life of is just the icing on the cake. I couldn't out this book down and will read it again when I had to Rome in a month!
May 4, 2026
A deep dive into this topic, with plenty of extra context. It can occasionally get a bit dry, but is overall a fairly accessible and fascinating look at this historical icon, and the ways in which it is similar and different from what you probably assume based on pop culture appearances.
Review of advance copy
Artfully blends history, archeology and sociology in an engaging narrative.
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