The online lecture "Gladiatori: senatnes vēsture un māksla" takes place via ZOOM live stream on 17 November 2026. It explores and demystifies the image of gladiators, presenting them not only as doomed slaves but also as professional athletes, show-business stars and part of complex Roman culture. The lecture discusses the fact that around half of gladiators were volunteers: free Romans, impoverished aristocrats, former soldiers and women. The rest were prisoners of war, slaves or criminals, yet even they could sometimes buy their freedom or regain it. It also examines why gladiators were expensive to maintain and how this culture has carried through to the present day.