Gina Danna | The Rockstars of Ancient Rome

Every culture has their stars. Sometimes they are artists like actors or actresses, singers, painters and musicians. Sometimes they are athletes – Olympians, football quarterbacks, basketball stars, soccer players, Major League baseball stars or figure skaters, just to mention a few. As part of the public, we take their talent that has skyrocketed them to stardom and fall in love with them, wanting to know everything they are doing – both the good and the bad. Mass media feeds on this frenzy and gives us everything, the more lurid the better, or so it seems.

But is this new? No.

Back in the time of the Caesars, Rome had her rockstars and they were gladiators. Gladiatorial games which began at funeral proceedings, as a tribute to the deceased, evolved into games that lured a crowd of the thousands to watch, bet and root for. The games were played in Rome at the Colosseum but there were other locations with arenas of a sort built for these. In cities like Capua, gladiators fought and their owners, the lanistas, prayed to the gods to go to Rome and fight before the Emperor.

Interesting sport – man against man, wearing helmets and shields primarily and weapons of various types, they fought till one ‘conquered’ the other and the loser claim missio, the raising of two fingers, to be spared his life so he could fight another day. Majority of fights ended this way, as gladiators were an investment. But sometimes, the fights did end with one dead.

The men who fought in the afternoon’s bouts were often considered champions of the game, having fought many times and won. It is these men that attracted a following of people who came just to see Hermes or Flamma fight. The bloody spectacle of men with swords, trident and/or spear, filled the afternoon with a ravenous crowd and often this mob decided the ultimate fate of those who fell and hoped to live.

It is also these winners that vendors took advantage of – they had their portraits drawn for sale to followers. They also sold gladiator champion’s blood for cures to multiple diseases, locks of hair for good luck and trinkets to be worn for taste. And for the highest winners, gladiators of this level could expect rich patrons from wealthy Roman ladies who’d pay to sleep with a champion.

One Roman lady actually disappeared from her Roman husband to run away with her gladiator-lover. Quite the scandal! But in reality, is it any different than today? Let Ganius, the Celtic gladiator, and Aurelia, the Roman lady who owns him, show you the path to LOVE & RECKONING.

About the Book

Conquered, beaten, sentenced to die in the Colosseum, Ganius of Gaul escapes his execution only to find himself enslaved as a gladiator. His rise to champion ensures his life, but does nothing to lessen his desire for vengeance against the Roman soldiers who destroyed all he knew.

Locked into a repugnant betrothal, the beautiful Roman Aurelia turns to her brother’s champion gladiator for help. Promising him his freedom if he helps her escape, Aurelia soon discovers she wants not only Ganius’s help, but to capture his heart as he’s captured hers.

In love with his sworn enemy, Ganius realizes Aurelia is the key to his freedom. But to take her with him would risk both their lives, yet leaving her behind to be a pawn in her brother’s machinations is a wretched alternative. Ganius must choose - love of a Roman or freedom to make the Romans pay. This is a fight the champion gladiator might lose...

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