Colloseum

             During the Colosseum's opening ceremonies in A.D. 80, spectacles were held for 100 days in which hundreds of animals and 2,000 gladiators were killed. Eventually, gladiator fights were outlawed by Emperor Honorius in A.D. 404; however, animal combats continued for another century. .
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             Constantine's Arch was built in 315 AD to commenorate his victory in the battle of Pons Milvius in 312. As the new Roman Emperor, Constantine ended all persecution of Christians. He also moved the capital of from Rome to Constantinople (which is now in Turkey). Thus the Byzantium Empire had begun.
             Who were the Gladiators?.
             Gladiators could be prisoners of war, slaves, condemned criminals or even volunteers, who were trained under the eye of their owner (lanista) in gladiatorial schools. The holder of the games (editor) had to pay the lanista for use of the gladiators. The editor decided the fate of the losing gladiator, normally following the wishes of the crowd. Successful gladiators could win large amounts of prize money and sometimes even freedom and retirement. Some survived over 100 fights, though according to the evidence of tombstones, most died before they were 30. .
             Professional gladiators were free men who volunteered to participate in the games. In The Satyricon, Petronius suggested that Roman crowds preferred combat by free men over that of slaves. For example, the character of Echion is excited about games in which free men, not a slave will fight. Though low on the social scale, free men often found popularity and patronage of wealthy Roman citizens by becoming gladiators. The emperor Augustus sought to preserve the pietas and virtus of the knight class and Roman senate by forbidding them to participate in gladiatorial combat. Later, Caligula and Nero would order both groups to participate in the games.
             Romans citizens legally derogated as infamus sold themselves to lanistae and were known as auctorati.