Roman gladiators' diet probably not what you'd expect, researchers find

Newser via Fox News ^ | 10.21.2014 | Jenn Gidman

[dware]

You'd figure a typical Roman gladiator to be a real meat-and-potatoes guy, right? You'd be figuring wrong—at least if you were talking about gladiators from the city of Ephesus.

[dware]

PinGGG!

[2ndDivisionVet]

Gladiators were troublesome slaves, but someone thought they’d have a Patrician diet? Huh?

[stormer]

[dware]

Gladiators were troublesome slaves, but someone thought they’d have a Patrician diet? Huh?

I blame Hollywood

[USMCPOP]

Beans-and-cornbread!

[El Cid]

LOL! - that is appropriate. To go along with their Caesar’s salad.

[Hugin]

“You’d figure a typical Roman gladiator to be a real meat-and-potatoes guy, right?”

Considering potatoes didn’t arrive in the old world from South America until the 16th century, no.

[prisoner6]

>>>>>>gladiators from the city of Ephesus

Everybody knows they were the nancy boys of the empire. Couldn’t even hold a small flask of decent scotch.

[Perdogg]

They probably were forced to consume something else.

[dfwgator]

What did the cannibal roman say when he killed his mother-in-law?

“I’m glad he ate her”

Thank you, I’ll be here all week, try the veal.

[Telepathic Intruder]

I figure they ate whatever they were given.

[Dr. Sivana]

I assumed they ate this stuff ... not too far off.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

I’m still waiting to hear the “One weird trick the gladiators used to win.”

[freedumb2003]

I’m still waiting to hear the “One weird trick the gladiators used to win.”

[SkyDancer]

I was just wondering: How would gladiator’s have played football back then ....

[dainbramaged]

A recent documentary said the gladiator's diet was mainly a grain based gruel, and plenty of it - they apparently liked to put on a layer of fat which helped to absorb some of the combat strikes. It probably didn't help if one is on the ground, waiting for the big shot's thumb.
Most gladiators were slaves, but not all - the better known ones had fan clubs and some type of trading cards, like baseball players today.

[Elsiejay]

“Considering potatoes didn’t arrive in the old world from South America until the 16th century . .”

And also, corn and tomatoes. Can’t imagine Italian cuisine w/o the tomato.

[martin_fierro]

lulz

[dfwgator]

How would gladiator’s have played football back then ....

Well at least we know what the mascots would look like.