Who will rule and who will fall? Who will claim glorious victory and who will be beaten into the dirt with a startling variety of Roman weapons? There’s only one way to find out …
The Gladiator Games that were Londinium’s favourite live entertainment (incredibly, the amphitheatre held around a third of London’s total population) make a bloodthirsty return to the capital this summer, with epic gladiatorial re-enactments sweeping across Guildhall Yard, just above the site of the capital’s original amphitheatre.
And you can be part of it. The Gladiator Games promise swords, shields, spears, cheers and fake bloodshed aplenty — but obviously stop short of bona fide gore and death (there are also family-friendly weekend shows for little spectators and sensitive stomachs). Cheer on your favourites and boo their competitors. Voicing your (dis)pleasure is mightily encouraged — the crowd holds the power to decide who walks free. Unless the emperor overrules you, of course. Damn him.
Roman-style pre-show entertainment begins in Guildhall Yard an hour before each show and, while you’re there, take the opportunity to visit the remains of the actual amphitheatre hidden below your feet. More on that in the video above.
We've teamed up with Museum of London to give away 10 pairs of tickets to the Gladiator Games. Choose from the regular weekday or family weekend shows, and get stuck into the action, just enter your details below. Good luck!
THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED.
