Spiculus refused, and Nero took his own life. When Nero was overthrown in 68 AD, he asked Spiculus to execute him. This left the gladiator in an unusual position: he remained enslaved, but yet, as a famous gladiator, he was living in luxury and was attended to by servants who were enslaved themselves. He awarded Spiculus with palaces and riches and had servants attending to him. Nero took a liking to Spiculus and lavished the young gladiator with gifts. Somehow, Spiculus emerged victorious, and his victory caught the attention of the emperor Nero. He attended gladiator school at Capua, and in his first match, he faced off against a veteran gladiator who had won 16 fights, called Aptonetus. Spiculus was a gladiator who was popular not just with the masses, but with the emperor of Rome himself, Nero. So let’s take a look at the most famous gladiators of all time. Although they didn’t fight often, some gladiators managed to gain extraordinary renown from their performances, personalities or personal backgrounds. Most fighters only fought 2-3 times a year, and only about 10-20% of them died during matches, despite popular belief that they fought to the death. Fierce fighters, enslaved and forced into a world of violence and brutality, Roman gladiators provided gruesome entertainment to the Roman public, training for months in specialized schools managed by wealthy investors who profited from their fighter’s success.
