Recently Viewed
Roman Gladiator School: Master Hand-to-Hand Combat on the Ancient Appian Way
4.7
1,269 Ratings
Roma
Acquire the fundamentals of close combat at an authentic gladiator academy located on the historic Appian Way. Uncover the mysteries of the gladiatorial games of Imperial Rome, interact directly with the history of ancient Rome, and experience unimaginable enjoyment!
Duration:
2 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Via Appia Antica, 18 - Parents and/or companions do not have to pay the ticket if they do not attend the course
Your gladiator lesson takes place at the Gladiator School of Rome, located near the Colosseum on the historic Appian Way. Specializing in the reenactment of ancient Roman life and gladiator fighting, your instructors are members of the Historic Group of Rome and will begin your class by providing you with your costume — a traditional belt, tunic, leather gloves, and a training sword known as a rudis. Learn the basic skills of gladiator sword fighting before summoning your imagination and channeling your inner ancient Roman as you fight off ferocious lions and battle other sword-wielding gladiators. If you wish, you can participate in an optional gladiator tournament, complete with a prize for the victor. Either way, all participants receive a certificate of accomplishment at the end of your lesson. Friends and family are allowed to watch your class from the viewing platform. Admission to the Gladiator School of Rome Museum is also included so you can check out gladiator weapons and other artifacts.
What's Included
- Gladiator attire and weaponry included for your lesson!
- 2-hour immersive Gladiator class
- Complimentary drink
- Training by the Historic Group of Rome’s experts
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop off
- Food and beverages, unless specified
Additional Information
- Minimum age is 6 years
Location
Via Appia Antica, 18
Via Appia Antica
Departure Point: Lessons commence at the Gladiator School of Rome, located approximately 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) from The Colosseum
Address: Via Appia Antica, 18, 00179, Rome, Italy
Directions: Either take Metro (line B) and get off at OSTIENSE and take the bus number 118 OR take Metro (line A), get off at stop SAN GIOVANNI and then take bus number 218.
However in the spirit of easy access - we suggest taking a taxi (approx. 10-15 euros) to access the school
Dates: Daily
Opening hours
9:30am - 1:30pm
2:00pm - 6:00pm
Return point: Concludes at the Gladiator School of Rome
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.7
(1269 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Michael_s
May 13, 2024
Best activity of our trip for kids - I have been to the Gladiator school twice with my sons, two years apart and it was the favorite activity for both of them. Better than the Colosseum underground tour or the catacombs or the Italian food.
The history was fun for me, but the physical achievement and the sword and shield training were the most fun for the kids.
They have requested a Gladiator Training course at home.
The instructors were great explaining the history of military and gladiators and at helping motivate the kids and adults in the physical training.
Review provided by Viator
Jeanfranois_p
May 10, 2024
Unleash Your Inner Gladiator: A Must-Experience in Rome! - Wow! This gladiator class was absolutely incredible! If we could, we'd give it a 10 out of 5 stars rating. The instructor was amazing—so friendly, hilarious, and managed to engage the whole family, even though the class was in English and the kids don't speak English. It was definitely one of the highlights of our visit to Rome. We highly recommend it to everyone!
Review provided by Viator
James_l
May 10, 2024
Fun time - Instructor was informative and fun. They show a pretty accurate history of gladiators. My boys had a good time.
Review provided by Viator
Fncxnpb657
Apr 30, 2024
Fun and different thing to do in Rome - A very fun time that my kids — age 12 and initially skeptical — and I greatly enjoyed. And not just a fun activity but informative about Ancient Roman history.
Review provided by Viator
Neeraj_p
Apr 26, 2024
Fantastic and intense gladiator training for adults who want to spar - This was a fun and different experience to other tours available in Rome. It starts with a talk on legionnaires (weapons, armour etc.) and gladiatorial games for 30min with an opportunity to hold different equipment and take some photos.
The next 1.5hrs are the gladiator training. This is a very family friendly event and mostly filled with kids age 8-15.
For those who are older (20+ year olds) if you come with a friend this is perfect as they are your training and sparring partner. They teach a variety of attacks and how to block as well as different combinations. It’s run at your pace so it can be quite intense and fast within your pair if you want it to be. The sparring at the end is also fun where everyone in the sessions watches the pairs fight in turns.
Instructor is active and guide you well through training.
Highly recommended this activity.
Review provided by Viator
Carolina_c
Apr 15, 2024
Gladiator school is amazing - We loved gladiator school! It was fun trying on the helmets and learning the proper history. The kids loved dressing up and fighting. Us grown ups had a blast watching and joining in. I laughed so much I cried!
Review provided by Viator
Maria_f
Apr 14, 2024
An absolute must for families visiting Rome. Fantastic experience for 7, 12 and 14 year olds - The instructor was just fantastic. He was informative and entertaining. The museum was great with lots of interesting facts, even the grown ups learnt a thing or two.
The gladiator training was brilliant. The instructor connected with every child, from the younger ones to the teens. They had a blast.
We had planned to walk there but decided to get a taxi from the hotel, it was very reasonable. At the end of the session the instructor was very helpful and ordered us a taxi to the centre.
It's a lovely location. Two of our party were spectators but still really enjoyed the experience.
I would absolutely recommend this to anyone travelling to Rome with young children. It was great for them to burn off some energy but still have the feel of Rome. 5 stars.
Review provided by Viator
Marinawanders
Apr 14, 2024
Great experience! - This was the highlight of the trip for my son! The staff were very knowledgeable and extremely entertaining! Feels like they are real enthusiasts and have a lot to share. There are so many things to do in Rome and I was weighing whether gladiator school is something worth the time, but it definitely is, especially with young kids, but also good fun for adults!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Courtney_h
Apr 12, 2024
Fantastic time with Maximo! - This was an excellent family activity (teens - 13 and 15) that we all enjoyed. The school is in a lovely setting, it was well paced, interesting, engaging, and informative. We learned more about both soldiers and gladiators, but most of the time was spent actively.
Highly recommend for anyone really, not just families! Our group today had parties of just adults, families with younger kids, and families with teenagers, and everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves.
Review provided by Viator
Pecht_e
Apr 3, 2024
The guide excited the... - The guide excited the children with the stories about the warriors and the history. His approach was wonderful, the precautions were good and the kids really enjoyed themselves and the adults too, thank you
Review provided by Viator
More activities from this operator
