A Day in the Life of a Gladiator: An Alternative History of Ancient Rome

In ancient Rome, a single day could decide a gladiator’s fate. Follow in their footsteps with bestselling author Harry Sidebottom.

Take a seat at the feast on the eve of the games and watch as the men marked for combat enjoy their final meal.

At dawn, Roman citizens rush to the Colosseum to see the spectacles: wild-beast hunts, public executions and carefully choreographed violence – all part of a good day’s entertainment.

Watch as the gladiators enter the arena – armour gleaming, shields locked, they step into the light, fighting not just for survival but for the favour of the crowd.

Gripping, immersive and grounded in ancient sources, A Day in the Life of a Gladiator illuminates the reality of Roman life and death in all its glory. This is history as it happened – not in the marble halls of emperors, but on the blood-darkened sand of the arena.

Previously published in hardback as Those Who Are About to Die.

Book details

• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 416 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Cornerstone)
• Published: 11 June 2026
• Dimensions: 197 x 129 x 29 mm
• ISBN: 9781804948521