Roman Gladiator School: Master Hand-to-Hand Combat on the Ancient Appian Way

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Roma

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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: 24 hours

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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…

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

(1457 Ratings)

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Jason_w

Sep 22, 2025

Our kids favorite activity in Rome - After visiting the Colosseum, we headed to the Roman Gladiator School….and it ended up being the absolute favorite activity of our entire trip to Rome. The experience started with a lesson on what gladiators wore during their fights, complete with the chance to try everything on and take pictures fully geared up. From there, we jumped into agility training and even a mental training game to get into the gladiator mindset. The highlight was stepping into the arena to learn real gladiator moves with shields and wooden swords. The instructor were engaging and made the whole thing fun for all ages. We ended with a friendly competition to see who would be crowned the best gladiator of our group, which had the whole family laughing and cheering. My entire family, from our 4-year-old up thought this was the single best thing we did in Rome. The only drawback is that it’s a bit outside the city. Taxis can be pricey, and while buses are an option, they don’t run very frequently. It’s about a 45-minute walk from the Colosseum if you’re up for it. Still, the experience was absolutely worth it, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for something unique, fun, and memorable in Rome.

Review provided by Viator

Elsbecker

Sep 21, 2025

Perfect family experience - Wow, what an experience. Our family were transported back in time and trained to become gladiators. We learned so much about the history, techniques and hardships of historical gladiators during our time there. Our teacher, Myrko, was incredibly engaging with our kids and they were SO into their lessons. This is an excellent activity for families. Our kids are 6, 8 and 10 years old for reference and it was perfect for them. It’s an easy cab ride from the city center to the gladiator school.

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Bjorn_h

Sep 13, 2025

For a fun time and experience - This was great and even better than expected. We had Flama explaining a lot of the history on Roman legionnaire and gladiator fighting. But also expect to get stuck in and do some training in skills, take your kids too! Place is outside the old Roman walls but easy to reach with the 118 bus on the via appia. Best part: being beating up by Flama (wearing legionnaire kit)

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Robyn_d

Sep 8, 2025

Fantastico for our whole family! - It was fantastico for the whole family! Our gladiator trainer was fun, informative and a real delight. Love the history section as much as the actual training. HIGHLY recommend for anyone but especially for family with kids. It was one of our best adventures in Roma!!

Review provided by Viator

Maximus_d

Aug 29, 2025

Becoming a gladiator ! - So much fun!! My kids , myself and even my wife participated in the gladiator training. We dressed up, trained and fought like a gladiator and make timeless memories. Thank you so much to our trainer who helped us have a blast.

Review provided by Viator

Cindy_s

Aug 28, 2025

Great for the entire family! - Great history and fun for the entire family! Make sure to wear comfortable shoes and clothes. Would highly recommend!

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Elizabeth_w

Aug 27, 2025

Absolutely great for children - I took 3autistic kids ,Kids loved it really set the mood for the colleseum the staff were great with the kids . Kids learnt loads to .

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Robertff4450or

Aug 24, 2025

Very enjoyable experience - A very enjoyable family experience. The staff were friendly and helpful. We would recommend it as something different to do with children.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Lana_c

Aug 23, 2025

So much fun for all ages!... - So much fun for all ages! I was surprised how much history can come alive in the museum before the training begins. Really worthwhile especially for active kids. Although they have snacks, I would recommend eating before coming as there are no real food options nearby. My son said this was the highlight of the trip

Review provided by Viator

Sarah_d

Aug 22, 2025

Excellent Gladiator activity - We really, really enjoyed this experience - it was one of our highlights in Rome. We are a family of 4 (2 adults, 12yr, 8yr) and it was excellently pitched. We were lucky that we were the only family booked in for our particular time and our gladiator teacher, Ivan, was excellent. He was engaging with the children and his knowledge and passion for the subject really shone through. Cannot recommend highly enough.

Review provided by Viator

Check Availability

From $56

up to 15 guests

1 - Adult