Gladiators never said their famous salute...but then who did?

"Hail Emperor! We who are about to die salute you!"
These are the famous words that gladiators are supposed to have said before engaging in combat in the Colosseum in Ancient Rome, either against other gladiators, or against wild animals. There's just one problem, though. Gladiators don't ever appear to have said these words. So then who did?

[@samsonsoturian6013]

An important thing to remember about colluseums is that Romans made the same criticisms about it as we make for television. Which author complained that boxing matches brought much larger crowds than classical plays?

[@RPe-jk6dv]

there were never "collusseums".
the collosseum is only the modern popular name for the theatrum
flavianum in rome. the theatrum
flavianum is just a extremely big
amphitheatrum, i.e. greek for a "doubled" theatrum.

[@samsonsoturian6013]

@@RPe-jk6dv no one makes that distinction

[@samsonsoturian6013]

@@costamz3440 what?

[@RPe-jk6dv]

@@samsonsoturian6013 why you then wrote of "collusseums"?

[@samsonsoturian6013]

@RPe-jk6dv No one makes the distinction between the terms "colluseum" and "Roman Amphitheater. "

[@spacecanuk8316]

I believe the real quote is “For those about to rock, we salute you.” 😉

[@Leo_ofRedKeep]

That's the one.

[@bob7975]

It wasn't supposed to be a death match, any more than a modern football game is, and for similar reasons. These guys were EXPENSIVE, costly to buy, train and feed. They were popular celebrities too, and important tools for pacifying (or at least distracting) the masses. You don't waste assets like that for a whim.

[@TERMICOBRA]

You guys should google "Fucine Lake" and look at what became of it. They drained it in 1878 and now its highly productive farmland. It makes you wonder if the farmers plows pull up the occasional Roman artifact. This was the third largest lake in Italy.

[@danukil7703]

Thank you very much for all your videos! You are one of my favourite history RUclipsrs for your careful analytical content :)

[@vvwvvwvv]

This

[@Mr.Softy2457]

In Thucideis he mentions haveing Masinians sing paions so that the spartans would think them spartans in the dark
I thought for those about to die we salute you was a latin paion

[@madderhat5852]

Say it every day to your boss when you first get to work.

[@tanjiro2507]

I remember reading that only Roman legionnaires were allowed there, the "gladiators" could be legionnaires in disguise or condemned.

[@unknownpack5717]

Love your video man. Are you still going to continue both your Lotharingia series and Qing/ Russian border conflict series? I really enjoyed them!

[@davidchase9424]

Most of history is a little fact and a LOT of "theater".

[@HavocHerseim]

Oh yeah... a look at Scottish history proves that. People still think Clan tartans were a thing.

[@nevisysbryd7450]

@@HavocHerseim I mean, they were.
From the 19th century onwards.

[@comentedonakeyboard]

Historicaly inacurate, but it makes for an impressive movie scene.

[@alepaz1099]

🤷‍♂

[@BrianS1981]

I know who said the actual salute (not the bastardised one the Romans stole), it was the chelonauts, with "Morituri Nolumus Mori".