Why Gladiator School is the ultimate fix for a failing family holiday in Rome
Swaps sightseeing for swordplay in the Italian capital.
Handing my kid a sword and having him attack me might not have been the wisest decision. But given how disastrous our holiday had been at this point, I was ready to try anything.
Our family trip to Rome was anything but ideal. We had argued, the kids had been difficult. Everything was overpriced, and everywhere overcrowded.
After another failed morning of sightseeing, there was only one thing to do: throw money at the problem. Searching online, Gladiator School sounded touristy, but had glowing reviews. Run by the Gruppo Storico Romano, Gladiator School is located down a nondescript alley off the historic Via Appia, outside of Rome's centre.
Massimo, our guide, is young and engaging, handing us blood-red tunics to train in.
"Today I will train you as gladiatori," he begins. "Then, I watch you kill each other for entertainment." My kid, delighted with this news, trots after him into the museum, filled with dioramas, armour and a collection of weapons, helmets and outfits to make a cosplayer swoon.
It's a hands-on experience: I struggle to hoist one of the bigger replica shields to my chest; the kid's head wobbles under the weight of the helmet Massimo has put on him.
"Legionaries were the soldiers; the gladiators were the spectacle," Massimo explains.
"So gladiators didn't fight to the death?" I ask.
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"No, all those movies are Star Wars, it's fantasy," Massimo says dismissively, picking up the gladius-a short, lightweight sword. "Perfect for close combat, short and light," he says, demonstrating how it targets the soft spots: the belly, the thighs, while my kid's eyes grow wide with glee.
Luckily, the only sword he's getting is a wooden one. But first, we train. My husband is delighted to film me as I loop under a dropped rope, dodge swinging sandbags, and do push-ups in the dirt (something that was not in the brochure).
Massimo hands us all wooden swords, and he instructs us to shout ave!- a sign of respect - before sparring. We practise the basics: a downward slash from the shoulder, a cut across from the chest, and a final strike upwards. Shield in our left hand, sword in our right, we practise until it feels natural.
The big finale is our arena battle. Smoke machines fill the arena with haze, dramatic music plays overhead, and we enter the gritty arena to cheers from the crowd.
For our first battle, I decide I'll go easy on my kid. He's really into it, and he'll gain confidence. Then he attacks me with the sheer intensity that earned Russell Crowe an Oscar in 2022, whacking me on the thigh. He gets a point: I score a bruise. But something funny happens. Our family starts laughing, and we don't stop for the rest of the afternoon.
When we get home, Gladiator School is all my kid talks about. Whether it's heading out the front door, jumping into the water, or dashing into school, he shouts ave! It becomes our family battle cry. What was the worst holiday turned into the best: we just had to swap sightseeing for some swordplay.
SNAPSHOT
Where: The Gladiator School is at Via Appia Antica 18, just outside of Rome's historic centre, and can be difficult to locate: do yourself a favour and take a taxi.
How much: Gladiator School runs for just over two hours, and costs from 120 euros ($200) for one person, 180 euros for two.
Explore more: romegladiatorschool.com
The writer travelled at her own expense.
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