Fun fact: Being a gladiator was one of the best options available to a slave (yes I know, but things were different back then). Death was actually rare because, barring infection, the host of a gladiatorial tournament would have to pay the owner of the gladiator school the cost of the gladiator, and that could add up quick. Also you could own your freedom really quickly, only a few matches of winning money would earn you enough for your freedom (and a few dozen losses without being killed), and at that point you were also a star, with much better social prospects.
Fun fact: Being a gladiator was one of the best options available to a slave (yes I know, but things were different back then). Death was actually rare because, barring infection, the host of a gladiatorial tournament would have to pay the owner of the gladiator school the cost of the gladiator, and that could add up quick. Also you could own your freedom really quickly, only a few matches of winning money would earn you enough for your freedom (and a few dozen losses without being killed), and at that point you were also a star, with much better social prospects.