Over a small bridge on an island in the middle of the Thames, a great 60s club played host to acts that would later make a global name for themselves, including the Rolling Stones, Long John Baldry, Rod Stewart, the Small Faces, the Yardbirds and David Bowie. Jazz greats such as Cyril Davies, Ken Colyer and Acker Bilk also played at the legendary Eel Pie Hotel during its 50s and 60s heyday. This collection of essays traces ‘Eelpiland’s’ long-overlooked contribution to the British music scene.

Do you love Dr Who? Are you a new fan of the show? This 50 Quick facts guide is ideal for both new and young fans who want an introduction to the show!

Do you love 5 Seconds of Summer, are you a fan of 5SOS, then you need these 50 More Quick facts about the band! With 50 MORE quick facts for fans!

Are you a longstanding member of the 5SOS Family? Or do you want to know everything there is to know about Luke, Michael, Calum and Ashton? If so, then this is the book for you! Contained within are 101 amazing facts about everything, from how the boys got started in the music business to some funny random facts, their favourite things and much, much more. The book is easily organised into sections so you can find the information you want fast and is perfect for all ages!

Are you the world's biggest Nicole Richie fan? Or do you want to know everything there is to know about the fashion designer, author and reality TV star? If so, then this is the book for you! Contained within are over one hundred facts about everything, from her unusual upbringing to her on/off friendship with Paris Hilton, her relationships, fashion lines and much, much more. The book is easily organised into sections so you can find the information you want fast and is perfect for all ages!

Are you the world's biggest Sam Smith fan? Or do you want to find out everything there is to know about one of the world's greatest singer-songwriters of modern times? If so, then this is the book for you! Contained within are over one hundred facts about Sam, from his life before making it big in the music industry to his relationships, likes, dislikes plus much, much more. The book is easily organised into sections so you can find the information you want fast and is an unmissable addition to any fan's bookshelf.

RUINS OF ANCIENT CITIES, WITH GENERAL AND PARTICULAR ACCOUNTS OF THEIR RISE, FALL, AND PRESENT CONDITION. - BY CHARLES BUCKE This Volume contain these cities;Messene, Mycen?, Miletus, Nauplia, Nemea, Nineveh, The Destruction of Sennacherib, Numantia, Olympia, Puteoli, Palmyra (Tadmor), Patr?, Pella, Pergamus, Persepolis, Petra (Wady Mousa), Phigalia, Plat?a, P?stum, Pompeii, Rama, Rome, Saguntum, Hannibal’s Speech to His Soldiers, Sais, Samaria, Sapphura, Sardis, Seleucia, Selinus, Or Selinuntum, Sicyon, Sidon, Smyrna, Spalatro, Stratonice, Susa, Sybaris, Syene, Syracuse, Thebes, Troja, And Other Cities of the Troas, Tyre, Veii Fallen, fallen, a silent heap; their heroes allSunk in their urns:—Behold the pride of pomp,The throne of nations fallen; obscured in dustEven yet majestical.—The solemn sceneElates the soul! ? ?{DYER} The reader is requested to observe, that, though the plan of this work is entirely his own, the compiler of it does not put it forth as in any way original in respect to language or description. It is, in fact, a much better book, than if it had been what is strictly called original, (which, indeed, must have involved an utter impossibility:) for it is a selection of some of the best materials the British Museum could furnish; sometimes worked up in his own language; and sometimes—and, indeed, very frequently—in that of others: the compiler having, at an humble distance and with unequal steps, followed the plan which M. Rollin proposed to himself, when he composed his celebrated history of ancient times.—"To adorn and enrich my own," says that celebrated writer, "I will be so ingenuous as to confess, that I do not scruple, nor am ashamed, to rifle whereever I come; and that I often do not cite the authors from whom I transcribe, because of the liberty I take to make some slight alterations. I have made the best use in my power of the solid reflections that occur in the Bishop of Meaux's Universal History, which is one of the most beautiful and most useful books in our language. I have also received great assistance from the learned Dean Prideaux's 'Connexion of the Old and New Testament,' in which he has traced and cleared up, in an admirable manner, the particulars relating to ancient history. I shall take the same liberty with whatever comes in my way, that may suit my design, and contribute to its perfection. I am very sensible, that it is not so much for a person's reputation to make use of other men's labours, and that it is in a manner renouncing the name and quality of author. But I am not over-fond of that title, and shall be extremely well pleased, and think myself very happy, if I can but deserve the name of a good compiler; and supply my readers with a tolerable history, who will not be over-solicitous to inquire what hand it comes from, provided they are but pleased with it."Having followed this example,—the compiler wishes he could say with equal effect,—he will be fully satisfied, should judicious readers feel inclined to concede, that he has shown some judgment in selecting his materials, and some taste in binding "the beads of the chain," that connects them together. He disclaims, in fact, (as, in the present instance, he is bound to do), all the "divine honours" of authorship; satisfied with those of a selecter, adapter, and compiler; and happy in the hope that he has here, by means of the superior writers, whose labours he has used, furnished his readers with an useful, accurate, and amusing work.? ? ? ? ? C. B.

It is believed that the scene of this tale, and most of the information necessary to understand its allusions, are rendered sufficiently obvious to the reader in the text itself, or in the accompanying notes. Still there is so much obscurity in the Indian traditions, and so much confusion in the Indian names, as to render some explanation useful. Few men exhibit greater diversity, or, if we may so express it, greater antithesis of character, than the native warrior of North America. In war, he is daring, boastful, cunning, ruthless, self-denying, and self-devoted; in peace, just, generous, hospitable, revengeful, superstitious, modest, and commonly chaste. These are qualities, it is true, which do not distinguish all alike; but they are so far the predominating traits of these remarkable people as to be characteristic. It is generally believed that the Aborigines of the American continent have an Asiatic origin. There are many physical as well as moral facts which corroborate this opinion, and some few that would seem to weigh against it. The color of the Indian, the writer believes, is peculiar to himself, and while his cheek-bones have a very striking indication of a Tartar origin, his eyes have not. Climate may have had great influence on the former, but it is difficult to see how it can have produced the substantial difference which exists in the latter. The imagery of the Indian, both in his poetry and in his oratory, is oriental; chastened, and perhaps improved, by the limited range of his practical knowledge. He draws his metaphors from the clouds, the seasons, the birds, the beasts, and the vegetable world. In this, perhaps, he does no more than any other energetic and imaginative race would do, being compelled to set bounds to fancy by experience; but the North American Indian clothes his ideas in a dress which is different from that of the African, and is oriental in itself. His language has the richness and sententious fullness of the Chinese. Philologists have said that there are but two or three languages, among all the numerous tribes which formerly occupied the country that now composes the United States. They ascribe the known difficulty one people have to understand another to corruptions and dialects. The writer remembers to have been present at an interview between two chiefs of the Great Prairies west of the Mississippi, and when an interpreter was in attendance who spoke both their languages. The warriors appeared to be on the most friendly terms, and seemingly conversed much together; yet, according to the account of the interpreter, each was absolutely ignorant of what the other said. They were of hostile tribes, brought together by the influence of the American government; and it is worthy of remark, that a common policy led them both to adopt the same subject. They mutually exhorted each other to be of use in the event of the chances of war throwing either of the parties into the hands of his enemies. Whatever may be the truth, as respects the root and the genius of the Indian tongues, it is quite certain they are now so distinct in their words as to possess most of the disadvantages of strange languages; hence much of the embarrassment that has arisen in learning their histories, and most of the uncertainty which exists in their traditions. Like nations of higher pretensions, the American Indian gives a very different account of his own tribe or race from that which is given by other people. He is much addicted to overestimating his own perfections, and to undervaluing those of his rival or his enemy; a trait which may possibly be thought corroborative of the Mosaic account of the creation. The whites have assisted greatly in rendering the traditions of the Aborigines more obscure by their own manner of corrupting names. Thus, the term used in the title of this book has undergone the changes of Mahicanni, Mohicans, and Mohegans; the latter being the word commonly used by the whites.

O nuan autobiografic, perfect ntemeiat, irizeaz concepia lui Breban de la acest nivel, miza mare a ideii fiind aceea de a demonstra – ceea ce romancierul a mai fcut… – c generaia din care face el nsui parte (Nichita Stnescu, Matei Clinescu etc.) a transformat literatura ntr-un asemenea mediu germinativ de excelene, prin intermediul promovrii esteticului ca replic alternativ sublim la grotescul ideologic din jur. Trebuie s recunoatem c Breban rmne seniorial i impecabil de fiecare dat cnd enun aceast dihotomie: de pild, nu trebuie uitat faptul c Istoria dramatic a prezentului s-a zamislit cnd mpotriva autorului se trgea cu tunul, pe motivul orchestratei acuze de colaborare cu Securitatea. Nici un raspuns n volum, nimic insidios, revanard sau resentimentar: doar idei i fapte, nu psihologie. Jos plria!“ (tefan Borbély)Numai cultura, carevaszica, ne poate lecui de aceast nesiguran identitar i numai ea poate nnobila istoria noastr de care, s-a putut constata, prozatorul maramureean nu-i mulumit… Face i alte profeii, atunci cnd n capitolul final vorbete despre specificul naional, dar despre toate acestea vom putea discuta cu alt prilej. Este o tem pe care noi, romnii, o aducem mereu n discuie fie pentru a o sataniza, fie pentru a o apra. Observ c N. Breban n-o respinge, de plano, cum fac globalitii, nici n-o smintete cu un discurs encomiastic, cum fac localitii. El procedeaz corect, aa cum procedeaz orice intelectual lucid i responsabil, adic analizeaz un concept (un concept esenial) i ncearc s-i vad viitorul… Este trist, i are de ce, cnd se gndete la lumea politic de azi i la retorica resentimentului i a rzbunrii care domin lumea intelectual… S mai spun c are i n acest caz dreptate, c dup douzeci de ani de libertate intelectualii romni, cu precdere scriitorii (ei, care s-au inut bine sub regimul totalitar), se detest cu o grea sinceritate mi amintesc de o propoziie din Eminescu (reproduc din memorie): Nu eti liber, dac nu eti drept. Se poate spune i invers: Nu eti drept, dac nu eti liber. Liber, n cazul oamenilor de litere, de prejudeci, de complexe i idiosincrazii, de eecurile i vexaiunile pe care i le-a provocat istoria i pe care spiritul nu poate s le stpneasc.“ (Eugen Simion)

Lucrarea aduce in dezbaterile istoricilor si economistilor evolutia economica si politica a Romaniei in perioada 1859-1900, marcand o contributie insemnata in acest domeniu destul de putin studiat, analizat si dezbatut.Tema centrala a lucrarii o constituie necesitatea crearii unei industrii romanesti inca de la inceputul secolului al XIX-lea, pledand in favoarea protectionismului, a independentei capitalurilor si a mainii de lucru calificata.De asemenea, autorul analizeaza dezbaterile care au avut loc in epoca pe tema industrializarii si protectionismului intre cele doua partide mari existente in a doua jumatate a secolului XIX: Conservator si Liberal, precum si cele dintre economistii de conceptie din acea vreme: D.P. Martian, I. Ghica, Ionica Tautu, P.S. Aurelian.

The work represents a synthesis published and printed in two volumes (the 1st volume in 2002, the second one, in 2004) under the aegis of Mica Valahie Publishing House in Bucharest. Being elaborated on the basis of some documents discovered in the Romanian and foreign archives, the two volumes cover the period up to 1929 in the first volume and the period from 1929 to 2005 in the second one. The paper reveals the role and place of Romanian oil in the evolution of the national and worldwide history, especially during the World War between 1939 and 1945 and in the development of the so-called “cold war”. The book insists upon the prospects of the specific “black gold” evolution.In the addendum there are to be found some interesting documents and the complete bibliography of oil.

A topical collection of new plays by popular UK playwright Nick Wood 'I am not a lone voice, I am many.'?Malala ? Yousafzai A Girl with a Book and?Other Plays ?brings together four plays for young people by acclaimed playwright Nick Wood. Topical and wide-ranging, they concern refugees, friendship, loss and courage. 'You know those sente nces that start I'm not sexist/racist/homophobic and the speaker sticks in the word 'but' and goes on to prove that's exactly what they are?' The title play, ? A Girl with a Book ?is an honest response to the story of Malala Yousafzai, who was shot by the Taliban. Produced many times in Germany and the UK, the play raises serious questions about the West's complex relationship with and attitudes to the Muslim world. 'a journey into empathy and imagination...'?Stephen Lowe Plays Nick Wood's poignant political drama A Girl with a Book is based on the true story of Nobel Peace Prize-Winner Malala Yousafza. In 2012, gunmen stopped a bus in Pakistan and shot three young girls. Their crime? Wanting to go to school. Knowing nothing about the situation, able to offer little more than outrage, the writer is forced out from behind his desk and in the search for answers to help him tell the story of a brave young woman's fight for girls' education, but when his research uncovers attitudes at odds with his liberal convictions he has to face what he learns about himself. Achieving international acclaim after its opening in Hamburg, A Girl with a Book examines Malala's story through a series of questions - Wood asks how a girl who wanted to go to school could become such a target. Bird boy:?Eddie and Tim create their own den up on the Knoll, a secret place for heroes. The only problem is, winter is setting in and Eddie won't come down. As the snow falls, Tim must decide whether to take food to Eddie or betray him by telling the grown ups where he is. Mia:?Mia is a refugee who has lost her home, and most of her family. She has odd bits and pieces in her bag, which have stories attached to them. Mia is searching for her sister, Sofia, can they help? Dream of White Horses: ? ?Paul wants two things - to find out whether his father's death was an accident or not. He climbs the same cliff, to discover what happened to his father, and a great deal about himself. '...invites us to better understand Malala, her father, and her kinsmen.'? On Religion '...a journey into empathy and imagination coolly and cleanly done. A crucially important tale well told with great humanity.' ? Stephen Lowe, playwright '...there's plenty of scope here for schools, colleges and youth theatre groups. The title play... has a cast of one... The remaining three plays use larger casts and explore asylum seeking, friendship, loss and courage.' ?Susan Elkin, The Stage

The first ever comprehensive collection of plays ?in English from Southeast Asia. Features work by eight playwrights from seven countries in Southeast Asia, a region which is experiencing profound change:?Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia and Cambodia.? Southeast Asian Plays ?explores the rich variety of dramatic work that is only beginning to be translated into English. Theatre scripts are merely blueprints for productions, especially in this region. As elsewhere, second productions and revivals are rare, so publication is key to allowing play texts to find a wider international readership. Topics include the global financial crisis, sex workers, traditional v modern values, the role of faith in society, corruption in high places and journalistic ethics. The plays have been selected for performance. Plays: The Plunge by Jean Tay (Singapore) An Evening At the Opera by Floy Quintos (Philippines) Night of the Minotaur by Tew Bunnag (Thailand) Tarap Man by Ann Lee (Malaysia) Dark Rac e by Dang Chuong (Vietnam) Frangipani by Chhon Sina (Cambodia) Picnic by Joned Suryatmoko (Indonesia) Nadirah by Alfian Saat (Singapore) "The editors have done an excellent job of opening up our chances of reading and learning about plays from all over Southeast Asia. ...editorial choices are significant for opening up spaces to voices which are otherwise heard less often. All in all the plays are interesting for the ways in which they grapple with key concerns in their respective societies."? --The Asiatic

From a story by Hans Christian Andersen In ancient China, young emperor Wu is kept a virtual prisoner in his palace by his devious guardian, Li Si. Wu believes the world outside the Forbidden City is an evil and dangerous place. But when Xiao, a young servant girl, tells him of the most beautiful sound on earth – the song of the nightingale – it’s too much to resist. The two embark on an adventure that will take them across mountain tops and waterfalls, past chattering monkeys and magical dragons to the far reaches of his kingdom. When Wu returns with the nightingale, and starts to overturn the old palace customs, Li Si plots to restore things to the way they were before. Featuring puppetry, music and all the colour, movement and spectacle of Chinese theatre, this joyful adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale is a feast for the senses that will delight the whole family. Suitable for ages 6+

The story of a modern Asian young woman trying to straddle Western attitudes and traditional beliefs. You've heard of an Essex Girl or even a Chelsea Girl but what is a Hounslow Girl? The term has become a byword for confident, young Muslim women who are grappling with traditional values, city life and fashion. From the joys of Pakistani weddings to fights on the night bus, Ambreen Razia's? The Diary of a Hounslow Girl ?is a funny, bold, provocative play highlighting the challenges of being a teenage girl in a traditional Muslim family, alongside the temptations and influences of growing up in and around London. “Ambreen’s writing is poetic in its structure and intensity, funny, moving, chilling, and delivered in a style that takes inspiration from spoken word and physical theatre. She has created a rhythm that draws the audience in, as compelling as a thriller, complete with gathering ominousness, shocks and comic relief.” Deborah Bestwick, Director, Ovalhouse “Ambreen Razia’s terrific play is exactly the kind of new work we wish to support in the new home of multi-cultural theatre in London. Hounslow Girl is a wonderfully funny take on a London phenomenon and one audiences will enjoy.” Jatinder Verma, Artistic Director, Tara Arts” "a powerful piece of theatre... Ambreen Razia's performance is astonishing."?BritishTheatre.com "This is a sophisticated, moving and often very funny piece of writing, particularly nuanced in its depiction of Shaheeda's relationship with her mother ... astute in tackling the breakdown of the loving bonds between parent and child that can occur when a child becomes a teenager – and also how this experience can be magnified for the children of first-generation immigrants, whose parents feel distant from their children’s British lives... Razia's script touches on everything from first love to cultural expectations to student-teacher relationships; it’s a bit like an inner-city version of An Education."?The Stage Ambreen Razia is an actress and writer from South London.? The Diary of a Hounslow Girl is Ambreen's debut show which premiered at Ovalhouse in 2015. Passionate about re-establishing British Asian comedy within the UK, she continues to write her comedy sketch show involving two British Asian girls exploring the?clash between traditional Indian/Pakistani culture and modern British life. She is also currently writing her next play POT primarily focusing on the recent comeback of gang culture within the UK.?Performance credits include: On the Middle Day (Old Vic Theatre);? Words and Women (Edinburgh Fringe); Random Acts (Channel 4);? Fair Exchange (Hen and Chickens Theatre);? Variations on a Theme (Camden People's Theatre);? Mind the Gap (National Theatre ); No Guts, No Heart, No Glory? (BBC4/Perth Festival Australia) and Murdered by my Father? (BBC3).

With a foreword by director Ralph Lawson and introduction by Pranav Joshipura, Associate Professor of English, Mahila College, Gandhinagar, India. A follow-up anthology of three hard-hitting plays to Singh’s successful drama anthology Durban Dialogues, Indian Voice (2013) which is now studied internationally. The plays selected, namely Into the Grey, Shooting and Swing cover topics such as social activism, the death of a friend and discrimination in sport. Described through Singh’s satirical lens, these thought-provoking plays bring us up to date with the challenges of life in post-Apartheid South Africa. They focus particularly on people of Indian origin and their relationships with other South African communities and chart the loss of ideals in the dream of the Rainbow nation. Into the Grey: A harrowing drama depicting the twenty-nine year association between two Durban activists who battle a variety of challenges as their country stumbles towards a bleak future. Shooting: A one-man play about the unchanging paradigm in Durban’s small town communities in the early years of democracy as a football prodigy’s dream is brutally shattered. Swing: A two-hander about the relationship between a mixed-race Durban tennis player and her father/coach as they confront many obstacles in a society which undervalues the girl-child.

A dual language edition in English and French. The genocide in Rwanda shocked the world. Back then, Ery Nzaramba was only a teenager and his family’s escape to Europe turned him into a “survivor”. How should he now respond to questions about who he is and where he comes from? In this autobiographical one-man play, performed to acclaim on the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the author journeys back to his Rwandan childhood. With the help of a cassette player, he brings to life nearly a dozen characters, exploring memories of kinship, cultural attitudes and personal identity. Both funny and poignant, the play highlights not only the intolerance that can breed violence and war but also the importance of power and privilege in the struggle for survival. Le génocide au Rwanda a choqué le monde. ? l'époque, Ery Nzaramba était un adolescent. Après que sa famille se fut échappé en Europe, il est devenu un ?survivant?. Désormais, que doit-il répondre à des questions sur qui il est et d'où il vient? Dans ce one-man show autobiographique, salué par la critique lors de sa présentation au Festival d'?dimbourg, l'auteur retourne vers son enfance au Rwanda. Accompagné d'un lecteur cassette, il donne vie à une bonne douzaine de personnages, explorant souvenirs de famille et d'affinités, attitudes culturelles et identité. ? la fois poignante et pleine d'humour, la pièce met en lumière non seulement l'intolérance qui peut engendrer violence et guerre, mais aussi l'importance du privilège dans la lutte pour la survie.

During Japan’s Warring States period, centuries of strife had left the country divided and leaderless. Those who filled the power vacuum were the daimyo, warlords who ruled over the clans and provinces of Japan. Serving their daimyo, the samurai were the ultimate warriors at a time when military prowess won out over hereditary power and position. The nature of warfare itself changed—romantic ideas of mounted duels and battlefield decorum became as rare as aristocratic samurai leaders. Marching in to replace them were the common foot soldiers, the ashigaru , armed with pikes and matchlock rifles. The Samurai Warrior examines the fighting men of this key period in Japanese history. Divided into six chapters, the book describes the unification under the Tokugawa bakufu , the major battles of the era, the weapons and armour used, the social structure of Japanese society, myths about the samurai, and finally the decline of the samurai amidst the modernization of the Meiji period. Including more than 200 photographs, illustrations, paintings, and maps, The Samurai Warrior is a colourful, accessible study of Japan’s famous but often misunderstood warrior elite.

Campaigns of World War II: Fall of the Reich is a military history of the Western European campaign from D-Day in June 1944 to the fall of Berlin in May 1945. Beginning with the Allied preparations for what would become Operation Overlord, from the initial discussions of Roosevelt and Churchill, to the deliberations and plans of Marshall and Brooke, and the subsequent appointment of commanders like Eisenhower, Montgomery and Ramsay, the book covers in detail the landings on the Normandy coast. Combining tactical coverage of events such as the severe fighting at Omaha and Pegasus Bridge, the Canadian success on Juno beach, and the 21st Panzer Division's aborted counterattack, with reporting of the reactions of Hitler and Rommel to the landings, the book provides an explanation of why the Allied advance ran out of steam, and a description of their struggle to escape the bocage hedgerows of Normandy. The US-led breakout in late July 1944 released Bradley and Patton's forces into the heart of France, and the liberation of Paris followed swiftly. A crumbling German defence led to Allied overconfidence and the resultant 'bridge too far' at Arnhem, but as the Allies approached the Rhine and the German border, resistance quickly stiffened. Hitler's last gamble, the attack through the Ardennes known as the Battle of the Bulge, brought temporary panic to the Allied ranks, but heroic stands at Bastogne and elsewhere, coupled with a German acute lack of petrol and the weather clearing to allow Allied aircraft to operate again, led to the defeat of the last Wehrmacht attack in the west. The final year of the war saw the Allies advancing as occupying forces into the heart of Germany, adopting Eisenhower's broad front strategy. Finally the book examines why the decision was made to allow the Red Army to occupy Berlin and remain on the western bank of the Elbe river. Part of a five-volume series on the Second World War written by prominent military historians, Fall of the Reich is a masterful account of the 1944–45 campaign in Western Europe that describes both the action on the front line and the decisions made behind the scenes that decided the fate of Nazi Germany.

The World's Greatest Tanks features 52 of the best armoured fighting vehicles from World War I to the present day. Beginning with the prototype Mark V Male in 1917, the book ranges from World War I, World War II, through the Cold War and up to the highly sophisticated tanks that have seen recent service in wars in the Balkans, Caususus, and Middle East. From the Soviet T-34 and German Panther tanks of World War II to the M1A2 Abrams, Challenger 2 and T-90 of the present day, The World's Greatest Tanks is an expert examination of the most successful tanks of the past hundred years. Each entry is examined over two spreads and includes a brief description of the tank's development and history, a colour profile artwork, photographs, key features and specifications tables. Packed with more than 200 artworks and photographs, The World's Greatest Tanks is a colourful guide for the military historian and military technology enthusiast.

“When everyone had had plenty to eat and drink they called for the gladiators. The moment anyone’s throat was cut, they clapped their hands in pleasure. And it sometimes even turned out that someone had specified in their will that the most beautiful women he had purchased were to fight each other….” – Athenaeus, The Learned Banqueters With their origins as blood rites staged at the funerals of rich aristocrats, gladiatorial combat is one of the defining images of ancient Rome. For more than 600 years, people flocked to arenas to watch these highly trained warriors participate in a blood-soaked spectacle that was part sport, part theatre and part cold-blooded murder. Gladiatorial contests were a spectacular dramatization of the Roman emperor’s formidable power. Gladiator looks at life and service in the Roman arenas from the origins of the games in the third century BCE through to the demise of the games in the fifth century CE. It explores the lives of the prisoners of war, criminals, slaves and volunteers who became gladiators, their training, and the more than 20 types of gladiator they could become, fighting with different types of weapons. From Spartacus’s slave revolt to the real Emperor Commodius who liked to play at being a gladiator, from female gladiators to the great combats involving hundreds of exotic animals, Gladiator is a colourful, accessible study of the ancient world’s famous warrior entertainers.