I have to be honest, though, when the internet started salivating over Mescal’s physique, I wondered, is that—at all—what gladiators looked like? What do we actually know about gladiators’ diet, ...

Gladiators only fought 2-3 times annually, spending most of their time training intensively in gladiator schools called ludus. Their diet was predominantly vegetarian, featuring barley-based meals ...