Gladiators were known for many things, their helmets being one of them. For men that were forced to live in unthinkable conditions, they were granted handsome helmets to play to the crowd. It was the 1st century BCE when Nicolaus of Damascus believed these gladiator games were associated with Etruscan civilization of Tuscany. However, they weren’t made popular until the early stages of the First Punic War in Rome against Carthage.

This Gladiator Helmet would have offered facial protection, but considering one gladiator was often forced to battle a group of men or a wild animal, it likely would have been no match. Hand-forged from 18-gauge steel, every detail has been thoughtful crafted, right down to the brass face cage. This helmet is durable, functional and does an outstanding job of representing the savage games that took countless lives.