Gladiator Blood

In the Roman Republic, drinking gladiator blood was believed to be a cure for multiple diseases; like epilepsy, infertility and impotence. The belief was that the gladiator’s strength and vitality would be transferred to the person who drank their blood, thus curing their ailment. Sounds delicious, right?

The blood was typically consumed fresh from the gladiator, and it was not uncommon for spectators to rush into the arena after a gladiator was killed in order to drink their blood. This is a stark reminder of the often brutal and barbaric practices of ancient societies, and how far medicine and healthcare have come since then.