Ancient Roman gladiators were mostly vegetarians who ate a diet of barley and beans.

In 2014, researchers from the Medical University of Vienna and the University of Bern studied the bones of 22 gladiators. These bones were found in a 2nd-century cemetery in Ephesus, Turkey. The team used isotopic analysis to look at chemical elements in the bone tissue. This test showed that the fighters rarely ate meat. Their main meals were barley and fava beans.The gladiators were nicknamed 'hordearii' which means 'barley-eaters.' This diet was a specific choice to make them gain weight. A layer of surface fat meant that a gladiator could get cut without dying instantly. This made the fights last longer and look more exciting for the crowd. Owners wanted their fighters to survive because training them was expensive.The study also found high levels of strontium in the gladiators' bones. This suggests they drank a mixture made from charred plant ashes. This drink acted like a modern calcium supplement. It helped their bones stay strong and heal faster after training or combat. Roman writers like Pliny the Elder also wrote about this grain-heavy diet. It proves that these famous warriors relied on carbs rather than protein for their strength.