ROUND 180 CE, IN THE LAVISH AMPHITHEATRES of the Roman Empire, trained gladiators entertained vast audiences by fighting to the death. Armed with a sword, a lance or a harpoon, the gladiator faced his opponent: a wild animal ready to strike, or a condemned criminal looking to save his own life. When the duel began, bloodthirsty spectators cheered, applauding every severed limb and spurt of blood. Ultimately, there could be only one outcome in the gladiatorial arena-one dead body, and one victorious champion.

These barbaric battles were a million miles away from the relatively sophisticated pistol duels of the 18th century. A gentlemen's duel always followed a dispute, some of which were extremely trivial, and took place in a pre-agreed field of honour, where the two opponents met at dawn, each armed with a gun. The duellers stood back-to-back with loaded pistols, and at the drop of a handkerchief, they walked a distance away from the other, then turned and fired. The last man standing won the argument.

From Billy the Kid in the Wild West to Muhammad Ali in the boxing ring, Gladiators traces the evolution of one-to-one combat through the ages.