Gladiators occupied a peculiar place in Roman society — despised as slaves or criminals yet celebrated as popular heroes, their bouts in the arena drawing tens of thousands of spectators. Contrary to popular imagination, fights to the death were actually the exception rather than the rule; a skilled gladiator represented a considerable investment and the crowd often had as much interest in a display of courage and technique as in bloodshed.

As someone who builds figures, I'm always pleased when the subject strays from the inevitable WWII soldier, and a Roman gladiator certainly qualifies. ICM's kit is a decent effort, and there's a particular relief in painting a figure whose helmet means you don't have to tackle eyes. For the groundwork, I simply went outside and collected some sand from the playground. Sometimes the simplest solution is the right one.