Blood & Sand ... and Rubble

We've always had a soft spot for gladiators since the original Spartacus, and didn't mind the recent Starz Blood and Sand series either. And so it's a sad day when a piece of gladiatorial history is lost, particularly when it's part of a site as remarkable as Pompeii. "The House of the Gladiators" – Schola Armaturarum – was found in ruins this weekend. It was originally used for training prior to gladiatorial combat, and was preserved along with much of the Italian city in the AD79 volcanic eruption that covered the area with ash.

A desperate lack of funding for Italy's archaelogical treasures is to blame, according to the BBC, who report that extra funds were made available two years ago but badly managed. The Schola Armaturarum may not be the last to crumble to dust soon.

Here, in tribute, some oiled action from Spartacus: Blood and Sand.

We've always had a soft spot for gladiators since the original Spartacus, and didn't mind the recent Starz Blood and Sand series either. And so it's a sad day when a piece of gladiatorial history is lost, particularly when it's part of a site as remarkable as Pompeii. "The House of the Gladiators" – Schola Armaturarum – was found in ruins this weekend. It was originally used for training prior to gladiatorial combat, and was preserved along with much of the Italian city in the AD79 volcanic eruption that covered the area with ash.

A desperate lack of funding for Italy's archaelogical treasures is to blame, according to the BBC, who report that extra funds were made available two years ago but badly managed. The Schola Armaturarum may not be the last to crumble to dust soon.

Here, in tribute, some oiled action from Spartacus: Blood and Sand.