Bestselling author Harry Sidebottom takes readers on a thrilling journey through a day in the life of a Roman gladiator, using this as a springboard to explore every aspect of Roman society and culture. Those Who Are About to Die delves into the events of one day of the games, from the night before to the evening after, examining not just the arena and the combatants, but also the crowd, the emperor, the schools preparing the fighters, and the city outside the amphitheatre. The book provides a comprehensive and engaging look at the ubiquitous and all-consuming passion of the Roman Empire for watching fellow humans fight to the death. This book talk will appeal to fans of David Mitchell, and Matthew Kneale, offering a gory, funny, and sexy Horrible Histories for grownups. Harry Sidebottom, a history professor at the University of Oxford, has sold over 450k copies of his historical novels set in Ancient Rome.