Gladiator fights were staged in Roman Britain, evidence suggests

[Imperial Dave]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-64855991

its not conclusive but on balance of probability does lend more weight to the idea

[Ian61]

Just read this article on BBC app. For some reason I always assumed there would have been gladiator fights in Britain. It seems very much part of Roman culture. Why else build theatres like that at Caerleon?

[Duncan Head]

http://forum.soa.org.uk/index.php?topic=6698.0 for the Guardian version of the same story.

[Imperial Dave]

Eek.....

[Nick Harbud]

Everyone seems to assume the scene depicts a tournament in an arena.  However, it reminds me of the brawls one could see in several of the less salubrious drinking establishments in Portsmouth.  The guy in the armour is reminiscent of the Dockyard Guard Battalion who were inevitably called to break up such confrontations.