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would die around age 30; now that would be the average life expectancy at that time Not really: Numbers like that are low because high levels of infant mortali
by ineedasername 6y ago
would die around age 30; now that would be the average life expectancy at that time
Not really: Numbers like that are low because high levels of infant mortality brought the average down. If you lived past that age, going into your 50's was pretty much the norm. So the gladiators were still dying 20+ years before "normal"
- MichaelMoser123 6y agohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demography_of_the_Roman_Empire#Mortality https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demography_of_the_Roman_Empire... that's correct, though there might have been regional differences. I don't know if these figures were the same throughout the entire roman empire.
- bluedevil2k 6y agoWell, the gladiator numbers are skewed too because of the high mortality of their profession for guys in their 20’s. If they lived long enough to be free, they likely had a normal lifespan.
- ineedasername 6y agoThat's pretty much the point: lots of dead gladiators dying earlier than they would have otherwise, contrary to the comment that they lived to about the same age as other Romans. In short, if other Romans had to pass one high-mortality period in their childhood, gladiators survive high childhood mortality only to be thrust into another period of high mortality. Twice the hurdle to overcome in order to have a shot at a reasonable lifespan.
- virgilp 6y agoIt needs to be said that life expectancy wasn't great for Roman emperors, either :D