The roar of the Roman crowd was a commodity, the product of a massive business enterprise built on spectacle and sand. Owners of gladiator schools viewed their fighters as a significant investment, human property trained with the best combat technology available. In the arena, a female gladiator named Achillia was a valuable asset in this brutal market, but the lewd jokes that rained down from the stands cheapened her success, reflecting a disturbing trend in public amusement. Observing from the