Using ground-penetrating radar (GPR), archaeologists at the site of Carnuntum in Austria have mapped a complete Roman gladiator school (ludus) buried beneath a grain field. The high-resolution scans show a circular training arena, living quarters for dozens of gladiators, and a sophisticated bath complex. This find is second in scale only to the Ludus Magnus in Rome and is the first of its kind found in such a complete state outside of Italy.
The GPR data even revealed the presence of a specialized infirmary and a cemetery located just outside the school's walls. This discovery provides an unprecedented look at the daily lives and training regimes of gladiators on the Roman Empire's frontier. Because the site is being mapped digitally, the soil remains undisturbed, allowing for a 'virtual excavation' before any physical digging begins.