Victory and defeat\n\n An outstanding fighter might receive a laurel crown and money from an appreciative crowd but for anyone originally condemned ad ludum the greatest reward was manumission (emancipation), symbolised by the gift of a wooden training sword or staff (rudis) from the editor.
The winning gladiator could appeal to the crowd for mercy, and sometimes the organizer would spare the defeated gladiator based on the crowd's reaction. However, the final decision rested with those in charge of the event. Contrary to what popular movies portray, gladiatorial fights weren't always fights to the death.