Archaeologists have discovered the nearly-intact remains of an ancient school for gladiators in Austria. After mapping the remaining structures, researchers were able to create a virtual version of the facility, known as a ludus.

This facility is thought to have rivaled any gladiator school in the world at the time, even the magnificent Ludus Magnus (Big Gladiator School), built behind the Coliseum in Rome. Around 100 of these schools are believed to have existed at one time in the Roman Empire. Nearly all of these have been destroyed since the fall of that civilization.

The ludus was part of a Roman army camp on the Danube river, called Carnuntum. This was the capital of the region of Upper Pannonia, and was a center of trading for amber merchants. Much of the camp had been explored before. From the late 1800's to the early 1900's, archaeologists were able to uncover many buildings in the ancient camp, including a fortress, baths, and stores built to support the troops. A decorative arch called a heidentor was also known.

It was not until 2011 that the gladiatorial school was discovered at Carnuntum. The reason it remained hidden so long is because the school was built slightly to the south of most of the camp, where few features can be seen on the ground.

Data was collected from the finds using aerial mapping, radar and electromagnetic mapping, in order to not disturb the remains. Early techniques including digging would always disturb, and often destroy, remains of old structures.

"Excavation, however, is no longer the only way of recovering and recording the details of these buried structures. [A] combination of non-invasive survey methods... led to the dramatic discovery of remains interpreted as a gladiatorial school, complete with individual cells for the gladiators and a circular training arena. The combination of techniques has led to the recording and visualization of the buried remains in astonishing detail," the researchers wrote in the article announcing the results.

Gladiator combat originally developed as a show of respect during funerals, and rarely resulted in death. Later, the practice grew to become popular sport.

Gladiators would dress in costumes, and fighters were treated like modern-day sports stars. In the last few centuries of Rome's rule, combat became one-sided, and what had been physical contests, became public slaughters. Dangerous animals were imported from around the empire, and the hungry creatures were often released on lightly-armed prisoners.

"The resulting archaeological maps and plans of individual buildings, streets and Roman infrastructure allow the virtual reconstruction of the city layout and the development of ancient land and townscapes in two and three dimensions," the researchers said in a statement.

Discovery of the ancient gladiator school, and the study which went into the creation of the 3D model, are detailed in the journal Antiquity.