A gladiator kneels on his shield watching the blood gush from a mortal wound in his side - obviously not one of Galen's patients. Galen claimed an almost total success in his post as doctor to the gladiators since there were only 2 deaths under 5 High Priests compared with his predecessor's 60, none the result of wounds received in the arena.

Line engraving with etching by Philothée-François Duflos (c. 1710-1746) after a marble sculpture in the Musei Capitolini, Rome. The English poet, Lord Byron (1788-1824), based The Dying Gladiator on this image.