I can't find a primary source on this (and Googling along the way was reminded how broken the internet is with generated content...) but there is this - http://faculty.uml.edu/ethan_Spanier/Teaching/documents/Cyri... (it's chapter 9 of this book - http://eu.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1405110422... )

> Famous Roman gladiators, who also attained celebrity status through specialized types of fighting, were known to endorse products. too; some of these endorsements survive in ancient frescoes and wall graffiti. Ironically. the makers of Gladiator downplayed this historical angle on the assumption that modern audiences would not believe it.

Hmmmm...

There's even the Latin equalivalent of "For a good time, go here" on the Coliseum.

Whether that is true or not, those gladiators earned their fame the hard way. I Wonder what hardships a Snapchat influencer has to endure on the road to fame?