Rare Roman Gladiator Knife From Hadrian’s Wall Goes on Display

LONDON—A 2,000-year-old Roman knife handle shaped like a gladiator that was discovered in northern England will go on public display for the first time, the charity English Heritage said on Friday. Two divers found the well-preserved object in 1997 in the River Tyne at Corbridge near Hadrian’s Wall, the 73-mile fortification built by the Romans to defend the northern limits of their empire. It was donated to English Heritage this year. The copper alloy handle, part of a folding knife, was probably used as a souvenir, reflecting the celebrity status that gladiators enjoyed as they fought in arenas for the entertainment of the public, English Heritage said....