Anecdotes

Officials at the American distributor, American-International Pictures, decided that "Sign of the Gladiator" was a more exciting title than "Sign of Rome," even though there are no gladiators in the film. They simply had one of the characters make reference to "gladiator" in a line of the dubbed dialog,

The producers were unsatisfied with some of the action footage, and Michelangelo Antonioni, at the time a respected second-unit director, was called in for re-shoots of some interior scenes.

Film debut of Chelo Alonso.

This was the first Italian sword-and-sandal epic for Cuban actress Chelo Alonso.

Copyright dated 1958 and eventually passed by the British Board of Film Censors under the title "Sign of the Gladiator" on 4/20/60 . Anglo Amalgamated, which was contracted to distribute for American-International Pictures, used AIP's dubbed print. Previewed in London at Studio One, Oxford Street on 5/19/60 (for press and trade only). Opened to the London public at ABC's Prince of Wales, Harrow Road, on 7/11/60. The theatrical release was quite successful, but after going the rounds the film wasn't seen again in the UK for 30 years. Channel 4 finally revived the film as the second in their Sword and Sandal season on 1/1/92. Although still billed as" Sign of the Gladiator", Channel 4 presented a new print with Italian dialogue and English subtitles. Repeated once on 8/24/96, but never seen since.