16 AUG 2011: Isn’t this a picture of modern Rome?  Police in tarted-up in togas, capes and sandals bust a ring of ‘gladiators’ outside the Colosseum and other Italian capital landmarks. The 20 suspects were accused of assaulting and intimidating their (equally gladiated-out) competition in order to pose for tourist pictures (for money) at Rome's Colosseum, Forum and Vatican.

The police said last week that assault charges were filed against the suspects, who were not under arrest.

Police showed up dressed as gladiators Wednesday near the ancient arena and in the nearby Piazza Venezia.

First they were told to leave by the suspects, then attacked - at which point they and other undercover officers disguised as city garbage collectors or tourists intervened.

Now those were the pictures worth getting!