The people would train large army's or just specific warriors that would do battle for the whole country. History of Heroism . The new ages brought with it an introduction of weapons and extream violence. So therefore with the entry of extreme violence the non heroic people had to become that of warriors to survive. With a new age being introduced, the people of the land had to change their way of life.
Farmers have to go from tending their herds to training to survive in combat.
To the Romans the Gladiator's of the coliseum was a desired roll people wished to receive. The Gladiator were some of the greatest warriors, but they are not considered a hero. A hero fights for certain morals or beliefs that have been aposed by somebody else. Never the less a gladiator was just fighting and killing for the shear pleasure and entertainment of the crowds. During this rise of Violent times a Hero gained it's higth of fame.