The mayor of Rome has banned gladiator impersonators from working at the Italian capital's tourist attractions.
Mayor Virginia Raggi has passed a regulation banning actors dressed up as gladiators and centurions at sites such as the Colosseum, following a series of complaints accusing the costumed performers of over-charging and pick-pocketing, The Local reports.
Authorities say the gladiator impersonators make between €300 and €400 a day (AUD$426 - $568), or €12,000 ($17,066), a month, tax-free from tourists keen for a memento of their visit paying as much as €50 ($71) for a couple of happy snaps.
The ban affects people attempting to portray a historical subject in photos or videos for cash, and anyone caught breaking the ban will face a €400 ($568) fine.
Italian authorities said the regulation is necessary to "protect public order" and safeguard the city's "cultural, artistic and monumental heritage".
The regulation also bans the use of rickshaws, or any vehicle partially or fully powered by pedals, used to ferry people around the city.
It's not the first time gladiators have been banned from the city. The latest decision replaces an earlier regulation, which expired on November 30, prompting gladiators to return to Rome.
Some performers have argued that instead of the ban, the industry should be regulated - something they have been seeking for many years.
A centurion impersonator and father-of-two told the Italian newspaper Il Corriere: "In Verona, characters pay €10 in order to occupy land for a day; there's an online application and then they're allowed to work. Why isn't that possible in Rome?"
The new regulation is valid until July 2017.
