Dr McIntosh said that despite being enslaved, gladiators could become “huge celebrities” with “sex appeal” and were an “integral part of Roman cultural life”.
They inspired the creation of sporting memorabilia such as ceramics, glass cups, lamps and figurines.
“The beautifully made knife handle is a testament to how pervasive this celebrity culture was, reaching all the way to Hadrian’s Wall at the very edge of the Roman Empire,” she said.
“Even now, almost two thousand years later, the fascination around gladiators persists.”
English Heritage plans to display the item at Corbridge Roman Town in 2025.