Gladiator style, sword and shield. An imperial would probably be a better match RP wise.
Light armor seems quite common in Skyrim, much like it was in the viking society inspiring the Nords. Metal armor has always been expensive, and most Vikings and Anglo-Saxons went into battle wearing just a helmet, leather armor and a wood & leather shield for protection.
Gladiators also aren't a good example on how to survive in a real fight. They had weird(on purpose) equipment and weird restrictions on their tactics for the time. Roman gladiators, that is. The ones in Cyrodiil seem to just bash eachother on the head and see who falls first...

Gameplay-wise, light armor isn't any worse than heavy armor. You can hit the armor cap with both of them, and light armor weighs less without perks, leaving you inventory space for loot when you're starting out etc.