Gladiator

  • Roman Gladiator Combats were popular in the Roman Empire between 105 BCE until they were banned in 500 CE.
  • They were often captured soldiers who were trained in dedicated Gladiator Schools.

The Rise of the Gladiators (264-105 BCE)

  • The first Gladiator Games were privately sponsored and were held in the Forum Boarium in Rome in 264 BCE. They were performed as a ‘munus’, a dedication to the memory of the dead by wealthy families.
  • The next Gladiator Games were held in 216 BCE in the Forum Romanum and in 206 BCE Gladiatorial Games were held in Spain by Scipio Africanus.
  • By 174 BCE the holding of privately sponsored Gladiatorial Games had become commonplace.
  • Up to 164 BCE, criminals were used as Gladiators, later they were replaced by captured soldiers.
  • In 105 BCE the Roman Consuls put on state sponsored Gladiatorial Games and from then on they formed part of the Ludi in Religious Festivals.
  • Gladiator Games were performed in the Roman Amphitheatres.
  • The Gladiator schools were called Ludi.
  • Gladiators were often used as private Bodyguards.

Gladiator Schools

  • Ludus Magnus: (built 81-96 CE)
    • This was the largest Gladiator School in Rome, located near the Colosseum with a tunnel connecting to it. It was built by Domitian (81-96 CE)
    • The Ludus Magnus consisted of an arena for Gladiators to practice, with various offices and rooms around it, where the Gladiators lived.
    • The Roman Public was able to observe Gladiators practicing here and this arena held seating for 3,000 people.
  • Capua
    • The Gladiator School here became famous when Spartacus escaped and formed an army of Gladiatorss and escaped slaves.

The Roman Amphitheatre: The venue for Gladiator Games (known as ‘Munera’)

  • Roman Amphitheatre was the venue for Gladiator Games.
  • The Gladiators each had their own supporters who often fought each other.
  • There were many different types of Gladiator and each type had distinctive weapons and wore a distinctive armour and helmet.
  • The Combat was by pairs of Gladiators and the battle was often a recreation of a Roman Battle.
  • Unusually, the Emperor Commodus chose to fight in the arena as a Gladiator. He always won.
  • Most Gladiators were men, but some female Gladiators have been recorded in the Arena.

Acta

  • ‘Acta Diurna’ meaning ‘Daily Acts’ or ‘Daily Public Records’ were daily news sheets posted in the Forum Romanum in Rome.
  • They contained news of Political Events, New Legislation, Trials, Scandals, Military Campaigns, Trials and Executions.
  • They also had a Sports Section, the ‘Compositus Ludus’, which showed the results of Gladiatorial Contests and the Chariot Races.

Spartacus (73-73 BCE)

The End of the Gladiators (325-500 CE)

  • 325 CE Constantine I banned Gladiator combats in the East.
  • 500 CE Theodoric banned Gladiator combats in the West.

Types of Gladiator

Gladiators fought in pairs:

  • Andabata
  • Arbelas
  • Bestiarius
    • He fought wild beasts.
  • Bustuarius
  • Cestus
    • An unarmoured boxer who used knuckledusters.
  • Crupellarii
  • Dimachaerus
    • He used two swords.
  • Eques
    • He wore light scale armour, a rimmed helmet, a round shield and fought with a sword or spear.
  • Essedarius
    • He arrived in a chariot, but it is not known whether he fought in the chariot or dismounted and fought on foot.
  • Gallus
    • ‘Meaning ‘like a Gaul’, little is known of him except that he was a heavyweight fighter and probably wore heavy armour.
  • Gladiatrix
    • Meaning a female gladiator. There were very few of these and they operated from circa 30 BCE until they were banned in 200 CE.
  • Hoplomachus
    • He wore quilted trousers, a belt, a greave on his sword arm, a rimmed helmet with a plume of feathers, a tiny round shield and he used a Gladius (Broadsword).
    • He was often paired with a Murmillo.
  • Laquearius
    • He may have used a lasso instead of a net.
  • Murmillo
    • He wore an armguard, a helmet with a fish on the crest, a loincloth and belt, an oblong legionary shield and he fought with a Gladius (Broadsword). He was often paired with a Thracian or Hoplomachus.
  • Parmularius
  • Provocator
    • He was dressed like a Legionary, used a tall rectangular shield and used the Gladius (Broadsword).
    • The Provocators were unique in wearing a breastplatem as no other gladiators wore one.
  • Retiarius
    • He wore a loincloth and belt, an armguard and used a trident and a net, but did not wear a helmet.
    • They stood on a bridge or raised platform with steps and threw stones at the Secutors who tried to climb up the steps to attack him.
  • Rudiarius
    • These were gladiators who had received their freedom and been given a wooden sword. If they continued to be gladiators they were called a Rudiarius, and either continued to fight, or became trainers or referees.
  • Sagittarius
    • He was an archer.
  • Samnite
    • A gladiator during the Roman Republic, he was based on the soldier of the Samnite Wars (343-290 BCE), used a long rectangular shield, wore a plumed helmet and fought with a short sword.
  • Scissor
    • This gladiator used a sword with two blades.
  • Scutuarius
    • A Scutarius referred to any gladiator using a large shield.
  • Secutor
    • He wore the same armour and used the same sword (the Gladius) as the Murmillo, but his helmet covered his face.
  • Thraex (Thracian)
    • He wore the same armour, used the same small circular shield and rimmed helmet as the Hoplomachus, but wore a griffin on the crest and used a Thracian curved sword. They were often paired with the Hoplomachus or the Murmillo.
  • Veles
    • Early Republic but very little is known about this gladiator.

Gladiator Helmets

  • Each type of gladiator had distinctive weapons and wore a distinctive armour and helmet.
  • A Gladiator Helmet was found in Pompeii with a face covering and decorated with scenes from Greek Mythology.
  • A Murmillo helmet was found in Pompeii. One is on display in the British Museum in London and another in the Neues Museum in Berlin.
  • A Secutor helmet was found in Herculaneum.
  • A Thraex helmet is on display in the Louvre, Paris.

Gladiators in Film

 

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