gladiators

[brotus maximus]

so what exactly are all the different types of fighting units were there for gladiators and what weapons did they use(also which one was your favorite) mine was the one with the net he had the hardest time to beat any one so more of a challenge i think

riddick

B.M

[phil25]

You mean the retiarius. He was usually pitted against the secutor.

 

Other categories of fighter, included:

 

the murmillo

 

the Thraex - or Thracian - who fought with a curved sword (the sica)

 

and the hoplomachus.

 

Phil

 

I may come back to this when I have time, but it is a complex subject and I don't have time right now.

[brotus maximus]

You mean the retiarius. He was usually pitted against the secutor.

 

Other categories of fighter, included:

 

the murmillo

 

the Thraex - or Thracian - who fought with a curved sword (the sica)

 

and the hoplomachus.

 

Phil

 

I may come back to this when I have time, but it is a complex subject and I don't have time right now.

well any time i like to learn about this stuff

[Gaius Paulinus Maximus]

A paticular favourite in the gladatorial arena was the re-enacting of famous fights from the past like for instance, Achilles V's Hector or maybe a famous battle like Zama where Scipio defeated Hannibal (like in Gladiator)

Edited November 9, 2006 by Gaius Paulinus Maximus

[DecimusCaesar]

Wasn't the Hoplomachus based on the Greek Hoplite? Or am I being confused by the similar sounding names? Either way as GPM has said it was common to have re-enactments of famous battles or mythology in the amphitheatres. The Murmillo itself was based on the sea monster from mythology, while other Gladiators like the Thraex mentioned by Phil, were based on the real enemies of Rome.

 

Many of the events shown in the Colosseum were based on mythology, for instance the story of Icarus who flew too close to the sun was re-enacted by having a criminal being set on fire.

[brotus maximus]

Many of the events shown in the Colosseum were based on mythology, for instance the story of Icarus who flew too close to the sun was re-enacted by having a criminal being set on fire.

ouch!!!

[caldrail]

Many of the events shown in the Colosseum were based on mythology, for instance the story of Icarus who flew too close to the sun was re-enacted by having a criminal being set on fire.

ouch!!!

 

Gladiators came from various sources. Some were slaves sold to the trainer, some were criminals, prisoners of war, or volunteers looking for fame and fortune. All had to take an oath on entering the ludus (training school)

 

"I suffer myself to be whipped with rods, burned with fire, or killed with with steel, if I disobey"

 

The lanista (trainer) owned his students and life was usually spartan, almost prison-like, although at times some gladiators were allowed out for R&R. Volunteers served a term of between 5 and 7 years after which they could leave with whatever cash they had saved from their winnings. Criminals might serve a similar term as their penal sentence. The average expected lifespan of a gladiator was 4 years, so the odds weren't favourable, assuming they were one of the two-thirds that survived training. Remember that a gladiator might fight between two or three times a year unless a special event took place.

 

Gladiators didn't always fight in the colusseum. Events might also be staged in the circus, the forum, in private gardens. Some were bought from the lanista as bodyguards and a few even saw service in the legions as guards, trainers, or 'special forces'. Lanista's sometimes took troupes on tour in the provinces playing to entertainment starved romans. Most of these fights were likely to be to the first blood. Gladiators were expensive commodities and few lanistas wanted to see them killed. For a larger sum of cash, then a fight to the death was bought.

 

The various gladiator types have historic or religious significance. The Retiarius (net-man) is the fisherman, a type of gladiator sneered at by the male public for its cowardly retreating style of combat, and often a handsome young man was chosen by the lanista for this role because then the women would root for him. The retiarius was a later arrival during the principate. The murmillo (and even more true of the later secutor) is the fish-man, the opponent of the retiarius. A standard gladius was used by them. The Thraex was in the style of thracian swordsmen using a boomerang shaped blade that could be used to attack around a shield. The Hoplomachus in the style of greek hoplites with a light spear. Similar to these were the Equites, the horsemen. Essedarii were chariot fighters, saggitarii were archers (though we don't know how they competed), and the Samnite was a gladiator that fell into disuse during the end of the republic. Dimachaerii fought with two blades.

 

A last meal was given by the lanista the night before a contest, allowing the gladiator a chance to 'eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die'. Normally a gladiator was fed a diet of barley and beans to fatten them up, since a layer of fat was considered a good defence against minor sword cuts.

 

By tradition gladiators supposedly saluted the games editor (the emperor in later periods) before a contest - "We who are about to die salute you" - but this is only recorded once during an event presented by Claudius.

 

Fights were conducted according to rules, and usually referees were present. Instant obedience was expected from gladiators in the arena and the referees word was not to be ignored. Music might also be played along to the performance at smaller events.

 

The usual fight was a one-on-one, either to the first blood or to the death as required, but there were different types of fight. Some were conducted within a box which the fighters could not leave. There was also a wooden platform defended by a gladiator against all-comers. Variety was especially well-regarded, but the romans were there to see a fair fight that thrilled them with displays of courage, ferocity, and skill.

 

Longer fights might even have rest periods given by the referee. For those unable to continue, either exhausted or wounded, the only option was to ask for clemency from the games editor (who would take notice of the crowds reaction). This was done by a raised hand/finger. If sufficiently impressed, the editor would allow the defeated gladiator to leave the arena alive with his honour intact. If not, then a swift death followed. Blows to head or to the neck have been recorded, but the standard death was a sword thrust down through the top of the shoulder into the heart. A dead gladiator would have his throat cut away from the arena - just in case he was faking it!

 

Experienced gladiators often became doctores (junior trainers) working for the lanista to train the new batch. Those who served their time or were able to buy their freedom left the arena as infama, or people on par with slaves, actors, etc. Never again could they hold public office. Some gladiators might be freed by the games editor as gesture to the audience, something the owner's weren't too keen on! In later times important people, sometimes emperors, would enter the arena in breach of this custom to wow their audience. It wasn't unusual for freed gladiators to return to the sand either because it was the life they knew and loved, or because their new life was unsuccessful.

[phil25]

Martial has some interesting things to say about lanistae which puts the Roman attitude to the games and gladiators in its right perspective.

 

The public might love the spectacle, the heroism, the way men died, but they knew the degradation involved and did not hold those who delivered the goods in high esteem. A lanista was the lowest of the low - though he might make a great deal of money - his hands were red with blood. It was as though "trade" (which like the Victorians, the Romans thought was beneath the aristocracy) was coupled with grave-robbing in the most loathsome and nefarious of professions.

 

Phil

[Pertinax]

There was a lively trade in souvenir ephemera attached to Gladiatorial contests.

 

Here is link to 'Ludus Gladiatorius" (associates of II AVG in the UK):

http://www.ludus.org.uk/

 

when I saw them at the last re-enactment, I was shown a wide range of copied trinkets that would have been hawked by vendors -you only need to think about all the sideshows and t-shirts, mugs, pens etc at sporting events today, here's a piece of glasware with combat scenes:

 

http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...si&img=1455

 

A favourite of mine:

 

http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...=si&img=922

 

and a selection of helmets here:

 

http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...=si&img=918

 

The early provocateur style is an adapted army helmet.

[caldrail]

I forgot the andabatii. Two horsemen enter the arena and must fight each other blindfolded. The crowd must have loved that!