Gladiators

Gladiators were the rugby league players of ancient Rome. They were entertainment for the people. Many politics would put gladiator fights on to win the publics vote. This essay will explain the history behind gladiators, who were the gladiators, where did gladiators come from, Types of gladiators, the training gladiators went through, and also a little on women in the arena. Gladiator fights were first introduced into Rome in 264 BC when the son of Brutus Pera paid honor to his father by showing three pairs of gladiators fighting. The Romans loved watching these barbaric fights and the event soon became one of the Romans favorite types of entertainment for the amusement of the general public, which was held in the coliseum. Who the Roman gladiators were. Gladiators (named after the Roman sword called the gladius) were mostly unfree individuals (condemned criminals, prisoners of war, slaves). Some gladiators were volunteers (mostly freedmen or very low classes of freeborn men) who chose to take on the status of a slave for the monetary rewards or the fame and excitement. Anyone who became a gladiator was automatically infamis, beneath the law and by definition not a respectable citizen of Rome. A small number of upper-class men did compete in the arena, but they did not live with the other gladiators and constituted a special, esoteric form of entertainment (as did the extremely rare women who competed in the arena). All gladiators swore a solemn oath (sacramentum gladiatorium), similar to that sworn by the legionary but a lot more dire: “I will endure to be burned, to be bound, to be beaten, and to be killed by the sword” (uri, vinciri, verberari, ferroque necari, Petronius Satyricon 117). Some gladiators did not fight more than two or three times a year (that was also the average lifespan), and the best of them became popular heroes. Skilled fighters might win a good deal of money and the wooden sword (rudis) that symbolized their freedom. Freed gladiators could continue to fight for money, but they often became trainers (doctors) in the gladiatorial schools or free-lance bodyguards for the wealthy citizens of Rome. The types of gladiators. There were many categories of gladiators, who were distinguished by the kind of armor they wore, the weapons they used, and their style of fighting. Most gladiators stayed in one category, and matches usually involved two different categories of gladiator. Thracian: Wide-brimmed crested helmet with visor, high greaves on both legs, arm protector, very small shield, and short, curved sword similar to Spartacus Secutor: Egg-shaped helmet with round eye-holes, greave on one leg, arm protector, legionary-style shield and sword (scutum and gladius); see the small black helmet in the above image and the victorious gladiator in this mosaic. The secutor was called a “chaser,” probably because he was frequently paired with the retiarius, who used running as one of his tactics. Retiarius (net and trident fighter): Arm protector (often topped with a high metal shoulder protector), large net, trident, small dagger, no helmet; the retiarius was the only type of gladiator whose head and face were uncovered. Since he wore practically no defensive armor, the retiarius was more mobile than most gladiators but was also more vulnerable to serious wounds. Bestiarius: This was a special type of gladiator trained to handle and fight all sorts of animals (refer to source 3 and source 9). The bestiarii were the lowest ranking gladiators; they did not become as popular or individually well known as other types of gladiators. Although this relief depicts bestiarii wearing armor, most depictions show them without armor, equipped with whips or spears, wearing cloth or leather garments and leggings. Hoplomachi: They wore quilted, trouser-like leg wrappings, maybe made from linen, a loincloth, a belt, a pair of long shin-guards or greaves, an arm guard (manica) on the left arm, and a brimmed helmet that could be adorned with a plume of feathers on top and a single feather on each side. Equipped with a gladius and a very small, round shield made of one sheet of thick bronze and a spear. Myrmillonis: Wore a helmet with a stylized fish on the crest (the mormylos or sea fish), as well as an arm guard (manica), a loincloth and belt, a gaiter on his right leg, thick wrappings covering the tops of his feet, and a very short greave with an indentation for the padding at the top of the feet. Myrmillonis carried a gladius and a tall, oblong shield. The training in ancient Rome, gladiators were owned by a person called lanista and trained in the lanista's school (ludi). Pompeii, for example, had both a small training area surrounded by gladiatorial barracks and a large one right next to the amphitheater (look at source 10). Gladiators went through numerous training drills like fighting with wooden swords, then they would train with real weapons but they would be much heavier to build up stamina. They would train in different styles depending on what type of gladiator they would be. Years later, the gladiators were owned by the emperor because it was feared they would be trained into an army for revolutionary purposes (Spartacus). Outside of Rome, the lanista continued to train and own gladiators making a profit by renting or selling the troupe. Women in the arena, some noble women would sometimes go to the barracks and get there bowchicabowwow on with some of the more famous gladiators. The Romans loved watching novelties in the arena so women also served as gladiators. Women and dwarf men fought as entertainment for Nero in 63 AD. However, as the years went on, so many women were entering the profession that it was decided to band them from choosing that career. So the Roman gladiators were just entertainment. But they were transformed from a sanctified ceremony for blessing the dead to a commercial event used by politics to gain popularity with the non-slave population. The gladiators weren’t big celebrities they were below even slaves infamis if you will. Some gladiators did win their freedom but the average life span was only two to three games. There was more than one type of gladiator in ancient Rome. The training was relentless and hard, gladiators were sex symbols and the women gladiators were novelties for the enjoyment for the public. As were all gladiators.