Little Known Facts About Ancient Roman Gladiators

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

A bloody massacre without rules and regulations - this is how most people imagine gladiatorial fights. We also know about Spartacus that all gladiators were slaves, and only men fought in the arena. Did you know that gladiator fights and sumo martial arts have a common cause, what role was assigned to women in battles, and how the people used the sweat and blood of gladiators? In this article, you will learn little-known facts about one of the most popular ancient spectacles.

Women fought too

Slaves were regularly sent to the arena with the men, but some free women took up the sword at will. Historians are not sure when exactly women appeared in the ranks of gladiators, but by the 1st century AD, they were common in battles. A marble relief dating from around the 2nd century AD shows a fight between two fighters, nicknamed "Amazon" and "Achilles", who fought "to a dignified draw."

Not all gladiators were slaves

Not all gladiators were led into the arena in chains. By the 1st century AD, the excitement of battle and the roar of the crowd began to attract many free people who began to volunteer to enroll in gladiator schools in the hope of winning fame and money. Often these were former soldiers, the glory of gladiators also haunted some patricians of the upper class, knights and even senators.

Gladiators didn't always fight to the death

The most famous arena is the Colosseum. The second largest amphitheater is located on the territory of modern Tunisia. The arenas have also survived in Paris and even in the Croatian city of Pula.

Hollywood often portrays gladiatorial fights as a bloody massacre without rules, while most of the competitions were held according to very strict rules. The competition was usually a duel between two men of the same height and experience.

There were even judges who stopped the fight as soon as one of the participants was seriously injured. In addition, the match could end in a draw if the crowd got bored with a protracted battle. Since it was expensive to keep gladiators, they, as they would say now, the promoters did not want the fighter to be killed in vain.

Nevertheless, the life of a gladiator was short: historians estimated that in about every 5-10 battles one of the participants died, in addition, a rare gladiator lived to be 25 years old.

Fighters rarely fought animals

Whatever one may say, the Colosseum and other Roman arenas today are often associated with hunting for animals (or vice versa). First, the connection with wild beasts was intended for bestiaries - a special class of warriors who fought against all kinds of animals: from deer and ostriches to lions, crocodiles, bears and even elephants.

Animal hunting was usually the first event in the games, and it was not unusual for many unfortunate creatures to be killed in a series of battles. Nine thousand animals were killed during the 100-day opening ceremony of the Colosseum. Second, wild animals were also a popular form of execution. Convicted criminals and Christians were often thrown to predatory dogs, lions, and bears as part of their daily entertainment.

Contractions were originally part of funeral ceremonies

Many ancient chroniclers described the Roman games as borrowed from the Etruscans, but now most historians are inclined to believe that gladiatorial battles originated as a rite of burial for wealthy nobility. By the way, in this they are similar to the ancient Japanese sumo wrestling, which was originally also part of the funeral rite.

The Romans believed that human blood helped to cleanse the soul of the deceased, and competitions could also act as a substitute for human sacrifice. Later funerary games expanded during the reign of Julius Caesar, who fought hundreds of gladiators.

The spectacles were so popular that by the end of the 1st century BC. officials began to fund the fighting to curry favor with the masses.

Emperors also took part in battles

Hosting games of gladiators was an easy way for Roman emperors to win the love of the people, but some of them went further and did not limit themselves to organizing shows. Caligula, Titus, Adrian, Commodus (had as many as 735 fights. Staged, of course) and other monarchs performed in the arena. Of course, under strictly controlled conditions: with blunt guns and under the strict supervision of guards.

Thumb Down Didn't Always Mean Death

Cinematography often misunderstands history. The legendary thumb gesture is no exception

Here it is worth making it clear: regarding the legendary gesture described by the phrase pollice verso (lat. "Twist of the thumb"), scientists argue to this day. Some historians believe that the death sign could actually be a "thumb up", while a "thumb down" could signal mercy and was interpreted as "swords down".

Whatever gesture was used, it was usually accompanied by shrill shouts of the crowd, "Let go!" or "Kill!" The gesture was popularized in 1872 by French artist Jean-Léon Jerome in a painting called Pollice verso, which has already made a great impression on Ridley Scott during the filming of Gladiator.

Gladiators had their own categories

By the time the Colosseum opened around A. D. 80, gladiatorial games had gone from disorganized death battles to a well-regulated, bloody sport. The fighters were divided into classes depending on their achievements, skill level and experience, each had its own specialization in the weapons and combat techniques used.

The most popular were the Thracians and their main opponents, the Myrmillons. In the novel by Rafaello Giovagnoli "Spartacus" the main character fought in the arena in Thracian weapons. There were also equits who entered the arena on horseback, Essedarii who fought in chariots, and dimachers who could wield two swords at the same time.

Here he is, the most popular gladiator - Spartacus. Of course, in the arena he was in a completely different costume and not so brooding.

Gladiators were real stars

Portraits of many successful gladiators graced the walls of public places. The children had clay gladiator figurines as toys. The most adventurous fighters advertised food, as did the best athletes of our time.

Many women wore jewelry soaked in the blood of gladiators, and some even mixed gladiator sweat, which was considered a special aphrodisiac, into face creams and other cosmetics.

Gladiators united trade unions

Although they were regularly forced to fight to the death, gladiators saw themselves as a kind of brotherhood, and some even formed alliances with their own chosen leaders and guardian deities. When a warrior died in battle, these groups arranged a decent funeral for their comrade, and if the deceased had a family, they paid monetary compensation to relatives for the loss of a breadwinner.