Gladiators of ancient Rome and their classification. Types of gladiators of Ancient Rome Gladiator with net and trident

Gladiator Ancient Rome was a professional fighter who specialized in a particular weapon and fought in front of audiences in large, specially built arenas. Such arenas were built throughout the Roman Empire.

Gladiatorial fights began in 105 BC. e. and had the status official competitions before 404 AD e. The battles continued, as a rule, until the death of one of the gladiators. This is why the life expectancy of such fighters was short. And although it was considered prestigious to be a gladiator, most fighters were slaves, freed slaves, or convicts. Without a doubt, gladiatorial combat was one of the most popular forms of entertainment in ancient Rome.

The Romans in many respects believed in the signs and traditions of their Italian ancestors, the Etruscans. For example, animal sacrifices were used to predict the future, symbolic fasces were used, and gladiator fights were organized. The Etruscans associated competitions of this kind with the performance of death rites, so gladiatorial fights had a certain religious significance for them. Although, the first private gladiatorial competitions took place in 264 BC. e. and were organized in memory of the death of their father; later, for the organization of official battles, this reason was not taken into account. However, traces of religious origin were left by the tradition of finishing off defeated gladiators. In this case, the assistant had to strike the injured gladiator in the forehead. The assistant on duty was required to wear a costume representing the costume of the god Hermes, who escorted souls to the afterlife or "Charun". The presence of God's messenger and the emperor, accompanied by priests and vestals, showed a certain pseudo-religious spirit at the battles.

Roman gladiatorial fights provided an opportunity for emperors and wealthy aristocrats to demonstrate their wealth to the population. Fights were organized in honor of military victories, visits of important officials, in honor of birthday celebrations, or simply to distract people from economic and political problems. In the eyes of the public, it was something of an entertainment that literally became a matter of life and death. These extremely popular events took place in all the public arenas of the Roman Empire. The Colosseum (Flavian amphitheater) was the largest of them. From 30 to 50 thousand spectators from all levels of Roman society flocked here to be entertained by bloody spectacles, where wild and exotic animals were hunted, prisoners were executed, religious martyrs were thrown into cages with lions, star shows were staged, which were symbols of Roman virtue, honor and courage.

They used all their fighting skills, fighting under the motto “kill or be killed.” A popular misconception is that gladiators greeted their emperor at the beginning of each battle with the lines: “Long live the emperor!” We, who are going to death, greet you!” However, in reality these words were spoken in honor of prisoners and those killed in initiated naval battles (Naumachia), which also took place in closed arenas on special occasions.

Most often gladiators were slaves or criminals, also many prisoners of war were forced to perform in arenas. There were cases when, due to bankruptcy, aristocrats had to make a living with the sword, for example, Sempronius, a descendant of the powerful Gracchi clan. It should be noted that before the adoption of the law Septimius Severus (Septimius North) in 200 AD. BC, women were allowed to fight as gladiators.

Throughout the empire, special gladiator schools. There were three such barracks in Rome itself. Capua is one of the barracks that was especially famous for its gladiators. Throughout the Risque Empire, agents searched for potential gladiators to meet the ever-increasing demand and fill the schools that were expected to have a huge turnover of fighters. The conditions in the schools were similar to a prison - small cages and shackles, however, the food was better (for example, sprouted barley), and the students also received better medical care, since they were an expensive investment for the school.

The winners of gladiatorial battles became crowd favorites and were especially popular among women.

The term " Gladiator" comes from Latin gladiators, after the name of their main weapon gladius or short sword. However, there was a wide range of other weapons used in gladiatorial combat. Also, gladiators wore armor and helmets, which, in particular, were examples of great craftsmanship, were richly decorated with decorative patterns, and their crests were decorated with ostrich and peacock feathers. The type of weapon and armor depended on what species the gladiator belonged to.

Types of gladiators

In ancient Rome there were four main types of gladiators:

• Samnite species, was named after the great Samnite warriors who fought for Rome in the early years of the empire. Interestingly, the Romans used the words “gladiator” and “samnite” interchangeably. One of the Samnite's best weapons was a sword or spear, a large square shield and protective armor on the right hand and left leg;
• Thracian gladiator(Thracian) had a short curved sword (sika) and a very small square or round shield (parma), which was used to deflect enemy blows;
• gladiator Murmillo, also known as "Fishman", was equipped in the image of a fish - a crest was installed on the helmet. Like the Samnite, he had a short sword and shield, but only armor on the arm and leg;
• at gladiator Retiarius there was no helmet or armor, except for soft shoulder pads. He had a net and a trident as weapons. He tried to entangle his opponent with a net, and then struck with his trident.

Gladiators fought in certain combinations. As a rule, pairings were chosen for contrast that consisted of a slow and heavily armored gladiator (Murmillo) against a fast and less protected gladiator (Retiarius).

There were also other less common types of gladiators with different combinations of weapons and armor, the names of which changed over time. For example, "Samnite" and "Gal" became politically incorrect when these countries became allies. Other types of gladiators included archers, boxers, and bestiaries (armed with a javelin or dagger), who fought wild animals.

Those who lacked the courage to fight were forced to fight using leather whips and hot metal rods. However, under the indignant roar of the crowd (from 40 thousand spectators) and the ruthless attack of their opponent, many fought to the end. There were cases of refusal to fight. One of the most famous cases was a gladiatorial match organized by Quintus Aurelius Symmachus in 401 AD. BC, when German prisoners who were supposed to fight at the games instead hanged themselves in their cells, thereby leaving the Roman population without a spectacle.

If the losing gladiator was not killed on the spot, he would apply for mercy by lowering his weapon and shield and raising his finger. The enemy could show leniency, although there was then a risk of meeting again in the arena, but this was considered good professional practice. If the emperor was present at the battles, then he made the decision, although the crowd tried to influence his judgment by waving rags and hand gestures - raising a finger up and shouting “mitte!”, which meant “let him go”; thumb down and shouted “iugula!”, which meant “execute him.”

The winners of fights, especially multiple winners, became crowd favorites and images were created in their honor on Roman buildings, and they were also popular among the female half of the population of Ancient Rome.

The Pompeii graffiti provides a unique insight into the extent to which gladiators were accepted by the public. They depict gladiators and the number of their victories, for example Severus is 55. However, the average number of victories was significantly lower. Sometimes there were fights where the winners of one fight fought the winners of others until only one remained alive. The winners were awarded material prizes that included the prestigious palm of victory and a silver platter containing money. After many years of victories, the gladiator was granted freedom.

Perhaps one of the most famous gladiators there was Spartacus, who led a revolt of gladiators and slaves in 73 BC. e.

Stories of gladiatorial combat have captivated people for thousands of years. These warriors with swords and shields were forced to fight for their lives; their images tirelessly inspire the creators of books, paintings, films and television shows. However, as fights became more popular, the crowds craved more spectacle. From now on, the sword and shield were not enough. Below are ten types of gladiators who used a wide variety of weapons in battle.

1. Bestiaries

Unlike other gladiators, bestiaries fought for their lives against animals, and not against their own kind. Especially for these battles, Roman emperors and senators brought exotic and strong animals (for example, lions, tigers, elephants and bears) from Africa and Asia. They served as a symbol of wealth, and also took part in the spectacles that were staged for the crowds in the Colosseum and amphitheaters. Some animal species (elephants, for example) were intended to shock and entertain audiences who had never seen them before. Other animals had to hunt people, and also acted as prey themselves.

There were two types of bestiaries: “damnatio ad bestias” (literally from Latin “devotion to the beasts”; given over to be torn to pieces by wild animals) and “venatio” (“hunters”). The first type included those who were sentenced to death. They were not considered gladiators and were generally members of the lower class in Ancient Rome. Their deaths were entertainment for the crowd. Sometimes one wild animal could kill several hundred people at a time.

The "hunters" trained and hunted animals. It was an integral part of their performances. We know very little about the "venatio", since historians and chroniclers did not like to describe them. Unlike other gladiators, "hunters" were despised in ancient Rome. The most famous "venatio" was Karpophorus, who, according to history, killed over twenty animals in the arena of the Circus Maximus with his bare hands. Karpophorus also trained animals to kill, hunt, and even rape humans.

Some emperors also demonstrated their skill in killing animals, but instead of recognition, they received only the contempt of the crowd. Nero fought the animals in the arena, while Commodus "heroically" killed injured and inactive animals from the safety of an elevated platform. The latter caused extreme disapproval of the Senate.

2. Noxia

The Noxii were members of the lowest class in Roman society. They weren't even considered people. These included Christians, Jews, deserters, murderers and traitors. Noxii were not accepted into the gladiator school, and their appearance in the arenas, where they died in the most terrible ways, was, in a way, a punishment for the crimes they had committed. Noxia could be killed in several ways: first, they were torn apart by wild animals; second, they were tortured to death by gladiators who were blindfolded and received instructions from the crowd; third, they acted as targets for real gladiators to hunt. Noxii typically wore a loincloth and had no armor. Their weapons were a simple gladius (short sword) or a stick. The Romans took pleasure in killing the Noxii. This served as a reminder that everyone should know their place in the social hierarchy.

3. Retiarii

Which is better: speed or strength? Death by a thousand cuts or one blow? In ancient Roman times, the answer was clear: the more strength and armor, the better. That is why retiarii were initially treated as a lower type of gladiator. They had very little armor, so they had to fight using agility, speed and cunning, as well as a net, a trident and - in extreme cases - a small blade. Retiarii trained separately from gladiators, who carried swords and shields. They were considered effeminate and were often ridiculed. The satirist and poet Decimus Junius Juvenal told the story of a minor aristocrat, Gracchus, who not only incurred widespread disfavor by becoming a gladiator, but also disgraced society by fighting as a retiarius. However, after a few centuries, the retiarii gained favor and became one of the main ones in the arena.

4. Secutors

The gladiators, who belonged to the type of secutors, had to pursue and defeat the retiarii. Secutor had powerful armor: a huge shield, a sword and a round helmet that covered his entire face and had two tiny holes for his eyes. A typical fight between a secutor and a retiarius began with the latter retreating to a safe distance or - in some cases - climbing onto an elevated platform above the water, where a previously prepared supply of stones lay. The secutor (lat. secutor - pursuer) pursued the retiarius and tried not to fall into his net or under a hail of stones. He was also afraid of the retiarius' trident, which was used to keep the secutor from getting too close. Secutor was well armed, but he quickly tired under the weight of his armor.

Emperor Commodus fought as a secutor during the games; he had excellent armor and weapons, which guaranteed him victory. Another famous secutor was called Flammus, he was from Syria and fought in the arena in clothes typical of the inhabitants of the territory of Gaul. He took part in 34 fights and won 21 of them. Surprisingly, he was offered freedom four times, but he refused each time.

5. Equities

The Aequites were similar to Roman cavalry, but should not be confused with them. The Roman cavalry was mainly represented by minor aristocrats who held good positions in the Senate and could even become emperors. In turn, the equites were renowned organizers of public spectacles. Performances at the Colosseum typically began with battles of equites to enliven the crowd with the agility and speed displayed by these gladiators. Sitting on horseback, they attacked each other with spears, and then jumped to the ground and fought with swords. They wore light armor, which contributed to greater agility and athleticism.

6. Provocateurs

As we now know, in ancient Rome they could fight each other in the arena Various types gladiators. Provocateurs, however, only engaged in battle with provocateurs. The reason was that they did not choose an opponent - they themselves challenged him to a fight. They fought to settle feuds between rival gladiatorial schools, or to improve their status by defeating a prominent rival. Each provocateur was armed like a Roman legionary: he had a rectangular shield, breastplate and helmet.

7. Female gladiators

Female gladiators typically wore very little armor and were almost always bare-chested. Most of the time, they didn't even wear a helmet to let everyone know it was a woman fighting in the arena. Fights between female gladiators, who, by the way, were armed with a short sword and shield, were rare and were perceived as an innovation. Women could fight not only among themselves, but also with dwarfs to cause indignation and shock among the crowd. In some cases, women who had a high status in society could take part in gladiatorial fights. Their appearance in the arena was accompanied by loud scandals. Ultimately, female gladiator matches were banned in 200 AD.

8. Gall/Murmillo

The Gauls were among the first gladiators who descended from the Gallic tribe that lived in Central and Western Europe. Most of them were prisoners who were forced into the arena to fight. The Gauls were well armed and looked like typical gladiators: they had a long sword, shield and helmet, but wore traditional Gallic clothing. The Gauls were less agile than other gladiators, so they relied on their strength to attack their opponents. They often fought with prisoners from enemy tribes.

After the Gauls made peace and became part of the Roman Empire, they began to be classified as another type of gladiator, who were called murmillos. Murmillons still used a heavy sword and shield, but dressed like Roman soldiers and fought with other Murmillons, gladiators from enemy regions, and retiarii.

One of the most famous Murmillons was named Marcus Attilius, who, during his first fight, defeated the gladiator from Nero's personal army, Hilarus, and Lucius Felix. Both had more than a dozen victories to their credit.

9. Samnites

The Samnites are also among the first gladiators, and they have much in common with the Gauls. They were also prisoners of war, but their homeland was considered the region of Samnium (southern Italy). After the Romans defeated the Samnites, they forced them to participate in mocking ceremonial battles, which later turned into gladiatorial competitions. The Samnites wore traditional military clothing and fought with a sword and a rectangular shield. Their opponents, as a rule, were captured soldiers from tribes hostile to Rome.

When Samnium became a province of the Roman Empire, the Samnites ceased to be classified as a separate category. They joined the Hoplomachus or Murmillons, who wore similar clothing and had similar weapons.

10. Thracians

The most popular and well-known gladiator is Spartacus. He was a prisoner of war from a Thracian tribe living in South-Eastern Europe. He rebelled against his enslavers, who forced him to fight in the gladiatorial arena. Ultimately, Spartacus was defeated, but his legend lives on to this day.

The Thracians, who had a round shield, a curved blade and a wide helmet with a griffin emblem, were perhaps the most popular of the early gladiators. They often fought with the Gauls and Samnites.

Just like today we root for different sports teams, emperors and senators had their favorites among the gladiators. Caligula in particular supported the Thracians and even killed the gladiator who defeated his favorite Thracian warrior. Another emperor, Domitian, had such contempt for the Thracians that he once threw one of the spectators to be torn to pieces by dogs. What did this poor guy do? He suggested that a Thracian would most likely win a gladiator fight.

For centuries, stories about gladiatorial battles have aroused people's admiration. And it is not surprising, because these fearless wars fought for the right to live. For the most colorful presentation, the mighty warriors were divided into types and each of them was used in various battles and was armed in his own way.

Bestiaries They never fought with gladiators of other classes, they fought with exotic animals. Various dangerous animals were brought especially for fighting. Bestiaries were divided into two types. "Damnatio ad bestias" - handed over to the beasts. These included lower-class citizens scheduled for execution. And this fight was more like a simple baiting by animals. The second type was called "venatio", which translates as hunter. The hunters were armed with a club, a spear or darts, and entered the arena with an almost naked body without any armor. Hunters also trained aggressive animals and often showed real performances to the audience, putting their hands and heads into the predator’s mouth.

They were distinguished by cold-bloodedness and courage in any hopeless situation. They entered the arena armed only with light spears against opponents with heavy weapons. With the help of an unexpected attack and masterly defense, the velites showed the most colorful and striking victories, gaining fame as cold-blooded fighters capable of the most effective actions during brutal battles in the arena.

Powerful and brave, they had the reputation of being the elite of the gladiator world. These formidable wars cut a person in half with one blow. They were distinguished by great pressure and endurance; often a seriously wounded hoplomakh, the winner, did not leave the battlefield for a long time, listening to the enthusiastic cries of the spectators. Powerful hoplomachus could fearlessly fight alone against several opponents. Hoplomachus came out armed with swords - gladiuses or heavy two-pronged axes, and used massive shields for protection. Worn on the head grand slam, decorated with horns or feathers.

belonged to the equestrian type of gladiators, they began the fight on horses and with long spears 2 - 2.5 meters, but they always ended the battle on foot with the help of swords. In the arena they wore a wide-brimmed helmet, as well as a medium-sized round shield made of leather. This species was considered lightly armed, since the weight of the uniform was no more than 12 kg. Equites always fought only with Equites and were not fielded against gladiators of other types.

fought in the arena without armor wearing a spectacular mask on their face. Possessing great agility and speed, they inflicted many cutting and stabbing wounds, exhausting their opponents with their inaccessibility. Armed with two thin and light swords, the Dimachers easily fought opponents with heavy weapons. There were cases when some Dimachers released by the emperor subsequently became excellent actors.

The main distinguishing ability Legniarii there was the ability, honed to perfection, to concentrate all his strength in one key blow. These skilled fighters rarely participated in fights to the death, but performed on the lists to show off an amazing spectacle. The main weapon was a staff or a whip, but sometimes they were armed with a long whip for a mortal duel with terrible animals. With one strong and clear blow of this whip, the legniarius easily broke the spine of a huge beast or his opponent.

armed themselves with shields and gladius swords and always acted in pairs, especially against strong opponents. They wore distinctive helmets on their heads, decorated with delightful crests with bright stripes. The ridges helped the fighters not to lose sight of each other in order to cover their comrade in time. Often, in the event of the death of his partner, the other fighter committed suicide without leaving the arena. Such fidelity was considered a confirmation of strong male friendship.

Retiarii are the oldest type of gladiator. Thanks to their great combat effectiveness, these trained warriors successfully resisted the heavily armed secutors and Thracians. At first, the retiarii went into battle equipped with a dagger, trident and net, later they were allowed to wear an impressive helmet and neck guards. But it was the net and the trident that remained the constant feature of these brave warriors. A net thrown by an experienced hand for some time entangled the opponent in heavy weapons, who, trying to disentangle himself, became an easy target for a huge trident.

armed with a huge shield and sword, dressed in heavy armor and a round-shaped helmet covering the face with two small slits for the eyes. Typically, gladiators of this type were fielded against retiarii. At the beginning of the battle, the retiarius retreated to a safe distance, and the secutor pursued him, trying not to get caught in the net or hit by the trident. Wearing heavy armor and weapons, these brave warriors quickly grew tired.

Thracians Thanks to their courage and boundless courage, they became a legend of gladiatorial battles. They went out to fight wearing a heavy helmet with sharpened horns, a sharp Thracian sword and a strong bronze shield. Such uniforms turned the fighter into a dangerous weapon against mounted and foot enemies. If they lost their sword, the Thracians immediately took off their helmet and used it as a weapon during close combat. Many eminent Thracians received the privilege of wearing a colorful staff during the appearance of all the gladiators before the start of the battles.

Sagittarius were mounted gladiators who were skilled with the bow. Swift sagittarians usually came out at the end of mass battles, killed the surviving fighters, and at the same time managed to fight against each other to the death. There were situations when these reckless brave men shot at the emperor’s box, in anticipation of killing the ruler who had taken their freedom. The attempts always ended in failure, but the memories of these exceptional feats gave the gladiators hope and one day culminated in the famous uprising of Spartacus.

were the most dangerous single gladiators of Rome, with their special sharpened shields and gladiuses, they inflicted cutting wounds on their opponents. Perfect mastery of any melee weapon, as well as good physical training allowed wars to strike their rivals in any position. The Sixsors also fought with mounted gladiators, they hit the horse and killed the riders with gladius, who were knocked down by their own horse.

They went out to fight only against provocateurs. They could themselves challenge an opponent to a fight in order to strengthen their position by defeating a more popular opponent, or to resolve conflicts between two gladiator schools that competed with each other. The provocateurs armed themselves in the clothes of Roman legionaries and carried a shield rectangular shape, cuirass and helmet.

Samnites like the retiarii, they were an early type of gladiator. These were prisoners of war from the Samnium region. Roman soldiers, having defeated the Samnites, forced them to participate in amusing battles, which later turned into gladiatorial battles. The Samnites wore military uniforms and fought with the assistance of a sword and a rectangular shield. Their enemies were captured soldiers from the territories defeated by Rome. Later, when Samnium became a province of the Roman Empire, the Samnites were no longer classified as a separate species and were joined with the Hoplomachus and Murmillons, who fought with similar weapons.

they almost didn’t put on armor and went out to fight with their torso exposed and without using a helmet, so that it could be seen that a woman was fighting. They were armed with light swords and small shields. Fights involving female gladiators were rare, and were accepted by the public as a novelty. Women competed with each other and, in rare cases, with dwarfs, which shocked the crowd. Women's gladiator fights were always accompanied by scandals and were soon banned.

Navmachiari were considered the gladiatorial elite and took part in naval battles. Due to the fact that not all arenas could be filled with water, such performances were very rare. The naumachiari came out armed with heavy spears, short swords and grappling hooks. In water battles, various historical battles were usually reconstructed, but the outcome of the battle did not always correspond to reality.

Rudiaria there were the most experienced warriors who earned freedom for their merits, but decided to remain in the gladiator craft. They received a wooden sword as a symbol of freedom. Rudiarii could become trainers, judges, or remain fighters. The public adored them, so every appearance of the rudiary promised a real show.

Pregenaries came out before the start of the competition to warm up the crowd. They fought with wooden swords without any armor.

Tertiaries– were put up to replace a previously announced gladiator, in cases where he could not come out. Also, sometimes there were three gladiators in the arena. The first two fought against each other, and the third fought the winner.

All these fearless wars certainly deserved respect and the legends about them will not die for a long time.

G Ladiatorial games arose from Etruscan funerary rites, which once included human sacrifice.

Over time, the ritual changed: those doomed to death were no longer killed immediately, but were forced to fight with swords in their hands near the grave, and thus the weak died, and the strong remained alive, causing the delight of those present. The Romans first saw this cruel spectacle in 264 BC e. at the Bull Market, where three pairs of gladiators fought at the funeral of Brutus Pere, organized by his sons. The spectacle seemed so unusual and remarkable to the Romans that the event was included in the annals of Rome.

The connection between gladiatorial games and funerals was never forgotten; they were called “funeral games.” Their official name is mumus (“duty”), the duty of the living towards the deceased.

In 105 BC. e. gladiatorial games are introduced into the number of public spectacles. From now on the state

entrusts his magistrates with the care of their organization. Gladiator games are becoming a favorite spectacle in Rome and throughout Italy, and this is quickly taken into account by those who want to advance. Caesar in 65 BC e. gave games in which 320 pairs of gladiators took part. His enemies were afraid: not only these armed fellows were scary; The scary thing was that luxurious games became a sure way to gain the favor of the people and secure votes in elections. In 63 BC. e. At the suggestion of Cicero, a law was passed prohibiting a candidate for magistrate from “giving gladiators” for two years before the election. No one, however, could prohibit a private person from “giving” them under the pretext of a funeral for his relative, especially if the latter bequeathed to his heir to organize games.

If the wounded gladiator remained alive, his fate was decided by the public. Depending on the opinion of the crowd, the winner had to finish off the one lying down or leave him alive if he deserved his life through valiant resistance. In the games held in Rome itself, the opinion of the emperor was decisive. The crowd "voted" using gestures that changed over time. Although it is traditionally accepted that a “raised finger” meant “Life”, and a lowered one meant “Death” (in this form, gestures are now used for approval and condemnation), on most ancient games Regardless of the direction, the protruding finger meant “death”, symbolizing the finishing sword movement, and “Life” simply meant a clenched fist. Shouts with wishes also played an important role.

Gladiatorial combat was banned in 400 AD when Christianity took over the Roman Empire.

Depending on the weapons and the specifics of their participation in fights, the following types of gladiators were distinguished:

Andabat (from the Greek word “άναβαται” - “raised, located on an eminence”) They were dressed in chain mail, like the eastern cavalry (cataphracts), and helmets with visors without slits for the eyes. The Andabats fought each other in much the same way as knights did in medieval jousting tournaments, but without being able to see each other.

Bestiary: Armed with a javelin or dagger, these fighters were originally not gladiators, but criminals (noxii), sentenced to fight with predatory animals, with a high probability of death for the condemned. Bestiaries later became highly trained gladiators, specializing in combat with a variety of exotic predators using javelins. The battles were organized in such a way that the animals had little chance of defeating the bestiary.

Bustuary: These gladiators fought in honor of the deceased in ritual games during funeral rites.

Dimacher (from the Greek “διμάχαιρος” - “carrying two daggers”). Two swords were used, one in each hand. They fought without a helmet and shield with two daggers. They were dressed in a short soft tunic, their arms and legs were bandaged with tight bandages, and sometimes they wore greaves.

Equitus ("horseman"): In early descriptions, these lightly armed gladiators were dressed in scale armor, carried a medium-sized round cavalry shield (parma equestris), a brimmed helmet, without a crest, but with two decorative tassels. During the Empire, they wore forearm armor (manika) on their right arm, a sleeveless tunic (which distinguished them from other gladiators who fought bare-chested), and a belt. The Equites began the battle on horseback, but after they threw their spear (hasta), they dismounted and continued the fight with a short sword (gladius). Typically, equites only fought other equites.

Gall: They were equipped with a spear, a helmet and a small Gallic shield.

Essedarius ("chariot fighter", from the Latin name for the Celtic chariot - "esseda"). They may have been first brought to Rome by Julius Caesar from Britain. Essedarii are mentioned in many descriptions starting from the 1st century AD. e. Since there are no depictions of the Essedarii, nothing is known about their weapons or fighting style.

Hoplomachus (from the Greek "οπλομάχος" - "armed fighter"): They wore a quilted, trouser-like leg garment, possibly made of canvas, a loincloth, a belt, greaves, forearm armor (manika) on the right arm, and a helmet with a brim and a stylized griffin on the crest, which could be decorated with a tassel of feathers at the top and single feathers on each side. They were armed with a gladius and a very small round shield made from a single sheet of thick bronze (examples from Popmpaea have survived). They were fielded in battles against the Mirmillons or Thracians. It is possible that the Hoplomachus descended from the earlier Samnites after it became "politically incorrect" to use the name of a people who had become friendly to the Romans.

Laquearius ("lasso fighter"): Laquearii may have been a type of retiarius that tried to catch their opponents with a lasso (laqueus) instead of a net.

Mirmillon: They wore a helmet with a stylized fish on the crest (from the Latin "mormylos" - "sea fish"), as well as forearm armor (manica), a loincloth and belt, a greave on the right leg, thick windings covering the top of the foot, and very short armor with a notch for padding on the top of the foot. The myrmillons were armed with a gladius (40-50 cm in length) and a large rectangular shield, like legionnaires. They were fielded in battles against the Thracians, Retiarii, and sometimes also against the Hoplomachus.

Pegniarius: They used a whip, a club and a shield, which was attached to the left hand with straps.

Provocateur (“applicant”): Their uniform could be different, depending on the nature of the games. They were depicted wearing a loincloth, a belt, a long greave on the left leg, a manika on the right hand, and a helmet with a visor, without brim or crest, but with feathers on each side. They were the only gladiators protected by a cuirass (cardiophylax), which was at first rectangular, then often rounded. The provocateurs were armed with a gladius and a large rectangular shield. They were exhibited in battles with the Samnites or other provocateurs.

Retiarius ("net fighter"): Appeared at the dawn of the Empire. They were armed with a trident, a dagger and a net. In addition to the loincloth supported wide belt(balteus) and large armor on the left shoulder joint, the retiarius did not have any clothing, including a helmet. Sometimes a metal shield (galerus) was used to protect the neck and lower part of the face. There were retiarii who played female roles in the arena (“retiarius tunicatus”), who differed from ordinary retiarii in that they were dressed in a tunic. The Retiarius usually fought the Secutors, but sometimes also the Myrmillons. .

Rudiarius: Gladiators who have earned their release (rewarded with a wooden sword called a rudis) but choose to remain gladiators. Not all rudiarii continued to fight in the arena; there was a special hierarchy among them: they could be trainers, assistants, judges, fighters, etc. Rudiarii fighters were very popular among the public, since they had vast experience and could be expected from them real show.

Sagittarius: Horse archers armed with a flexible bow that can fire an arrow over a long distance.

Samnites: The Samnites, an ancient type of heavily armed fighter that disappeared during the early Imperial period, referred to the origins of gladiatorial combat by their name. The historical Samnites were a powerful alliance of Italic tribes living in the Campania region south of Rome, against whom the Romans waged war from 326 to 291 BC. e. The Samnites' equipment included a large rectangular shield (scutum), a feathered helmet, a short sword, and possibly a greave on the left leg.

Secutor: This type of fighter was specifically designed for fights with retiarii. The secutors were a type of myrmillon and were equipped with similar armor and weapons, including a large rectangular shield and gladius. Their helmet, however, covered the entire face except for two eye holes, in order to protect the face from the sharp trident of their opponent. The helmet was almost round and smooth so that the retiarius' net could not catch on it.

Scissor (scissor, “one who cuts”, “cutting”) - a gladiator who was armed with a short sword (gladius) and instead of a shield had a cutting weapon that resembled scissors (essentially two small swords that had one handle) or, in another case, layout, dressed on left hand an iron hollow rod with a sharp horizontal tip. With this cutting weapon, the scissor delivered blows that resulted in minor wounds to the opponent, but the wounds bled a lot (several arteries were cut, which naturally caused fountains of blood). Otherwise, the scissor was similar to the secutor, except for additional protection right hand(from shoulder to elbow), which consisted of many iron plates fastened together with strong leather laces. The helmet and protective equipment of the secutors and scissors were the same

Tertiary (also called "Suppositicius" - "substitutes"): Some competitions involved three gladiators. First, the first two fought with each other, then the winner of this fight fought with the third, who was called the tertiary. Tertiaries also came in as replacements if the gladiator announced for the fight for one reason or another could not enter the arena.

Thracian: The Thracians were equipped with the same armor as the hoplomachus. They had a large helmet that covered the entire head and was decorated with a stylized griffin on the forehead or on the front of the crest (the griffin was a symbol of the goddess of retribution Nemesis), a small round or flattened shield (parmula), and two large greaves. Their weapon was a Thracian curved sword (sicca, about 34 cm long). They usually fought the Myrmillons or Hoplomachus.

Velite: Foot gladiators armed with a javelin with a cord attached to it for throwing. Named after units of the early Republican army.

Venator: They specialized in display hunting animals, without fighting them in close combat, like bestiaries. The Venators also performed tricks with animals: they put their hand in the mouth of a lion; rode a camel, holding lions on a leash nearby; forced an elephant to walk on a tightrope (Seneca Ep. 85.41). Strictly speaking, the Venators were not gladiators, but their performances were part of gladiator battles.

Pregenary: We performed at the beginning of the competition to “warm up” the crowd. They used wooden swords (rudis) and wrapped cloth around the body. Their fights took place to the accompaniment of cymbals, trumpets and water organs (hydraulis).

A popular theory about the origins of gladiatorial combat is that it came from Etruria. But historical documents, for example, frescoes, prove the opposite. Gladiator fight originally had a sacred ritual meaning, and originated in Campania. The custom is interpreted in different ways. Some historians believe that a ritual of killing an enemy was carried out over the coffin of a noble warrior in order to appease the gods. As a result of the dying out of the tradition, the ritual turned into fights between two captured rivals. The sword was called gladius, which is where the name of the participants in the battle subsequently came from.

A type of gladiator

Gladiators were divided into several types, each of which originally corresponded to one people that was hostile to Rome. The largest amount of information about retiarii. The retiarius was armed with a net tied to his wrist and a massive trident called a fuscina. In addition, the retiarius usually carried a dagger.

Another type of gladiator - the myrmillo - is almost the exact opposite of the retiarius. Armed with a heavy scutum shield and a gladius, the myrmillon was a formidable opponent. The Mirmillon's weapon, the gladius sword, was usually tied to the hand so as not to be dropped during battle. A warrior with a medium shield of monstrous weight, hoplomachus was armed with a short dagger. The shield not only acted as protection, but could also be used for attack, so there was no need for a large amount of weapons.

The next type of gladiator is the provocateur. His weapon was a sword with a straight blade, like a legionnaire's. Most often, gladiators of this type fought against each other, and in exceptional cases their opponent was a fighter of a different type.

The armament of the equites is interesting. Equitus is a lightly armed horseman. From the beginning of the battle, their weapons were spears with a tip in the form of a leaf. If an equitus was knocked out of the saddle or his spear broke, the battle continued with the help of a short sword.

Less known are such types of gladiators as the andabat (a warrior in a blank helmet without slits for the eyes), velite, sagittarius and samnite. A few historical sources report that Sagittarius fought powerful bow, consisting of several parts. Lakverariy was similar to retiariy, with the difference that instead of a net he had a lasso and a short spear.

Type of weapon

Despite the fairly diverse weapons of gladiators, the gladius sword remained the most famous. Its blade reached a length of 70 cm and a width of about 5 cm. The cutting and piercing effect of the blade was due to a longitudinal stiffening rib and a pronounced tip. After the beginning of the reign of Augustus, this type of sword was forgotten. It was replaced by the Mainz gladius, which was actively used until the middle of the 1st century AD. The massive sword weighed approximately 1.5 kg, and its length reached 70-75 cm. A later weapon was the Pompeian-style gladius. Lightweight with a length of 45 cm and edges located at 45 degrees.

Gladiator daggers had the form of a blade with a wide diamond-shaped blade. The handle was made of bone. The length of the dagger often reached 30 cm. Less information is available about thin daggers with a curved blade. Long and thin, they had a uniform bend along their entire length.

Just as common as the gladius was the gladiator's spear. The length of the weapon reached 2.3 m. Most often, the equites and venators (warriors who fought wild animals) used spears. Despite many finds of three-bladed spears, historians suggest that the top of the gladiator spear had a rounded leaf or lancet shape. The three-blade tip was most likely part of a broken retiarius trident.

Speaking about the weapons of gladiators, one cannot ignore training swords that have great importance and symbols of victory - rudis. Rudis was a symbol of victory and the only chance to save life. The bravest and strongest gladiators who earned the recognition of the crowd could be released by receiving a wooden sword. The liberated warriors were called rudiarii.

Despite numerous excavations, only the most common types of gladiator weapons have reached us.