Roman gladiators hold an almost mythological stance in the modern understanding of Ancient Rome. A brutal spectacle that endured thousands of years, the gladiatorial games were a complex cultural phenomenon that reflected the values, politics, and social dynamics of the Roman Empire.
Discover the world of history’s most renowned gladiators as we answer the most frequently asked questions about Roman gladiators. From the origin of the games and the architecture of the arenas to the rules of combat, here are 6 things you might not know about the gladiators of Ancient Rome.
Key Questions About the New 2024 Gladiator II Film
Ridley Scott is the director of Gladiator II.
Savagery in Sandals: The Gladiators of Ancient Rome
Through the writings of classical historians, poets, and commentators, Savagery in Sandals sheds a light on the world of the gladiatorial games and the lives of Ancient Rome’s most renowned gladiators.
Established in the birth of the Roman Empire, the gladiator holds an almost mythological stance in the modern understanding of Ancient Rome. In a world where life and death often hung in the balance, the games reflect the savage values, politics, and social dynamics of the period.
Who were the Roman Gladiators: 6 Key Questions Answered
FAQs about the Gladiators of Ancient Rome
Who were the Roman gladiators?
There were thousands of gladiators throughout the centuries of the games, some of the most famous including:
- Columbus, a mamilla during Caligula’s reign, was vanquished by Thrax and, when recovering, the emperor poisoned his wound.
- Columbus, another gladiator, lived under Nero.
- Columbus was also the name of a gladiator who was overcome by Spiculus.
- Proculus also sided with Caligula but was later executed by him. His name appears in the gladiatorial armoury of Pompeii.
- Spiculus, who lived during Nero’s reign, became a favourite of the emperor and was later executed by Galba. His name appears on the walls of Pompeii.
- Tetraites, vanquisher of Prudes, was represented on the beaker of Trimalchius.
- Prudes, or Prudens, was a gladiator vanquished by Tretraites.
- Hermes, mentioned on the walls of Pompeii, lived in the time of Nero.
- Hermas, another gladiator, was mentioned many times by Martial.
- Crescens lived at the beginning of the 2nd century A.D.
- Petratites is assumed, but with question, to be identical to Tetraites.
- Merops, Hermes, Prudes, and Columbus were vanquished by Gamus, Calamis, Tetraites, and Spiculus.
- Of the less famous champions, Lerax, Olympie, Antiloce, Crescens, Pyramus, Holes, Cucumbus, and Aemilius are mentioned.
Were gladiators slaves?
Gladiators consisted either of captives, slaves and condemned malefactors or of free-born citizens who fought voluntarily. Of those condemned, some were said to be condemned ad gladium, in which case they were obliged to be killed within a year, and others ad ludum, who might obtain their discharge at the end of the three years.
Freemen who became gladiators for hire were called auctorati. Even under the republic, free-born citizens fought as gladiators, but they appear to have belonged only to the lower orders.
They were all considered outcasts and not significant enough to be remembered in written history. Although there’s a lack of written accounts concerning the lives and careers of gladiators, historians have been able to piece fragments of information together from other sources. Roman graffiti discovered in ancient sites such as Pompeii was crucial in understanding gladiator culture. It offered unique insights into their lives, relationships, and the public’s perception of them. These graffiti works often featured names, slogans, and drawings, highlighting the fame and admiration some gladiators achieved despite their status. Archaeological findings, such as gladiatorial equipment, amphitheatre remains, and funerary inscriptions, have also provided evidence of the role gladiators played in Roman society.
Can gladiators be women?
Throughout the centuries, well-born women were allowed to fight alongside dwarfs and children—battles that proved immensely popular among spectators. One of the most famous was the gladiatrix. It was not until 200 AD that female contestants were banned from competing.
When did the Roman gladiators start fighting?
Gladiators were first exhibited in Rome in 264 BC, in the Forum Boarium, by Marcus and Decimus Brutus at the funeral of their father. They were the first confined to public funerals, but afterwards, they fought at the funerals of most persons of consequence and even at those of women.
How did Roman gladiators train?
They were trained on a regular system in barracks or ‘schools’ (ludi), of which the earliest and (up to the close of the Republican period) the most important were at Capua.
During the Empire, training schools were maintained at public expense and under the direction of state officials. The purpose of all the schools, public and private, was the same: to make the men to be as effective fighting machines as possible.
The gladiators were in charge of competent training masters (lanistae); they were subject to the strictest discipline; their diet was carefully looked after, a particular food (sagīna gladiātōria) being provided for them; regular gymnastic exercises were prescribed, and lessons given in the use of the various weapons by recognised experts (magistrī, doctōrēs). In their fencing bouts, wooden swords (rudēs) were used. The gladiators associated with a school were collectively called a familia.
Where did the Roman gladiators fight?
Roman gladiators fought in amphitheatres, the largest and most splendid of which was the Colosseum in Rome, while others were built in Pompeii and Verona.
Combats of gladiators were also exhibited at entertainments, and especially at public festivals by the aediles and other magistrates, who sometimes exhibited immense numbers with a view of pleasing the people.
“In the morning, it was the custom to exist rare beasts, such as antelopes and giraffes, in the area; then came fights between animals of different species… Sometimes, the proceedings were varied by pitting wild animals against their tamers… The gladiatorial combats took place in the afternoon.”
The games continued for five centuries until their decline in the third century. Differences in religious beliefs, continuous wars, and stresses on the empire waned their popularity. The last recorded gladiator fight in the Colosseum was in 435 AD, yet the amphitheatre was still used for hunting for nearly a century after.
Savagery in Sandals: The Gladiators of Ancient Rome
This collection encompasses the long history of the Roman Empire and features writings from classical scholars of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Savagery in Sandals presents a new perspective on the gladiators of Ancient Rome, from their struggles and triumphs to the enduring legacy of their ruthless profession.
