Gladiator wars in the ancient world. Gladiators of Rome - the history of Roman fighters and the names of the best

Stories of gladiatorial combat have enthralled people for millennia. 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 the fights became more popular, the crowd craved more spectacle. From now on, the sword and shield were not enough. The following are ten types of gladiators who used a wide variety of weapons in battles.

1. Bestiaries

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

There were two types of bestiaries: "damnatio ad bestias" (literally from Latin "tradition to beasts"; given to wild animals to be torn to pieces) and "venatio" ("hunters"). The first type were those who were sentenced to death. They were not considered gladiators and were, as a rule, representatives lower class in Ancient Rome. Their death was the entertainment of the crowd. Sometimes one wild animal at a time could kill several hundred people.

"Hunters" trained and hunted animals. It was an integral part of their performances. We know very little about "venatio" because 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 with his bare hands in the arena of the Circus Maximus. Karpophorus also trained animals to kill, hunt, and even rape humans.

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

2. Noxia

The Noxii were the lowest class in Roman society. They weren't even considered human. They included Christians, Jews, deserters, murderers and traitors. Noxius was not taken to the school of gladiators, and their appearance in the arenas, where they died in the most terrible ways, was, in a way, a punishment for the crimes committed. Noxii 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 instructed by the mob; the third - they acted as a target for which real gladiators hunted. The Noxii were typically loincloth-clad and unarmored. Their weapons were a simple gladius (short sword) or a stick. The Romans took pleasure in killing 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 unequivocal: the more strength and armor, the better. That is why the retiarii were originally treated as the lowest type of gladiators. 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- small blade The retiarii trained separately from the gladiators, who had swords and shields. They were considered effeminate and often ridiculed. The satirist and poet Decimus Junius Juvenal told the story of the petty aristocrat Gracchus, who not only caused general disfavor by becoming a gladiator, but also disgraced society by fighting as a retiarius. However, after a few centuries, the retiarii gained grace and became one of the main ones in the arena.

4. Secutors

The gladiators, who were of the secutor type, had to pursue and defeat the retiarii. The 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 get 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. The 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 Flamm, he was from Syria and fought in the arena in clothes characteristic 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 each time he refused.

5. Equities

Equites were similar to the Roman cavalry, but they should not be confused. Roman cavalrymen were mainly represented by small aristocrats who held good positions in the senate and could even become emperors. In turn, the equites were renowned organizers of public spectacles. Performances in the Colosseum usually began with fights by equites to enliven the crowd with the agility and speed that these gladiators displayed. 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, fought only with provocateurs. The reason was that they did not choose an opponent for them - they themselves challenged him to a fight. They fought to settle feuds between rival gladiatorial schools, or to increase their status by defeating a well-known rival. Each provocateur was armed like a Roman legionnaire: he had a rectangular shield, breastplate and helmet.

7. Women gladiators

Female gladiators tended to wear very little armor and were almost always bare-chested. In most cases, they did not even wear a helmet, so that everyone would know that a woman was 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 in order to cause indignation and shock among the crowd. In some cases, women who had a high status in society could take part in gladiator fights. Their appearance in the arena was accompanied by loud scandals. Ultimately, female gladiator fighting was banned in 200 AD.

8. Gallus / Murmillo

The Gauls were one of the first gladiators who descended from the Gallic tribe that lived in Central and Western Europe. Most of them were prisoners who were forced to enter the arena to fight. The Gauls were well armed and looked like typical gladiators: they had a long sword, a shield and a helmet, but they wore traditional Gaulish clothes. 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 attributed to another type of gladiators, who were called murmillos. Murmillons still used a heavy sword and shield, but dressed like Roman soldiers and fought other murmillons, gladiators from enemy regions, and retiarii.

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

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 the region of Samnium (southern Italy) was considered their homeland. After the Romans defeated the Samnites, they forced them to participate in derisive ceremonial fights, which later turned into gladiator 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 at war with Rome.

When Samnium became one of the provinces of the Roman Empire, the Samnites ceased to be a separate category. They joined the hoplomaches or murmillons, who wore the same clothes 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 Southeastern Europe. He rebelled against his enslavers, who forced him to fight in the gladiatorial arena. Ultimately, Spartacus was defeated, but the legend of him 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 the Gauls and the Samnites.

Just as we support various sports teams today, emperors and senators had their favorites among the gladiators. Caligula, in particular, supported the Thracians and even killed a gladiator who defeated his beloved 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 fellow do? He suggested that the Thracian would most likely win the gladiator fight.

Reference:

Classification of gladiators

Andabat (from Greek word « άναβαται "-" raised, located on a hill") They were dressed in chain mail, like the eastern cavalry (cataphracts), and helmets with visors without slits for the eyes. Andabats fought each other in much the same way as knights in medieval jousting tournaments, but without the ability to see each other.
Bestiary: Armed with a dart or dagger, these fighters were originally not gladiators, but criminals ( noxia), sentenced to battle with predatory animals, with a high probability of death of the sentenced. Later, the bestiaries became well-trained gladiators, specializing in combat with various exotic predators with the help of darts. The battles were organized in such a way that the beasts had little chance of defeating the bestiary.
Bustuary: These gladiators fought in honor of the deceased at ritual games during the funeral rite.
Dimacher (from the Greek " διμάχαιρος - "carrying two daggers"). Two swords were used, one in each hand. They fought without a helmet and shield. They were dressed in a short soft tunic, their arms and legs were bandaged with tight bandages, sometimes they wore leggings.
Equit ("horseman"): AT early descriptions these lightly armed gladiators were dressed in scaly armor, wore a medium-sized round cavalry shield, a helmet with a brim, without a crest, but with two decorative tassels. During the Empire, they wore forearm armor ( maniku) on the right arm, a sleeveless tunic (which distinguished them from other gladiators who fought bare-chested), and a belt. Equites started the fight on horseback, but after they threw their spear (hasta), they dismounted and continued to fight with a short sword (gladius). Equits usually only fought other Equits.
Gaul: Were equipped with a spear, a helmet, and a small Gallic shield.
Essedarius ("chariot fighter", from the Latin name for the Celtic chariot - "esseda") . Perhaps they were first brought to Rome by Julius Caesar from Britain. Essedaria are mentioned in many descriptions from the 1st century AD. e. Since there are no images of the Essedarii, nothing is known about their weapons and fighting style.
Hoplomachus (from the Greek " οπλομάχος "-" armed fighter"): They were dressed in a padded, trouser-like leg garment, possibly made of canvas, a loincloth, belt, greaves, forearm armor (maniku) on the right arm, and a brimmed helmet with 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 large legionary shield made from a single sheet of thick bronze (sample from Pompeii have been preserved). They were put up for fights against the Murmillons or the Thracians. It is possible that the Goplomakhs descended from the earlier Samnites after it became “politically incorrect” to use the name of a people who had become friendly to the Romans.
Lakveary ("lasso fighter"): Lakwearii could be a species retiarii, who tried to catch their rivals with a lasso instead of a net.
Murmillon: They wore a helmet with a stylized fish on the crest (from the Latin " murmillos» - « sea fish”), as well as armor for the forearm ( maniku), loincloth and belt, leggings on right leg, thick windings covering the top of the foot, and very short armor with a recess for stuffing at the top of the foot. The Murmillo were armed with a gladius (40-50 cm long) and a large rectangular shield of the Roman legionnaires. They were put up for battle against the Thracians, Retiarii, sometimes also against the hoplomachi.
Pegniarius: They used a whip, a club and a shield, which was attached to the left arm with straps.
Provocateur ("applicant"): Their outfit 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 maniku on the right arm, and a helmet with a visor, without brim and crest, but with feathers on each side. They were the only gladiators protected by a cuirass, which was at first rectangular, then often rounded. The provocateurs were armed with a gladius and a large rectangular shield. Exhibited for 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. Except for a loincloth supported by a wide belt and a large armor on the left shoulder joint, the retiarius did not have any clothes, including a helmet. Sometimes a metal shield was used to protect the neck and lower face. There were retiarii who played female roles in the arena, which differed from ordinary retiarii in that they were dressed in a tunic. The Retiarii usually fought the Secutors, but sometimes also the Murmillos.
Rudiarium: Gladiators who deserve liberation (rewarded with a wooden sword called rudis), but decided 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, as they had vast experience and one could expect real show.
Sagittarius: Mounted archers armed with a flexible bow capable of launching an arrow over a long distance.
Samnite: Samnites, an ancient type of heavily armed fighters that disappeared in the early imperial period, indicated by their name the origin of gladiator fights. The historical Samnites were an influential group of Italic tribes living in the Campania region south of Rome, against whom the Romans fought wars from 326 to 291 BC. e. The Samnites' equipment was a large rectangular shield, a feathered helmet, a short sword, and possibly a greave on the left leg.
Secutor: This type of fighter was specially designed for fights with retiarii. Secutors were a type of murmillon and were equipped with similar armor and weapons, including a medium oval shield and a gladius. Their helmet, however, covered the entire face, except for two holes for the eyes, in order to protect the face from the sharp trident of their rival. The helmet was practically round and smooth, so that the net of the retiarius could not catch on it.
Skissor ("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 scenario, put on left hand iron hollow rod with a sharp horizontal tip. With this cutting weapon, the scissor delivered blows that led to minor wounds of the opponent, but the wounds bled very much (several arteries were cut, which, of course, caused fountains of blood). Otherwise, the skissor was similar to a secutor, except for the additional protection of the right arm (from the shoulder to the elbow), which consisted of many iron plates fastened together with strong leather laces. The helmet and protective ammunition of the secutors and skissors were the same.
Tertiary (also called " Suppositicius"-" substituting"): Three gladiators participated in some competitions. First, the first two fought each other, then the winner of this fight fought with the third, who was called the tertiary. Tertiarii also came to replace if the gladiator declared for the fight, for one reason or another, could not enter the arena.
Thracian: The Thracians were equipped with the same armor as the hoplomakhs. They had a large helmet covering the entire head and 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, and two large greaves. Their weapon was a Thracian curved sword (sicca, about 34 cm long). They usually fought murmillons or hoplomaches.

Venator: Specialized in show hunting for animals, not fighting them in close combat, as bestiaries. Venators also performed tricks with animals: they put their hand in the mouth of a lion; rode on a camel, keeping a lion on a leash nearby; made the elephant walk on a tightrope. Strictly speaking, the venators were not gladiators, but their performances were part of the gladiator fights.
Pregenary: Performed at the beginning of the competition to "warm up" the crowd. They used wooden swords and wrapped cloth around the body. Their fights took place to the accompaniment of cymbals, pipes and water organs.

Surviving arenas

Gladiators (lat. gladiatores, from gladius, “sword”) - among the ancient Romans, the name of the fighters who fought each other in competitions in the arena of the amphitheater. Of all the games that satisfied the passion for spectacles of the Roman people, gladiator fights (munera gladiatoria) enjoyed the greatest favor of all classes. Gladiator competitions have their origins in the Etruscan funeral games, which replaced human sacrifices that were once performed in memory of the dead. As a result, gladiator fights were held among the ancient Romans initially only at funeral feasts (ad rogum); the first mention of them refers to 264 BC Chr. Over time, however, these games lost the meaning of sacrifices to the dead and turned into a simple entertainment for the cruel and proud of their freedom of the Roman people, who enjoyed the sight of gladiators fighting to death. At the same time, they began to be seen as an excellent means of maintaining a warlike spirit among the people.

This custom took on such a character in the last days of the republic. In this era, the aediles, as well as others officials, especially when they took office, they began to organize gladiatorial games on the occasion of a wide variety of events, and for this purpose special amphitheaters with an open arena were even built. The number of pairs of fighting gladiators gradually increased. Julius Caesar, in office aedile(65 BC) exhibited 320 pairs of gladiators.

gladiators. Blood sport of the Colosseum. video film

The ancient Roman emperors alternately restricted gladiatorial games or encouraged them to the point of madness. Augustus allowed the praetors to give gladiator fights no more than twice a year, and, moreover, with the condition that no more than 60 couples participate in each of them. At the games arranged by him, according to his own testimony, in general, no less than 10 thousand people fought. Augustus' prohibition was soon forgotten. Trajan is said to have given for 123 days various games, on which 10 thousand gladiators fought, and the emperor Commodus was not so proud of anything as the glory of a skilled gladiator who performed hundreds of times in the arena. Soon, however, gladiatorial games found access to other major cities of the Roman Empire. Yes, according to the story Josephus Flavius, Herod Agrippa I, at the opening of the amphitheater in Caesarea, put up 700 gladiators in one day. Even in Athens and Corinth, these games met with a sympathetic reception, and in later times there was hardly a significant city in Italy or in the provinces that did not have its own amphitheater for gladiatorial games.

Duel of gladiators retiarius and myrmillo. Modern reconstruction

Gladiators were recruited for the most part from prisoners of war, who were brought in masses in ancient Rome by numerous wars. Many slaves were awarded to compete in the arena as a form of punishment. There were also many among the gladiators and free citizens, desperate and impoverished people who had no other means to support themselves. Gladiators who managed to emerge victorious from the competition not only acquired loud fame and were immortalized in works of poetry and art, but also received a significant payment (auctoramentum) for each performance, so that they could hope to spend the rest of their lives in wealthy people. These free gladiators were called auctorati and had to take an oath that they would allow themselves to be "cut with rods, burn with fire and kill with iron."

Fight of gladiators retiarius and secutor

During the Roman Empire, imperial schools for gladiators (ludi gladiatorii) were established, one of which was found in Pompeii. Here, the gladiators were kept in the strictest discipline and severely punished for the slightest misconduct, but they were treated with great care for their bodily well-being. Gladiators practiced their art under the guidance of a fencing teacher (lanists). Beginners used a special rapier (rudis), which was also given to a well-deserved gladiator (rudiarius) after a successful fight, as a sign of complete liberation from the gladiatorial service.

By armament, the gladiators of Ancient Rome were divided into several genera. The so-called Samnites(samnites), who wore an oblong shield, a strong sleeve on the right arm, a cuisse on the left leg, a strong belt, a helmet with a visor and crest, and a short sword. Retiarii(retiarii - "fighters with a net"), whose main weapon was the net (rete), went out almost without clothes; they were protected only by a wide belt and a leather or metal armlet on their left arm. In addition, they were armed with a trident (fuscina) and a dagger. Their art was to throw a net over the head of the enemy, and then stab him with a trident. Their opponents were usually gladiators. secutors(secutores - "pursuers"), armed with a helmet, shield and sword. In addition to secutors, they often also fought with retiarii. myrmillons(myrmillones), armed according to the Gallic model with a helmet, shield and sword. A special kind of gladiators were the Thracians (thraces), armed in Thracian, with a small, usually round shield(parma) and short curved sword (sica). Also often mentioned essedaria(essedarii), who fought on a war chariot (esseda) drawn by a pair of horses, while the gladiators andabata(andabatae) fought on horseback, wearing helmets, with a visor without holes for the eyes, and armed with a round shield and a spear (spiculum), rushed at each other, seeing nothing.

Armament of a Thracian gladiator. Modern reconstruction

The one who organized gladiatorial games was called editor muneris or munerarius. He appointed in advance the day of the games and published their program (libellus). These libelli, which gave the number of gladiators and listed by name the most prominent of them, were diligently distributed; often bets were also made on the expected victory of one fighter or the other. At the beginning of the performance, the gladiators passed in a solemn procession through the arena, greeting the Roman emperor of the mentioned Suetonius the phrase: “Ave, Imperator (Caesar), morituri te salutant” (“Glory to you, emperor, those who are going to death greet you!” Suetonius, “Vita Claudii”, 21).

Arranged then in pairs, the gladiators began an exemplary battle (prolusio) with blunt weapons, often to music. But now the trumpet gave a signal for a serious fight, and the gladiators rushed at each other with sharp weapons. Pipes and flutes drowned out the groans of the wounded and dying. Those who retreated were driven into battle with whips and red-hot irons. If the gladiator received a wound, then they shouted: "Habet". But usually they did not pay attention to the wounds, and the battle continued until one of the fighters was left with strength. Then he lowered his weapon and, raising forefinger pleaded with the people for compassion and mercy. The fulfillment of a request (missio), which in later times was usually granted to the emperor, was announced by waving handkerchiefs, and probably also by raising a finger, while turning the thumb required death blow. The ancient Roman people showed concern for the brave fighters, but cowardice aroused rage in him. Fallen gladiators were dragged with special hooks through the Porta Libitinensis ("gate of death") to the so-called spolarium(spolarium) and here they finished off those who still had signs of life.

"Fingers down". Painting by J. L. Gerome on the theme of gladiator fights

In Italy, Campania was the birthplace of the gladiatorial schools mentioned above, and the huge mass of slaves who gathered to study in these schools repeatedly created a serious danger for Ancient Rome with their uprisings (see Spartacus Revolt) . In the internecine wars of Otho with Vitellius, gladiators served in the troops and rendered great services in hand-to-hand combat. Christianity, although it rebelled against gladiatorial games, but long time was unable to eradicate in ancient Rome addiction to these spectacles. They finally stopped, apparently, only in the reign Honoria (404).

Artistic depictions of gladiator fights are not uncommon. Importance has a large bas-relief found in Pompeii representing various scenes from ancient Roman gladiatorial battles. Images of similar battle scenes have been preserved on a mosaic floor found in Nennig (in the district of Trier, Germany).

Gladiator

In the event that 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 lying one or leave him alive if he deserved life by valiant resistance. In the games held in Rome itself, the opinion of the emperor was decisive. The crowd "voted" with gestures that changed over time.

Although it is widely believed that the “raised finger" meant "Life", and the lowered finger meant "Death" (in this form, gestures are now used for approval and condemnation), in most ancient games, regardless of the direction, the protruding finger meant "death", symbolizing the movement finishing sword, and "Life" simply meant a hidden thumb into a fist. Not the last role was played by cries with wishes.

Also, many researchers come to the conclusion that the emperor, pointing to death, did not put his finger down, but put it to the side and, bending his arm, touched their neck. The fact is that the victorious gladiator lowered the prostrate to his knees and, in the event of a death sentence, plunged the blade deep vertically down into the neck, behind the collarbone, piercing the heart. Thus, the emperor literally indicated where to strike.

Classification of fights

Gladiator naval battles were called naumachia.

Classification of gladiators

Andabat (from the Greek word " άναβαται "-" raised, located on a hill") They were dressed in chain mail, like the eastern cavalry (cataphracts), and helmets with visors without slits for the eyes. Andabats fought each other in much the same way as knights in medieval jousting, but without being able to see each other.
Bestiary: Armed with a dart or dagger, these fighters were originally not gladiators, but criminals ( noxia), sentenced to battle with predatory animals, with a high probability of death of the sentenced. Later, bestiaries became well-trained gladiators, specializing in combat with various exotic predators using darts. The battles were organized in such a way that the beasts had little chance of defeating the bestiary.
Bustuary: These gladiators fought in honor of the deceased at ritual games during the funeral rite.
Dimacher (from the Greek " διμάχαιρος - "carrying two daggers"). Two swords were used, one in each hand. They fought without a helmet and shield. They were dressed in a short soft tunic, their arms and legs were bandaged with tight bandages, sometimes they wore leggings.
Equit ("horseman"): In early descriptions, these lightly armed gladiators were dressed in scaly armor, wearing a medium-sized round cavalry shield ( parma equestris), a helmet with fields, without a crest, but with two decorative tassels. During the Empire, they wore forearm armor ( maniku) on the right arm, a sleeveless tunic (which distinguished them from other gladiators who fought bare-chested), and a belt. Equites started the fight on horseback, but after they threw their spear ( hastu), they dismounted and continued to fight with a short sword ( gladius). Equits usually only fought other Equits.
Gaul: Were equipped with a spear, a helmet, and a small Gallic shield.
Essedarius ("chariot fighter", from the Latin name for the Celtic chariot - "esseda") . Perhaps they were first brought to Rome by Julius Caesar from Britain. Essedaria are mentioned in many descriptions from the 1st century AD. e. Since there are no images of the Essedarii, nothing is known about their weapons and fighting style.
Hoplomachus (from the Greek " οπλομάχος "-" armed fighter"): They were dressed in quilted, trouser-like clothing for the legs, possibly made of canvas, loincloth, belt, greaves, armor for the forearm ( maniku) on the right arm, and a brimmed helmet with 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 large legionary shield made from a single sheet of thick bronze (sample from Pompeii have been preserved). They were put up for fights against the Murmillons or the Thracians. Perhaps the goplomakhs descended from earlier Samnites after it became "politically incorrect" to use the name of the people who became friendly to the Romans.
Lakveary ("lasso fighter"): Lakwearii could be a species retiarii, who tried to catch their rivals with a lasso ( laqueus) instead of a network.
Murmillon: They wore a helmet with a stylized fish on the crest (from the Latin " murmillos"-" sea fish"), as well as armor for the forearm ( maniku), a loincloth and belt, leggings on the right leg, thick windings covering the top of the foot, and very short armor with a notch for stuffing at the top of the foot. Murmillons were armed with a gladius (40-50 cm long) and a medium-sized oval shield. They were put up for battle against Thracians, retiarii, sometimes also against goplomakhov.
Pegniarius: They used a whip, a club and a shield, which was attached to the left arm with straps.
Provocateur ("applicant"): Their outfit 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 maniku on the right arm, and a helmet with a visor, without brim and 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. Exhibited for battles with 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 by a wide belt ( balteus) and a large armor on the left shoulder joint, the retiarius had no clothes, including a helmet. Sometimes a metal shield was used to protect the neck and lower face ( galerus). There were retiarii who played female roles in the arena ( "retiarius tunicatus"), which differed from ordinary retiarii in that they were dressed in a tunic. Retiarii usually fought with secutors, but sometimes with murmillos. .
Rudiarium: Gladiators who deserve liberation (rewarded with a wooden sword called rudis), but decided 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, as they had vast experience and one could expect real show.
Sagittarius: Mounted archers armed with a flexible bow capable of launching an arrow over a long distance.
Samnite: Samnites, an ancient type of heavily armed fighters that disappeared in the early imperial period, indicated by their name the origin of gladiator fights. The historical Samnites were an influential group of Italic tribes living in the Campania region south of Rome, against whom the Romans fought wars from 326 to 291 BC. e. The equipment of the Samnites was 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 specially designed for fights with retiarii. Secutors were a variety murmillons and were equipped with similar armor and weapons, including a medium oval shield and a gladius. Their helmet, however, covered the entire face, except for two holes for the eyes, in order to protect the face from the sharp trident of their rival. The helmet was practically round and smooth, so that the net retiarius couldn't get a hold of him.
Skissor ("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 a different scenario, put on an iron hollow rod with a sharp horizontal tip on his left hand. With this cutting weapon, the scissor delivered blows that led to minor wounds of the opponent, but the wounds bled very much (several arteries were cut, which, of course, caused fountains of blood). Otherwise, the skissor was similar to a secutor, except for the additional protection of the right arm (from the shoulder to the elbow), which consisted of many iron plates fastened together with strong leather laces. The helmet and protective ammunition for secutors and skissors were the same:
Tertiary (also called " Suppositicius"-" substituting"): Three gladiators participated in some competitions. First, the first two fought each other, then the winner of this fight fought with the third, who was called the tertiary. Tertiarii also came to replace if the gladiator declared for the fight, for one reason or another, could not enter the arena.
Thracian: Thracians equipped with the same armor as goplomakhs. They had a large helmet covering the entire head and 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 murmillos or goplomakhs.

Venator: Specialized in show hunting for animals, not fighting them in close combat, as bestiaries. Venators also performed tricks with animals: they put their hand in the mouth of a lion; rode on a camel, keeping a lion on a leash nearby; made an elephant walk on a tightrope (Seneca Ep. 85.41). Strictly speaking, the venators were not gladiators, but their performances were part of the gladiator fights.
Pregenary: Performed at the beginning of the competition to "warm up" the crowd. They used wooden swords ( rudis) and wrapped the body with a cloth. Their fights took place to the accompaniment of cymbals, pipes and water organs ( hydraulis).

Surviving arenas

The amphitheater of Mark Antony Gordian in Thysdre (El Jem, Tunisia) is the second largest amphitheater after the Colosseum;
Arena di Verona - now turned into an opera stage under open sky, one of the symbols of Verona;
Pula amphitheater in Croatia. According to some reports, this amphitheater is one of the best preserved to this day after the Colosseum.
The amphitheater in Pompeii is the oldest known amphitheater.

Also preserved arenas of gladiator fights in various cities of Italy and on the territory of many Mediterranean countries.

Notable gladiators

Gladiator fights in other countries

The Aztecs fought battles in which the intended victim fought off with the help of imaginary weapons from four warriors armed with real weapons, who fought as if the intended victim was really armed ( Source: G. G. Ershova " ancient america: flight in time and space").

Gladiators in cinema

"Androcles and the Lion" - a film directed by Chester Erskine and Nicholas Ray (USA, 1952).
"Spartacus" - a film directed by Riccardo Freda (Italy, 1953).
"Demetrius and the Gladiators" - a film directed by Delmer Daves (USA, 1954).
"The Last Days of Pompeii" - a film directed by Sergio Corbucci and Sergio Leone (Italy, 1959).
"Spartacus" - a film directed by Stanley Kubrick (USA, 1960).
"The Robber Barabbas" - a film directed by Richard Fleischer (USA, Italy, 1961).
"Son of Spartacus" - a film directed by Sergio Corbucci (Italy, 1962).
"The Fall of the Roman Empire" - a film directed by Anthony Mann (USA, 1964).
"Two Gladiators" - a film directed by Mario Cayano (Italy, 1964).
"Spartacus and 10 Gladiators" - a film directed by Nick Nostro (Italy, 1964).
"The Triumph of Ten Gladiators" - a film directed by Nick Nostro (Italy, 1965).
"The Last Days of Pompeii" - a series directed by Peter R. Hunt (UK, USA, Italy, 1984).
"Gladiator" - a feature film directed by Ridley Scott (USA, 2000).
The Last Gladiator is a feature film directed by Yorgo Papavasilia (Germany, 2003).
"Spartacus" - a film directed by Robert Dornhelm (USA, 2004).
"Empire" - a series directed by John Gray, Kim Manners, Greg Yaitans (USA, 2005).

The word "gladiator" comes from the Latin "gladius", i.e. "sword". In ancient Rome, gladiators were called prisoners of war and slaves who were specially trained for armed combat with each other in the arenas of amphitheatres. The gladiators of Rome wrestled in public until one of them dropped dead. Fights were originally arranged on the days of the biggest religious holidays, and then turned into the most popular spectacle, aimed at amusing ordinary citizens. The tradition of such battles has been preserved for more than 700 years.

History of appearance

The custom of holding such battles came to Ancient Rome from the Etruscans, in whom such battles were purely religious in nature, and the dead were considered a sacrifice to the god of war Mars.

Prisoners of war and those sentenced to death - that's who the gladiators are at the very beginning of the birth of this phenomenon. According to Roman law, they had the right to take part in battles, and if they won, they could ransom their lives with the money they won. There were also cases when citizens, having given up their freedom, decided to take part in such battles in pursuit of national glory and money.

First fights

The debut battle of gladiators in ancient Rome is considered to be a duel of three pairs of participants, which was arranged in 264 BC. e. during the wake for Brutus Perry. Such fun became popular 50 years later, when 22 pairs of bestiaries delighted residents for 3 days at funeral games organized in honor of the triumvir Marcus Aemilius Lepidus. In 105 BC. e. already every child knew who the gladiators were, thanks to the tireless attempts of the tribunes, aimed at amusing the Roman mob, which by this time had already been practically formed as a social layer. Gladiator fights were officially recognized as public fun.

Soon tournaments that lasted for several days, in which many gladiators took part, were no longer a novelty. There were people for whom such battles became a craft, they were called Lanists. The essence of their activity was that they visited slave markets, where they found physically strong slaves, preferably prisoners of war or even criminals. Having acquired such a slave, they taught him all the features of the battles necessary during the battle in the arena, and then rented it out to the organizers of the spectacles.

Preparing for battles

During their studies, the gladiators were carefully looked after, well fed, and the most trained doctors were engaged in their treatment.

This can be confirmed by the fact that the famous ancient Roman physician Galen long time worked at the Great Imperial School, where they studied. The fighters slept in pairs in small rooms measuring 4-6 square meters. m.

They engaged in intense daily workouts that lasted from morning to evening. Already established gladiators of Rome took part in the training of beginners, who taught their pupils fencing. On the initial stage training, the beginner had to learn how to make strong accurate blows to the chest and head of the opponent, without neglecting his defense. To strengthen the muscles at the next stage, the iron weapon of the gladiator was already used, the weight of which was specially twice that of military weapons.

When a beginner comprehended all the basics martial art and was ready for real battles, he, depending on his skills and physical fitness, was assigned to the appropriate group.

Reward

They became gladiators not only because of pressure from the slave owner, but also absolutely voluntarily, wanting to gain fame and wealth. Despite all the shortcomings of such a profession, a simple but strong man, being a representative of the lower class, had a real chance to get rich.

Although the likelihood of dying on the sand of the arena, covered in blood, was much higher, many took the risk, perhaps even with little awareness of who the gladiators were and what their fate was. The happiest of them, in addition to the love of the Roman mob, and often noble women, received serious cash prizes from fans and organizers of the battles. In addition, the Roman spectators often threw the winner into the arena, especially if he was the favorite of the public, money, jewelry and other valuable little things, which were also a considerable share of his income.

Opening Ceremony

The rite of opening the battles was an impressive spectacle for all those present. The organizer of the games in a chariot or on foot, surrounded by many friends, circled or walked around the entire arena to the enthusiastic cries of the audience, who were already anticipating the smell of blood. Then a parade of all the participants of the upcoming tournament came to the arena. They were wearing a gladiator's helmet and other uniforms. The audience, welcoming their favorites, literally went on a rampage.

Then the gladiators stopped in front of the imperial box, putting up right hand forward with shouts: “Caesar! Those who are about to die greet you!” After that, they went to the room under the stands, where they spent time waiting for their exit.

gladiatorial theater

All battles took place in different ways, there were pair fights or confrontation of several dozen participants at once. But sometimes whole performances were played out in the arena, which were popularized by Julius Caesar. In a matter of minutes, grandiose scenery was created depicting the walls of Carthage, and gladiators, armed and dressed as legionnaires and Carthaginians, imitated the assault on the city. Or a whole "forest" of felled trees appeared on the stage, and bestiaries depicted an attack by legionnaires from an ambush.

Who are the gladiators in this action? Warriors or actors? They combined the functions of both. The fantasy of directors-producers knew no bounds. Although it was already difficult to surprise the Romans with something, the emperor Claudius succeeded. He staged a play sea battle on a scale that no visitor could imagine, and impressed all the inhabitants of the Eternal City.

By the beginning of the 4th century, gladiator fights began to gradually lose ground. These were the times when she languished under the heavy yoke of the attacking barbarian tribes. This state of affairs has only worsened due to economic crisis, and the organization of battles was quite expensive.

Although for some time the battles still continued, but on a smaller scale, and soon they were officially banned. No one shouted from the stands "Bread and circuses!" and did not welcome the emperor, and after 72 years the Roman Empire was destroyed.