It was previously believed that the custom of gladiator fights came to Rome from Etruria. However, the frescoes from Campania2, where the custom was of a religious and ceremonial nature, as well as the testimony of Titus Livius3, allow us to lean towards the version of the Campanian origin of the gladiatorial games. The origin of this custom is variously explained; there is reason to believe that in ancient times it was customary to kill captured enemies over the coffin of a deceased noble warrior, sacrificing them to the gods of the underworld. Subsequently, these cruel sacrifices were probably transformed into ritual fights of people armed with a sword (gladius). The first gladiators were called bustuaries (from "bustum" - a fire on which the body of the deceased was burned)4, which shows the original connection of gladiatorial games (munera) with funerary celebrations, in honor of which the earliest recorded Roman spectacles of 264 BC were organized. dedicated to the funeral of Lucius Junius Brutus5. Over time, gladiatorial games began to be arranged on other occasions; they also entered the program of spectacles during some holidays.

The earliest ruins of amphitheaters that have survived to this day date from the reign of Sulla and were built in the colonies of veteran warriors, located mainly in Campania. The most famous is the amphitheater built in Pompeii, which was colonized around 80 BC. army veterans, whose presence and traditions K. Welch attributed to the primary factor in the development of gladiatorial culture in this territory7. It is absolutely true that interest in gladiator fights in the provinces was supported mainly by three groups of society: legionnaires, veterans, and the romanized urban elite, as evidenced primarily by the ruins of amphitheaters, as well as finds of small sculptures with a gladiatorial theme in legionary fortresses and colonies8. The interest of the legionnaires in gladiatorial games was stimulated not so much by a thirst for bloody spectacles as by practical interest. From time to time, the training of legionnaires took place not on the territory of the legion camp (campus), but in gladiatorial schools (ludus). In 50 B.C. Julius Caesar planned to build a ludus gladiatorium near his legionary base at Ravenna,9 not only for the entertainment of his warriors, but to train them there with the help of experienced instructors (doctores gladiatorum). only in a single method of training fencing with a sword, and besides this, in the use of some similar types of protective weapons. In this regard, it is interesting to consider one of the elements of gladiatorial weapons - a helmet, as the most representative example of a close relationship with army fashion. The constructive similarity of some gladiatorial helmets with those widely used in the 1st century BC is noted. AD in the Roman army with infantry helmets of the Weisenau type. In addition, one can trace the similarity of their decor with the ceremonial cavalry helmets of the same time. Unfortunately, it is not possible to conduct such a comparative analysis over several centuries. The earliest representative sources - gladiatorial reliefs - appear only in the era of the early principate, and the latest mosaics depicting gladiatorial weapons, more or less clearly, date back to the beginning of the 4th century. AD Not all of them, however, depict helmets in such detail as would be necessary for a comparative analysis with the real specimens at our disposal, which almost all belong to the 1st century BC. AD Thus, only for this century there is a sufficient amount of both iconographic and archaeological material. The absence of any visual sources and material finds for the Republican period does not allow us to fully imagine what types of helmets were used by gladiators during the time of Spartacus, and forms a gap in the line of development of the gladiatorial helmet. Nevertheless, a number of features point to a genetic relationship between wide-brimmed gladiatorial helmets and the Boeotian helmet, which appeared in Greece as early as the 5th century BC. BC The Boeotian helmet was widespread not only in Boeotia, but throughout Greece, as well as throughout the Hellenistic space, up to Bactria. In addition to numerous images of him, several copies were found. The earliest finds were made in Athens10 and Mesopotamia (on the Tigris River)11 and date back to the 4th century BC. BC. From the time of Alexander the Great, cheek pads and plumes appeared on Boeotian helmets, and from the 2nd century. BC. the frontal part of the tulle begins to be decorated with volutes12, which in the future will also be characteristic of gladiatorial helmets.

Roman gladiator weapons

Figurative sources show a wide variety of types of helmets used by gladiators: from an infantry helmet of the Weisenau type, equipped with forehead volutes13, to fully closed ones, reminiscent of a medieval topfhelm14 (Plates I-III). Some types of gladiatorial helmets are presented exclusively in pictorial sources. In addition, on completely narrowly localized groups of monuments. So, for example, I know of at least four images of a rather unusual helmet with a crest that goes from the back of the head to the very chin (bas-relief and relief from Phrygian Hierapolis15, a statuette from the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge16 and a monument from Tatarevo in the Sofia Museum17). All these images come from the east of the Roman Empire, which suggests a local variety of secutor helmets18. The variety of depicted types of helmets deserves their consideration in a separate large work, where it will be necessary to consider in detail all the images at our disposal, and show which of them really reflect real-life helmets, and which are artistic fiction and author's fantasy. Taking all this into account, this article will mainly consider archaeological material. Archaeological finds are few and come mainly from cities on the coast of the Gulf of Naples, destroyed by one of the worst disasters in human history - the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in August 79 AD. e. More than 75% of the finds come from the barracks of gladiators in Pompeii, where, since 1748, the Cavalier Rocco de Alcubierre has been excavating for the Spanish King Charles III. In 1764, a young Spanish engineer, Francesco La Vega, joined the excavations and was the first to draw sketches of the objects found and keep a neat diary of the excavations19. Prior to this, the main style of excavation in Pompeii was treasure hunting. There is evidence that La Vega began to excavate the barracks of the gladiators in the same 1764, and they ended only when the building was completely cleared in 1800. In 1766/7. workers cleared a room in which they found well-preserved weapons of gladiators, conserved with volcanic ash and pumice stone20. To this we must add scattered finds in Herculaneum and its environs (helmets from the Louvre21 and the Berlin Antiquarium22).

Other finds not related to the disaster in the Gulf of Naples come from the Roman frontier. A tinned helmet crown without decoration was found in Houkedon (Suffolk, England)23, a visor in the form of a lattice comes from Aquincum (Budapest)24, a pommel in the form of a griffin was found at the site of the border fortress of the German limes25, and a cheekpiece was found in Xanten26. In addition to these finds, in the museums of the world there are several more helmets identified with the weapons of gladiators. They are held in the collections of the Museum at Castel San Angelo in Rome27, the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto28, the John Woodman Higgins Armory29 and the Detroit Institute of the Arts30.

Typology

Most helmets have fairly wide brim, according to the shape of which M. Junkelmann divides them into two types31. The first, earlier type (type "Chieti G") has horizontal brim around the entire perimeter of the helmet. In the second type (“Pompeii G”), the fields are horizontal only from the sides and behind, and in front they are sharply raised above the forehead, forming a kind of curved visor. The latter type is a transitional variant to a later type, no longer found among the finds in Pompeii. M. Junkelmann calls this type "Berlin G". It has very low (at the level of the neck) horizontal margins at the back and sides and a clear grille visor with almost vertical margins at the front. Added to this are the Provocateur G and Secutor G types.

However, the typology of M. Junkelmann relies solely on design features and does not take into account the design features of helmets, which in some cases was standard. All this makes it possible to make the typology of gladiator helmets more detailed, not only to highlight the features, but also, using iconographic material, to try to associate one or another version of the helmet with a certain type of gladiator.

All archaeological finds can be divided into three types with subtypes.

Type I (Plate V, 2; VII, 1-4). The crown resembles an army helmet of the Weizenau type and in most cases is richly ornamented with chased figures. A visor plate is riveted to the forehead part of the crown, as on infantry helmets. The lower edge of the frontal part of the tulle has semicircular cutouts, which, together with the cheekpieces attached to the pins, which had the same semicircular cutouts on their upper edges, formed a solid visor with round eye cutouts, which were closed by round false lattice eyecups. The butt pad is located almost at right angles to the crown and is completely similar to the butt pads of Weizenau-type helmets.

Type II (Plate V, 3; X, 3). The crown is also similar to Weizenau-type infantry helmets and is devoid of any decoration. It is also similar to the crown of helmets of the first type, but does not have semicircular arcuate cutouts on the lower edge of the frontal part, and, in addition, there is a low longitudinal ridge. The visor consists of two halves (cheek pads) attached to the crown on the side hinges and fastened together after putting on the helmet using a centrally located vertical pin plate. Eye slits in the form of small, unprotected round cutouts that significantly limit the view. A clear disadvantage of this type is poor air exchange, since the visor is devoid of any other holes except for the eye slits, and this is clearly not enough. Type III (Plate V, 1). A crown with wide curved fields, to which cheek pads are attached with the help of hinges, and lattice eyecups are attached to them, in turn, with the help of pins. According to the shape of the crest, visor and decor, helmets of this type can be divided into three subtypes.

Option A (Table VIII, 1-3). The crown is decorated with volutes and a mascaron on the forehead. On the sides, in the places where the volutes end, there are bushings for fastening the plume in the form of a bird's feather. The crest of the helmet ends with the image of a griffin's head. According to iconographic sources, this type of helmet is associated with a Thracian gladiator (Thrax) (bronze statuette of a Thracian from the former collection of F. Von Lipperheide32 - now in Hannover - gladiatorial reliefs from the tomb of Lusius Storax, National Museum, Chieti33).

Variant B (Plate VIII, 4; IX, 1-4; X, 1, 2). The top of the helmet is richly decorated with chased images of mythological scenes, various kinds of trophies, scenes of captivity of barbarians, scenes of triumphal processions. The crest of the helmet sometimes also has decoration. On pictorial sources, such helmets are worn by a gladiator-mirmillo (mirmillo) (a bronze statuette of a gladiator from Lillebon, the Museum of Antiquities in Rouen [Plate III]; a bronze statuette from the Berlin Antiquarium34) or hoplomachus (hoplomachus) (a statuette from the Berlin Antiquarium35).

Option C (Table VI; X, 4). Represented by a single copy in the Berlin Antiquarium36, but in a number of cases it is depicted on iconographic sources (for example, a relief from the Berlin Antiquarium37). It differs from the previous version by a large bend of wide fields, a visor in the form of bars over the entire face, as well as a massive crest. It is unfortunate that there is no guaranteed provenance (herculaneum or the Adriatic Sea38 is named as the place of discovery), but comparison with objects from Pompeii and Herculaneum shows a different quality of the Berlin helmet. In contrast to the almost entirely sculpted gladiator weapons found in the Archaeological Museum in Naples and the Louvre, the light-dark contrast of the Berlin weaponry resembles an elegant chessboard pattern. This effect was carried out by the fact that the brass of the helmet was tinned and scraped off again until a network of rasters was obtained in every second square of the tin layer. In these places, the initially golden, and now gray-green, patina-covered surface of the tin is visible. Appearing probably in the second quarter of the 1st c. AD, helmets of this variant remained popular until the end of the existence of the gladiator. Judging by the iconographic monuments, in the western part of the Empire during this time they were practically unchanged, while in the Hellenistic East there were some modifications of such helmets (for example, with reduced fields in front).

Loved by the public and sometimes despised by the elite, Roman gladiators were the heroes of antiquity. For almost seven centuries, they have attracted crowds of people to the arenas and amphitheatres, showing their skill, strength and dexterity. Bloody gladiator fights were sport, theatrical performance and cold-blooded murder in equal measure.

Here are some facts about the mysterious warriors who became the pillar of the most massive, cruel and popular entertainment that the history of ancient Rome kept.

Not all gladiators were slaves

Most of the first warriors were brought to gladiatorial schools in chains, but by the first century AD. e. The ratio of slaves to free people has changed a lot. Shouts and recognition of the crowd, awe and excitement attracted many free people to gladiator schools who hoped to get fame and money. These free birds were most often desperate people who had nothing to lose, or former soldiers who had the necessary training and knowledge to fight in the arena. Sometimes some patricians and even senators who wanted to show their military training temporarily adjoined the ranks of gladiators.

Gladiator fights were originally part of the funeral ceremony

Most modern historians insist that gladiator performances in the arena are rooted in the bloody tradition of arranging fights between slaves or criminals at the funerals of prominent aristocrats. This kind of bloody obituary follows from the belief of the ancient Romans that human blood cleanses the soul of the deceased. Thus, these cruel rites took the place of human sacrifice. On the occasion of the death of his father and daughter, Julius Caesar organized fights between hundreds of gladiators. Representations enjoyed mass popularity in the first century BC. e. Ancient Rome began to organize gladiator fights whenever the government needed to calm down, distract or enlist the support of the crowd.

They didn't always fight to the death

Despite the popular depiction of gladiator fights in literature and cinema as spontaneous and uncontrolled bloodshed, most of them were carried out according to strict rules. Most often, the fights were one-on-one between gladiators of similar build and with equal combat experience. The judges looked after the battle and stopped it if one of the opponents was seriously injured. Sometimes the fights ended in a draw if they were too long. If the gladiators managed to show an interesting performance and bring the crowd to delight, both opponents were allowed to leave the arena with honor.

The famous "thumbs down" gesture didn't mean death

When a gladiator was seriously wounded or preferred to admit defeat by throwing his weapon aside, it was up to the audience to decide his fate. Various works of fiction often describe the crowd with their index fingers thrown up if the audience wanted to save the loser. But this opinion is probably not entirely correct. Historians believe that the gesture of mercy was different - a thumb hidden in a fist. The fact is that the finger symbolized the sword, and the crowd showed them exactly how it was necessary to kill the loser: a finger up could mean a cut throat, a finger to the side - a blow with a sword between the shoulder blades, and a finger down - a deep blow with a sword in the neck, towards heart. The gestures were often accompanied by loud cries demanding to be released or killed.

Gladiators were divided into types and classes, according to the types of fights and experience.

By the opening of the Colosseum in 80 AD. e., gladiator fighting became a highly organized, bloody sport with its own directions and types of weapons. The division of fighters into classes took place according to their level of training, experience in the arena and weight category. The division into types depended on the choice of weapons and the type of fighting, the most popular types were murmillons, hoplomakhs and Thracians, whose weapons were a sword and a shield. There were also equites - riders, essedaries - chariot fighters, dimachers - armed with two swords or daggers, and many others.

They very rarely fought wild beasts.

Among the military types were bestiaries, who were originally criminals sentenced to duel with wild animals, with a negligible chance of surviving. Later, bestiaries began to train specifically for fights with animals, they were armed with darts and daggers. Other gladiators participated in battles with animals very rarely, even though the fights were organized in such a way that the beast had no chance to survive. Often performances with the participation of wild animals opened the fights and at the same time were used for the public execution of criminals.

Women were gladiators too

Mostly they were slaves, too self-willed for domestic work, but occasionally free women of Rome also joined them. Historians cannot say for sure when women first tried on gladiatorial armor, but it is known for sure that by the first century AD. e. they were constant combatants. They were often the butt of ridicule by the patriarchal Roman elite, but were comparatively popular with the crowd. Despite this, Emperor Septimius Severus forbade women from participating in any games at the beginning of the 3rd century.

The gladiators had their unions

Despite the fact that the gladiators were forced to fight each other, sometimes even to the death, they considered themselves as a brotherhood and sometimes met in colleges. The gladiatorial unions had their own elected leaders, patron deities and levies. When one of them died in battle, the colleges paid compensation to his family and arranged a decent funeral for the fallen.

Emperors sometimes participated in gladiator fights

Among the regulars of the arena were Caligula, Commodus, Adrian and Titus. Most often, they took part in staged battles or had a clear advantage over their opponents. Emperor Commodus once defeated several frightened and poorly armed spectators.

Gladiators often became famous and were popular with women.

Roman historians often called gladiators uneducated brutes, looked down on them by the elite, but successful fighters enjoyed resounding success among the lower classes. Their portraits adorned taverns and houses, children played with clay figurines of their favorite gladiators, and girls wore hairpins covered in gladiator blood.

For centuries, tales of gladiatorial battles have fascinated people. And no wonder, because these fearless warriors fought for the right to live. For the most colorful presentation, powerful warriors were divided into types, and each of them was used in various battles and was armed in its own way.

Bestiaries never fought gladiators of other classes, they fought exotic animals. Especially for the battles, various dangerous animals were brought. Bestiaries were divided into two types. "Damnatio ad bestias" - given to the beasts. These included citizens of the lower class who were spoken to the execution. And this duel was more like a simple persecution by animals. The second type was called "venatio", which translates as a hunter. The hunters were armed with a club, a spear or darts, they entered the arena with an almost naked body without any armor. Also, hunters were engaged in training aggressive animals and often showed real performances to the audience, putting their hands and head into the mouth of a predator.

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 virtuoso defense, the velites showed the most colorful and striking victories, gaining the fame of cold-blooded fighters capable of the most effective actions during the brutal battles in the arena.

Powerful and brave had the glory of the elite of the world of gladiators. These formidable wars cut a man in half with one blow. They were distinguished by great pressure and endurance, often seriously wounded goplomakh - the winner, did not leave the battlefield for a long time, listening to the enthusiastic cries of the audience. Powerful hoplomakhs could fearlessly fight alone with several rivals. Goplomakhs came out armed with swords - gladiuses or heavy two-toothed axes, for protection they used massive shields. On the head they wore a large helmet, decorated with horns or feathers.

belonged to the equestrian type of gladiators, started a duel on horseback 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. Equits always fought only with equites and were not put up against gladiators of other types.

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

The main distinctive ability legnarians there was a skill honed to perfection to concentrate all his strength in one key blow. These skilled fighters rarely took part in fights to the death, but performed on the lists for the sake of showing a delightful spectacle. The main weapon was a staff or a whip, but sometimes they were armed with a long whip for a deadly duel with terrible animals. With one strong and precise blow of this scourge, the Legniarius easily broke the spine of a huge beast or his rival.

armed with shields and gladius swords and always acted in pairs, against especially strong opponents. On the head were worn conspicuous helmets, decorated with delightful crests with bright stripes. The crests 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, another fighter committed suicide without leaving the arena. Such fidelity was considered a confirmation of strong male friendship.

Retiarii are the oldest type of gladiators. Thanks to the great combat effectiveness, these trained warriors successfully opposed the heavily armed secutors and Thracians. At first, the retiarii went to battle equipped with a dagger, trident and net, later they were allowed to wear an impressive helmet and shields to protect their necks. But it was the net and the trident that remained the invariable feature of these brave warriors. The net thrown by an experienced hand for some time entangled the opponent in heavy weapons, which, trying to get out, was 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. Usually gladiators of this type were exhibited against retiarii. At the beginning of the battle, the retiarius retreated to a non-dangerous distance, and the secutor pursued him, trying not to get caught in the net and under the blow of the trident. Wearing heavy armor and weapons, these brave warriors quickly got tired.

Thracians thanks to their courage and boundless courage, they became a legend of gladiatorial battles. They went out to fight in 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. When the sword was lost, the Thracians instantly 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 exit of all gladiators before the start of battles.

Sagittaria were equestrian gladiators who skillfully wielded a bow. Swift sagittarii usually came out at the end of mass battles, killing the surviving fighters, while still managing to fight 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 took their freedom from them. Attempts always ended in failure, but the memory of these exceptional feats gave hope to the gladiators and one day resulted in the glorified uprising of Spartacus.

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

came out for a duel only against provocateurs. They themselves could challenge an opponent to fight in order to strengthen their position by defeating a more popular opponent, or to settle conflicts between two gladiator schools that competed with each other. Provocateurs armed themselves in the clothes of Roman legionnaires, wore a rectangular shield, cuirass and helmet.

Samnites like retiarii were an early form of gladiators. They were prisoners of war from the region of Samnium. Roman soldiers, having defeated the Samnites, forced them to participate in amusing battles, which later turned into gladiatorial battles. The Samnites dressed in military uniform and fought with the help 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 ceased to be classified as a separate species and were attached to the Hoplomaches and Murmillons, who fought with similar weapons.

they hardly put on armor and went out to fight with a bare torso 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, on rare occasions, with dwarfs, which shocked the crowd. Women's gladiator fights were always accompanied by scandals and were soon banned.

Naumachians considered the gladiatorial elite and took part in sea battles. Due to the fact that not all arenas could be filled with water, such performances were very rare. The naumacharii emerged armed with heavy spears, short swords, and grappling hooks. In battles on the water, 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 deserved freedom for their merits, but decided to remain in the gladiatorial craft. As a symbol of freedom, they received a wooden sword. Rudiarii could become trainers, judges, or remain fighters. The audience adored them, so every appearance of the rudiarium 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.

Tertiarii- exhibited to replace the previously declared 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 with the winner.

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

Samnite: Samnites, an ancient type of heavily armed fighters The historical Samnites were an influential alliance of Italic tribes living in the Campania region south of Rome. The equipment of the Samnites was a large rectangular shield (scutum), a helmet decorated with feathers, a short sword, a gauntlet and a greave on the left leg.

Skissor (scissor, "one who cuts", "cutting") - a gladiator who was armed with a short sword (gladius) and instead of a shield had a cutting weapon, two small swords that had one handle) or, in another scenario, wore on his left hand iron hollow rod with a hook and chain, or a sharp horizontal tip. With this cutting weapon, the skissor delivered blows that led to minor wounds of the opponent, but the wounds bled very much (several arteries were cut, which naturally caused fountains of blood). Otherwise, the skissor was similar to a secutor, except for the additional protection of the right arm (from shoulder to elbow), which consisted of many iron plates fastened together with strong leather laces.. As many resources assure, absolutely nothing is known about the skissors, however, this is not so, and today you can confidently imagine what this gladiator looked like, and he looked truly intimidating.

(Scissores carvers):They were armed with two large swords.

Peltasts - lightly armed gladiators (a type of velite) , were often used as skirmishers, throwing darts. The armament of the peltasts consisted of several javelins, often with "throwing belts", which made it possible to increase the shoulder for applying force when throwing. As the main means of protection, the peltasts used a crescent-shaped wicker shield, which was called a pelta.

Thracian peltast Spartan peltast

Provocateur ("applicant"). Their outfit could be different, depending on the nature of the games. They were depicted wearing a loincloth, large beltwith iron buckle , a long greave on the left foot, manica on the right hand, andsmooth-topped visor helmet,rounded cutouts for the eyes, covered with mesh and with feathers on each side.In fierce battles they were , protected by a cuirass (cardiophylax), which was at first rectangular, then often rounded. The provocateurs were armed with a gladius and a large rectangular , sometimes rounded shield.

Andabat (from the Greek word “andibatus” - “located on a hill” They were named so because they fought on horseback. They were dressed in chain mail, like the eastern cavalry and helmets with visors, or a helmet with a metal mask, sometimes an aventail that covered the face. Cataphracts wore plate or scaly shell.The Parthian cataphracts of the 2nd century AD used a combined scaly-plate armor, in which large rectangular vertical plates covered the chest instead of small scales.Perhaps, chain mail could also be used in such armor instead of scales.

Bestiary and Venator (Fighters with animals) Armed with a spear or a knife, these gladiators went out to fight dangerous animals. Later, Bestiaries received special training to fight against specific kinds of beasts.They specialized in demonstrative hunting for animals, not fighting them in close combat, like 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).

Laquerii (Lakveary) ("lasso fighter"): Laquearii may have been a type of retiarii that tried to catch their rivals with a lasso (laqueus) instead of a net. Weapons: lasso (lasso) and a short knife. The clothes of the lacquearia are light armor on the chest, light boots and light handrails, a wide leather belt with metal plates that protects the stomach. A pauldron covering the left shoulder, arm to the elbow and rising high enough above the shoulder so that it was possible to cover the head from a blow with the movement of the shoulder.

And of course, we all know and love: secutor, dimacher, murmillion, Thracian, hoplomakh, velite, equite, saggitary and essedary.

Dimacher is like two swords, he is good in attack, weak in defense, two swords are very difficult to block blows, without a shield, he is very weak against strong blows, even if he blocks blows he falls quickly. The dimacher must be put on the attack without fail, neither 1% should remain, nor any distance, only the maximum attack! He must very quickly crush the enemy with his attack, do not let the enemy breathe, and if the scenario is successful, he will win, well, at least he will have more chances for it.

Goplomakh - He has a large shield, has a unique pose, he knows how to sit down and in this position it is very difficult to get him, while he is sitting, it is impossible to get a gopa. But Goplomakh will sit down only when he is on defense, the higher the percentage of defense, the more often he sits. More often, he should rarely open (that is, get up from behind the shield and hit the enemy), but strongly!

Retiarius (lat. Retiarius - a fighter with a net) is one of the types of gladiators.

The armament of this gladiator is a net with which he was supposed to entangle the enemy, and a trident. The retiarius fought almost naked in a wide belt and shoulder pad, which covered the shoulder and the left side of the chest. The retarius is the strongest type in the game of gladiators, and quite dangerous for the opponent, because when he throws the net and hits, he gains an advantage after several hits on the opponent. However, he also has disadvantages, he does not have a shield, and this is a difficulty in defending against blows, and it is difficult for him to block them. The task of the retiarius was to throw the net in such a way as to entangle the enemy from head to toe, and then finish him off with a trident or dagger. The retiarius had neither a helmet nor a shield - he had to rely only on his own dexterity. The fastest and most coordinated beginners were taken into this group.

The secutor is the main opponent of the retiarius, so named because of the ability to prevent the retiarius from running away to a safe distance. Armed with a sword and a small shield. The smooth rounded helmet does not cling to the net and allows the secutor to slip out even if the net has covered him. The secutor is also good against other types of gladiators who like to attack from afar.

Velit-comes from the eponymous kind of troops in the Roman army. Armed with three throwing darts, a small shield and a sword. It is dangerous at a distance, but weakly protected up close, so it usually tries to keep its distance if there are still darts in the reserve.

Murmilon comes from one of the three very first types of gladiators, who was called a Gaul (as a representative of prisoners from Gaul) and in ancient times fought with a Samnite and a Thracian. On the helmets of the Gauls, or murmillons (from the Latin "murma" - fish) a fish was depicted , and their weapons corresponded to the Gallic. Often the opponents of the murmillons were retiarii, who sang during the fight a song invented in ancient times: “I don’t catch you, I catch fish. Why are you running away from me, Gaul? . He fights barefoot, armed with a large Gallic shield and sword, and his helmet is adorned with a fish figurine.

Thracian - comes from one of the three very first types of gladiators, who was then called a Thracian (as a representative of prisoners from Thrace) and in ancient times fought with a Gaul and a Samnite. However, now the Greeks often act as the Thracian. The Franks were armed with a small round shield, a small curved sword, greaves on both legs, an iron armlet on the right arm, a helmet with a visor with many holes that covered the entire face.

Sagittarius: Sagittarius (from Latin sagitta, "arrow") Originally mounted archers, armed with a flexible bow capable of firing an arrow at a long distance.

Essedarii are gladiators who fought on war chariots. They were armed with lassoes, slings, bows and clubs. The first Essedarii were British prisoners brought by Julius Caesar from his not very successful British campaign.

Praegenarii- technically were not gladiators, although they sometimes took part in gladiator fights, but did not fight to the death. They opened the show with musical numbers and clowning. Their goal was to entertain the crowd so as not to kill each other. Praegenarii used a wooden sword, rudis. But they also used other weapons used by real gladiators, such as the lasso, gladius, saber, trident, and net.The body armor and helmet worn by this type of gladiator was the same as the other types of gladiators they parodied: the Praegenarii were clowns. They adopted body armor and gladiator helmets, but their sole purpose was to entertain the crowd. Make laughs and provide a good warm-up for the main show. If the emperor was not satisfied with the performance, or he did not like the manner of presenting the pregnaria, then they were put up as a laughingstock for a non-death battle against the gladiators.

Gladiator fights were a characteristic feature of the ancient Roman way of life. Their main participants were professional fighters trained to fight each other with various types of weapons. The equipment of the gladiators was diverse and initially corresponded to the characteristics of the weapons of various opponents of the Romans.

Over time, several basic types of gladiatorial weapons were formed. We invite you to get to know them better in this thread.

Secutor

Secutor, or "pursuer" is a heavily armed fighter, first mentioned in sources around 50 AD. His protective equipment included a fully enclosed helmet with no visor or brim, a padded bracer on his right arm, and a short greave on his left leg. The large rectangular shield of the secutor was shaped like the shield worn by Roman legionnaires. He was armed with a short straight sword. The total weight of the secutor equipment was 15–18 kg.

In his equipment, the secutor resembled a gall or murmillo, from which he must be descended. The main difference between them was the opponent with whom these fighters had to meet in the arena. For the secutor, lightly armed retiarii were such constant opponents, while the murmillo usually fought other heavily armed gladiators - hoplomachi and Thracians.

Even the helmet of a special design, which distinguishes the secutor from the murmillon, as well as the provocateur close to him in armament, was specially designed to fight the retiarius. Being practically devoid of protruding parts, this helmet made it easier for the secutor to throw off the enemy's net.

A large shield and other equipment allowed the secutor not to be afraid of attacks, but at the same time limited the fighter with their weight and fettered his movements. To hit his opponent with a short sword, the secutor had to approach him almost closely. The retiarius, much lighter and more agile than his opponent, in turn sought to wear him down with false attacks. The result of the battle between them, therefore, was decided by the composure and endurance of the fighter.

Emperor Commodus, who ruled from 180-192, fought as a secutor in the arena.

Secutor Helm

The helmets that belonged to the secutors include closed combat headgear without a brim, with a high crest at the top of the dome. Structurally, they resemble helmets worn at the same time by provocateurs, from which they differ in a simpler design, as well as a minimum number of protruding parts that could catch the retiarial net, the traditional opponent of the secutor.

The dome of the helmet is forged from a single piece of bronze or iron and fitted with a wide butt plate that provides protection for the neck and upper shoulders. The helmet visor consists of two large cheekpieces suspended on side hinges from the bottom of the rim. In front, the place of joining of both cheek pieces was protected by a vertical pin plate. Eye slits are two unprotected narrow round holes that severely limit the viewing angle. The disadvantages of the helmet include the lack of holes for the ears, which doomed its owner to almost complete deafness. In addition, poor air circulation and significant weight allowed the helmet to be worn only for a very limited time.

Shield of secutor, murmillon and provocateur

The secutor, murmillo and provocateur were armed with a large rectangular convex shield (scutum), similar to those worn by Roman legionaries in the 1st century. Judging by the ratio with the figures of warriors on mosaics and frescoes, the dimensions of the shield were approximately 1 m long and 0.5 m wide. The base of the shield was made of three layers of thin wooden planks glued at right angles to each other. The thickness of the wood in the center of the shield was about 6 mm and decreased towards the edges to lighten its weight. From the outside, the shield was covered with leather and richly painted with geometric patterns and figures. The edges above and below were upholstered with bronze clips so that the tree would not chip from blows. The shield was held with the hand by the transverse handle, which passed through the center. The weight of a modern reconstruction of such a shield is approximately 7.5 kg.

The shield provided the fighter with reliable protection of the hull, but at the same time significantly limited his mobility. In a fight with a more lightly armed gladiator, this circumstance definitely gave the initiative to the enemy.

Leggings of the Secutor, Murmillo, and Provocateur

Leggings (ocrea) were part of a protective armor that covered the leg from the knee to the instep of the foot, i.e. that part of it that was not usually covered by a shield. They were made of bronze by beating a metal sheet along a convex matrix so that it took the shape of a shin. Leggings were worn over soft straps made of stuffed fabric. The diameter of the archaeological finds testifies to the considerable thickness of the soft lining. In order for the leggings to fit snugly on the leg, they were fixed with straps that were passed through two or three pairs of rings, which were attached to the edges of the leggings on each side.

The number of leggings and their type were strictly regulated in each type of gladiatorial equipment. Secutors, myrmillons and provocateurs are usually depicted with only one short greave, which they wear on their left leg. During excavations in Pompeii, 9 such leggings were found, the length of which varied from 28 to 35 cm. All the leggings, with the exception of one, were luxuriously decorated with figured chased images and engraved ornaments.

Sword of secutor, murmillo and provocateur

The sword (gladius) was the main weapon of the gladiators, from which they got their name. Judging by the reliefs and mosaic images of the 1st century BC. – I century AD it was the same weapon carried by the Roman legionaries. It was a straight double-edged blade 60-65 cm long and about 4 cm wide, with parallel blades turning into a long and thin point, equally well suited for both chopping and thrusting. The heavy handle, carved from wood and ivory, shifted the balance of the weapon to its lower part, which allowed the fighter to deliver well-aimed thrusting blows, quickly change the direction of attack, make feints, etc.

Judging by the images of the 1st-3rd centuries, the length of the sword is greatly reduced at this time, which makes it difficult to use it in practice, but at the same time delays the duel and increases its spectacular component. During the excavations of the gladiatorial school in Pompeii, three swords were found with a laurel-shaped blade and an ivory handle. The length of the blade of all three specimens varies from 20 to 30 cm.

Bracers

The bracers (manica) worn by gladiators, as well as the legguards and greaves they used, could be made from both sheet bronze and printed and quilted in several layers of fabric. Due to the lack of material remains of these items of equipment, their design and cut are still the subject of discussion.

Apparently, the stuffed fabric used to make this kind of armor was quite thick. In any case, the poet Juvenal, describing the arms and legs of gladiators, enclosed in soft armor, likens them to the appearance of a thick wooden deck. They look the same on mosaics and frescoes depicting gladiators. In order for the armor to sit snugly in its place, they had to be tightened with lacing and additionally fixed with straps.

As a means of combat protection against enemy weapons, soft armor was quite effective. They protected their owners both from slashing blows and from the pricks of the sword's edge. In addition, they gave the fighters an exotic look, which was in line with the aesthetics of the spectacle.

Strictly speaking, there is no unequivocal evidence pointing to the material of gladiatorial bracers. The debate about whether they were made from soft printed fabric or metal plates continues to this day. One of the arguments of the supporters of the first version is that during the excavations of the gladiatorial barracks in Pompeii, many items of equipment were found, but no bracers were found. Their opponents point out that the small plates from which this armor was assembled could simply not be recognized. One of the arguments in favor of metal bracers is a number of finds of the latter during excavations of military warehouses of the 1st-2nd centuries, primarily in Newstead and Carlisle. If the bracers found there could have been worn by soldiers, gladiators could theoretically have used them as well.

Structurally, Roman bracers were laminar armor, in which metal strips, typed vertically, were connected to each other by riveting or stringing them on leather belts. The stripes had to be precisely calculated funnel-shaped. Running into each other, they formed an extremely flexible, elastic coating that did not hinder movement.

Loincloth

The loincloth (subligaculum) was a common Roman undergarment. It was a triangular piece of fabric with a length of one and a half meters on each side. The two ends corresponding to the corners at the base of the triangle were tied in a knot on the stomach. The third end was passed between the legs and dragged under the knot formed by the other two ends, so that it hung down like an apron. From above, the loincloth was fixed with a wide leather belt, which, in turn, was fastened with hooks or simple lacing. Judging by the frescoes and mosaic images, the loincloth was of bright colors, possibly also decorated with embroidery.

Although in most of the available images, the gladiators are shown dressed only in a loincloth that leaves the torso and hips open, in some cases the gladiators entered the arena in tunics.

Goplomakh

Hoplomachus is the Greek name for a heavily armed fighter. It is possible that this type of gladiatorial weapon appeared in the 1st-2nd centuries AD. instead of the earlier Samnite. Hoplomach fought in heavy weapons, which included a wide-brimmed, high-crested closed helmet, a bracer of bronze plates or quilted fabric on the right arm, high bronze greaves, and soft-cloth cuisses on both legs. In battle, the goplomakh covered himself with a small bronze shield of a round shape and tried to hit his opponent with a spear. Perhaps he also had a sword or dagger as an additional weapon.

The main opponents of the goplomakhs were the Murmillons or Thracians armed in a similar way. The spear allowed the goplomakh to hit his opponent at a distance exceeding the length of the enemy weapon. On the other hand, the small size of the shield did not provide it with reliable protection in defense and in close combat. He also could not push his opponent with a large shield, as the murmillo did. In a fight, the hoplomah had to adhere to aggressive, offensive tactics, imposing the pace and distance of the battle on his opponent.

Bronze figurine of a goplomakh. Antique collection, Berlin

Hoplomach's Shield

In the images of gladiators, the hoplomah, as a rule, is armed with a round bronze shield, reminiscent of the shields of Greek hoplites or Macedonian phalangites of the Hellenistic era. Several of these shields were found during excavations, and today they are kept in museums and a number of private collections.

The example of the shield from the gladiatorial school in Pompeii shown in this photo has a diameter of 37 cm and weighs 1.6 kg. It is a bronze cladding, fastened on a wooden base that has not been preserved. The front surface of the shield and the rim are decorated with chased patterns in the form of several garlands of silver leaves. In the center is a round silver plate depicting the face of the Gorgon Medusa. The luxury of jewelry does not necessarily indicate that we have a copy intended only for demonstration.

The small size of the shield does not hinder the movement of the warrior at all, however, at the same time, it limits the protective function provided by it. A gladiator armed with such a shield inevitably lost in close combat and therefore had to keep his opponent at a distance.

Hoplomakh and Thracian Leggings

Secutors, murmillons and provocateurs, who wore a large rectangular shield, as a rule, wore only one short greave on their left leg, which was put forward in a combat stance. The goplomakhs and the Thracians, armed with small shields, had to compensate for its insufficient protective properties with the help of additional items of equipment, primarily legguards and greaves. In reliefs and images, they usually wear a pair of leggings on both legs, and their length reaches about the middle of the thighs.

These images correspond to 10 bronze greaves found during excavations of the gladiatorial school in Pompeii. Their length varied from 48 to 58 cm. The upper part of the leggings was made in the form of a wide bell, slightly curved outwards. The diameter indicates that the greaves were worn over a thick quilted webbing. On the leg, they were fixed with a belt passed through three pairs of rings. All leggings were luxuriously decorated with chased relief, symbolic images and engraved ornaments.

Provocateur

Provocateurs ("defying") are already mentioned in the late Republican period. They were a heavily armed type of gladiator whose equipment resembled a secutor. The provocateur wore a large rectangular shield, a helmet without a crest, first open, then completely closed, a metal or soft bracer on his right hand and a shortened bronze greave on his left leg. A feature of his equipment was a small bib of a rectangular or rounded shape. The provocateur's weapon was a short straight sword. In the arena, provocateurs usually fought against each other. Only one inscription that has survived to our time testifies to his battle with the murmillo.

Provocateur helmet

From the reliefs of the 1st century BC. - the beginning of the 1st century AD it can be concluded that at first the provocateurs fought in open-type helmets with cheek pads that were hinged to the lower part of the helmet rim to protect the face, and a wide butt pad to protect the neck and upper back. This form was reminiscent of an army helmet worn at that time by Roman legionnaires. Then, in the first half of the 1st century AD, in imitation of the helmets of other gladiatorial types, their cheek pads increased so that they began to completely cover the face. In front, they closed with each other and were fixed with a special clip, forming a closed visor. So that a fighter dressed in this helmet could see something, a pair of round holes with a diameter of 8 cm were made in it, which were closed from the outside with round lattice plates.

From the helmets worn by the Murmillons and Thracians, the helmet of the provocateur is distinguished by the absence of wide brim. Only in front of the frontal part of the helmet was a visor riveted. On the other hand, it differs from secutor helmets structurally similar to it by a large number of decorations and protruding parts, for example, side tubes for attaching feathers.

Chestplate of the provocateur

As a rule, gladiators performed in the arena bare-chested, which gave them the opportunity to demonstrate their figure to the public and play with the relief muscles of the chest and shoulders. Only in some reliefs are heavily armed provocateurs depicted wearing a small rectangular plate on their chest to protect the heart area. This piece of equipment is known only from images; not a single copy of the breastplate has yet been found.

Provocateur's shield

Secutors, murmillons and provocateurs were armed with a large rectangular convex shield (scutum), the device of which is described in more detail in the section on the secutor.

Leggings of the provocateur

Provocateur's sword

Retiarius

Retiarii first appeared in the arena at the beginning of the 1st century AD. They were a type of lightly armed fighter whose appearance resembled a fisherman. The retiarius performed dressed in a tunic or loincloth, his left shoulder was covered with a bronze pauldron, and his left arm was covered with a vambrace of printed fabric. The retiarii did not wear other protective equipment and fought with their heads uncovered. The weapon of the retiarius consisted of a trident and a net. In battle, they tried to throw a net on the enemy, in order to then hit him with a trident or dagger, which they held in their left hand.

The usual opponent of the retiarius was secutor, occasionally they could also fight against murmillons.

Exceeding any of his heavily armed opponents in mobility, retiarii could choose tactics and control the pace of the battle. Usually they circled around their opponent for a long time, trying to unbalance him and wear him out with false attacks, after which they themselves could easily flee. When the enemy was exhausted, the retiarius could go on the attack. He used his net to hook the enemy, unbalance him, knock him down and immobilize him.

A huge number of references in sources and inscriptions testifies to the spectacular nature of this kind of fights and their wide popularity among the public.

Mosaic of the 4th century. from the National Museum in Madrid, depicting the duel between the retiarius Calendion and the secutor Astyanax. The bottom panel depicts the beginning of the battle, when the retiarius managed to throw his net over the opponent. The top one depicts its completion. Calendion is wounded and, holding out his hand with a dagger, begs for mercy. His opponent won

Retiarius Trident

The retiarial trident (fuscina or tridens) originated from the fisherman's weapon. It was a short spear with three points. In the images, retiarii usually hold it with two hands: the left one is placed forward, the right behind. With this grip, most of the blows should be applied in the direction from the bottom up. Unfortunately, there is still no archaeological find of a trident, so it is difficult to say what its dimensions are. Judging by the available images, the tips of the trident were small.

On one of the skulls found in the cemetery of gladiators in Ephesus, traces left by the trident of a retiarius were found. The distance between the holes is 5 cm. The inlets are at a large angle. This means that the fatal blow was delivered from above, when the defeated opponent was lying on the ground or kneeling.

Retiarius network

The net of the retiarius (rete) has the shape of a circle with a diameter of about 3 m. Lead sinkers were strengthened along its edges so that the net would straighten when thrown. The retiarius could use the net to hook and pull his sword out of the opponent's hands, or to throw the net on himself. Large cells of the network easily clung to weapons and equipment, it was difficult to immediately reset it. Grasping its edge, the retiarius could confuse his opponent, immobilize or knock him down. With an unsuccessful throw, he could pull the fallen net towards him by the rope that connected to his wrist, after which he would make a new attempt. So that the enemy, grabbing the rope, would not pull him towards himself, the retiarius had a dagger with him, with which he could cut it.

Retiarius Dagger

The retiarius wore a dagger in his belt, which he could use as an additional weapon if he lost his trident. This dagger could look like one of the swords with a short blade 20 - 30 cm long, found during the excavations of the gladiatorial school in Pompeii.

On one of the reliefs depicting a retiarius, his dagger looks like four points on one handle. Until recently, weapons of this form were considered an invention of the artist. However, on one of the bones found during the excavations of the gladiatorial cemetery in Ephesus, a trace of a wound inflicted by four points was found, which proves its real character.

Retiarius Shoulder

The pauldron (galerus) is one of the characteristic elements of the military equipment of the retiarii. They wore it on the left shoulder, along with a bracer of printed fabric on the left hand. Other gladiators usually wore bracers on their right hand. This feature allowed the retiarius to use his right hand more freely to cast his net. Accordingly, having the left side more protected in comparison with the right, the retiarius in battle had to stand, turning his left side to the enemy.

During the excavations of the gladiatorial school in Pompeii, 3 chased bronze pauldrons were found. One of them, shown in the picture above, is decorated with images of a crab, an anchor, a trident, and the other with cupids and the head of Hercules. The third shows war trophies. The height of the shoulder pad is 30–35 cm, the width is about 30 cm, and the weight is 1.2 kg. The wide brim makes the pauldron more like a small shield that provided some protection to the head, face, neck, and upper chest from top to bottom and from right to left.

Murmillon

Murmillo is a type of heavily armed gladiator, who in the 1st century AD. replaced the earlier gall. The protective armament of the murmillon included a large rectangular shield, a closed helmet with a high plume of feathers and a stylized image of a fish on a crest, bracers on the right hand, and greaves on the left leg. In battle, the murmillo fought with a short straight sword. The same equipment was worn by the secutors, which differed from the murmillons only in a different type of helmet.

The main opponent of the Murmillons were equally heavily armed Thracians and goplomakhs. According to Quintilian, they also had to fight with lightly armed retiarii, but pictorial sources do not confirm this information.

Heavy equipment, the total weight of which was 15–18 kg, required from the fighter developed muscles of the arms and shoulders, which are simply necessary to fight with a heavy shield and sword. Victory in battle and the very life of the murmillo depended on his endurance, since he had to fight enemies whose equipment was better suited for attack than his own. On the other hand, a large shield gave him significant defensive advantages.

The famous supporter of the Murmillons was the emperor Domitian (81-96).

Part of a relief from the burial vault of Gaius Lusius Storax (25-50 AD) depicting a duel of gladiators. Two murmillos are depicted in the center, two Thracians are on the sides

Murmillo Helm

Gladiator helmets (galea) are known from a large number of images and archaeological finds. Most of the latter were made during the excavations of the gladiatorial school in Pompeii. They are divided into two large types - with margins and without margins. Each of them, in turn, is divided into two more subtypes.

The helmets that belonged to the Murmillans are easily identified on the basis of a large number of relief and mosaic images. These helmets are wide-brimmed, horizontal and nearly flat all around in early models, and rising in front in an arched fashion in later models. From above, the dome of the helmet is decorated with a massive box-shaped crest, into which a magnificent plume of feathers or a horse's mane was inserted. A pair of large cheek pads were hinged to the lower part of the helmet rim from the sides, covering not only the cheekbones, but also the face of its owner. In front, the cheek pads closed with each other, forming a closed visor. Their lower part was arched forward to protect the throat. For vision, there were large holes in the cheek-pieces, which were closed from the outside with lattice plates.

All gladiator helmets are made of bronze with a thickness of 1 - 1.5 mm. The surface of the helmets was richly decorated with chased images and engravings. Part of the surface of the helmet could be covered with gilding or silver, or tinned with tin to imitate it. The weight of the helmet varies from 3.8 to 5 kg, which is about twice the weight of a soldier's helmet. True, the legionnaires had to wear their helmet throughout the day, and the gladiator put it on only before the battle, which lasted 10-15 minutes.

Murmillo shield

The secutor, murmillon and provocateur were armed with a large rectangular convex shield (scutum), the device of which is described in more detail in the section on the secutor.

Murmillo Leggings

Secutors, murmillons, and provocateurs used similar leggings, which are discussed in more detail in the section on the secutor.

Murmillo sword

Secutors, murmillons and provocateurs used the same swords, which are discussed in more detail in the section on the secutor.

Thracian

The Thracians began to compete in gladiatorial contests at least as early as the 1st century BC, when the Romans first encountered them during the wars in the Balkan Peninsula. Over time, a complex of weapons characteristic of them developed, which included a closed helmet with wide brim, a bracer for the right hand and a pair of high greaves. The Thracians held a small rectangular (rarely round) shield in their left hand, and a sword with a curved blade in their right hand.

In the arena, Thracian gladiators usually fought murmillons or hoplomachs, who had heavy weapons similar to their own. Armed with a less cumbersome shield, the Thracian had greater mobility than the murmillo and could impose pace and tactics on him. In contrast to the goplomakh, who kept his opponent at a long distance, the Thracian sought to converge with him chest to chest. In close combat, the curved blade allowed him to deceive the enemy, change the direction of the attack very quickly, and cut the weakly protected backs of the arms and legs.

The cunning and deceit of the Thracians were repeatedly noted in literary monuments. Their famous supporter was the emperor Caligula, who ruled in 37-41.

Thracian helmet

The helmet of a Thracian gladiator is easily identifiable based on the large number of images available. Structurally, it is similar to the murmillon helmet and is a headband with wide brim and large cheek pads that completely cover the face of its owner. For vision and breathing, there were large holes in the upper part of the cheek-pieces, which were closed from the outside by an openwork lattice suspended on hinges or pins. The surface of the helmets was covered with chased images and engravings on mythological subjects.

A distinctive feature of the Thracian helmets was a high flat crest adorned with a griffin head. The helmet was also decorated with feathers, which visually increased the height of the warrior and gave him an elegant look.

Fragment of the decoration of the crest of the Thracian gladiator's helmet, made in the form of a griffin

Thracian shield

Thracian gladiators were armed with a rectangular, rarely round, shield (parma), which had a smaller size than their opponents. Structurally, it was arranged in the same way as the large shield of secutors, provocateurs and murmillons. It consisted of several layers of wooden planks glued perpendicular to each other. Outside, the shield was pasted over with canvas, then with leather, and, finally, richly painted. Variants of decorations can be observed on the example of numerous mosaics of the Roman period. Such a shield provided good protection for the upper part of the fighter's body.

Insufficient protection of the lower abdomen and thighs had to be compensated for with a wide belt and leggings. Due to the light weight of his shield, the Thracian invariably outperformed his heavily armed opponent in mobility and could impose on him the time and distance of the battle.

Thracian sword (sika)

Thracian gladiators were armed with a curved sword (sica), which originated from single-edged curved blades common during the 3rd-2nd centuries BC. in the north of the Balkan Peninsula. The length of the original finds of this weapon ranges from 40 to 50 cm, the width is 4 cm. The concave blade of the Shiki had excellent cutting properties.

During the excavations of the Roman camp of Oberaden in Germany, a wooden sword with a curved blade was discovered. The length of the blade is 30 cm, the hilt and handle have a characteristic Roman shape. It is most likely that the wooden sword was a training weapon and was lost during the evacuation of the camp in 8 BC.

Thracian Leggings

The goplomakhs and the Thracians used the same leggings, which are described in more detail in the section on the goplomakh.