Arena in rome name. The most famous gladiators

Gladiators were called fighters in ancient Rome, who fought among themselves for the amusement of the public. Arenas were even created especially for such spectacles. The reason for the appearance of such cruel entertainment was the territorial expansion of Ancient Rome. It turned out that the prisoners simply had nowhere to go. It was just pointless to kill them, so they forced the men to fight each other for the amusement of the public. Only the strongest survived. Gladiator games began to be considered a public spectacle from 106 BC.

In Rome itself and in the whole country, this becomes the most beloved spectacle. That is why gladiator schools appeared. And in 63, Nero allowed women to participate in such battles. The games of gladiators were officially banned in 404, with the advent of Christianity in Rome. These brave fighters have become a symbol of bravery and courage, and the uprising of fighters led by Spartacus in general has become an important part of ancient history. We remember the names of the best gladiators to this day.

Spartacus. Who is the most famous gladiator in history is not worth guessing for a long time. This is Spartak, whose name is given to children, ships and football teams. Although this person is very famous, it is still not clear who he really was in terms of his origin. The classical version is that Spartacus was a Thracian taken prisoner by the Romans. But there are suggestions that the famous gladiator was still a Roman who rebelled and fled from his legion. Just in those years, Rome waged fierce wars with Thrace and Macedonia, so Spartacus could well have been captured. The attribution to Spartacus of Thracian origin is understandable, because in those days all gladiators were divided into Gauls and Thracians, taking into account the type of combat, regardless of where the fighters were from. And judging by the grammar of the Latin language, the name Spartacus means that he was related to Sparta. Historians unearthed that the gladiator studied at the school of Lentulus Batiatus, where he studied the philosophy of Gaius Blossius. There are many interesting moments in it, one of the slogans generally says: "The last will become the first and vice versa." In 73 B.C. a well-known event in the history of Rome happened - the gladiator Spartacus rebelled along with his 70 comrades. At first it was just a group of runaway slaves with four strong leaders - in addition to Spartacus, it was also Crixus, Kast and Guy Gannicus, the rebels simply robbed their own school and fled to the outskirts of Naples with weapons in their hands. The rebels began to trade in robberies and murders, their army grew at the expense of other runaway slaves. A couple of years later, the company was already more than 120 thousand people who calmly moved around the country. There was a slave system in the country, and such an uprising threatened the existence of the state. That is why the best military forces were sent to pacify Spartacus and his comrades. Gradually, the forces of the slaves were defeated, Spartak himself died presumably near the Silari River. The last remnants of the mighty army of the rebels tried to flee north, but were defeated by Pompey. It was he who received the laurels of the main suppressor of the rebellion.

Commodus. Who said that a gladiator had to be a slave? Many free people chose this profession for themselves. There is a historical fact that there was a gladiator of imperial origin. Commodus, already from an early age, had excellent oratory skills, having learned to make vivid speeches. But the older he got, the less interesting were state affairs and caring for his subjects. Commodus was much more interested in entertainment, including sexual ones. The emperor began to show cruelty - the time of his reign was marked by numerous executions and murders. It is no coincidence that Commodus is compared in this indicator with Nero himself. After all, Commodus was not inferior to him either in cruelty or in his depravity. The young emperor had his own harem, in which there were more than a hundred young concubines, and even more boys. The emperor himself loved to wear women's clothes and flirted with his subordinates, playing different roles. Among the favorite games of Commodus was the dissection of living people. And it was Commodus who became the first emperor to enter the battlefield as a gladiator. But for a person of royal blood, this was considered an incredible shame. Contemporaries recalled that Commodus was actually an excellent fighter - he skillfully killed dangerous animals. At the same time, he was not at all shy about his inappropriate entertainment, and even loved to demonstrate his combat skills to his subordinates. Commodus also became famous for his pedantry - a clerk followed him everywhere, who recorded all the actions and speeches of the emperor. But thanks to this, we now know that the gladiator emperor took part in 735 battles. Commodus is also known for his belief in various cruel pagan cults, sometimes he even reincarnated in the clothes of the god Anubis. The emperor demanded that his subjects deify themselves, idealize, and simply killed for disobedience. The death of a tyrant was classic - he was killed as a result of a conspiracy by disgruntled fellow citizens.

Spicul. According to historians, Spikul belonged to such a type of gladiators as murmillos. They were also called myrmillons. The basis of the armament of such fighters was a half-meter rectangular shield, the gladius. The head of the gladiator was protected by a Boeotian helmet in the form of a fish and with a wave-like crest. Spiculus' right hand was protected by manna. Before the start of the battle, this famous gladiator always put on a bandage on his thigh and tied it with a belt. The upper part of his feet was wrapped in thick wrappings. The classic murmillon was also equipped with short armor. Spikul went down in history as a favorite of Nero. Not without reason, after one of his fights, the gladiator even received a palace, several houses and a land allotment near Rome from the all-powerful emperor as a gift. Nero himself repeatedly mentioned that in his army of gladiators it was Spiculus who eliminated his rivals in the most skillful way. Historians say that the favorite of the emperor was also the most experienced fighter. Most likely, he also taught beginners the art of combat. There are legends that Spikul also gained fame as a great lover. In his company, even Nero himself often visited brothels and other similar places of entertainment. And the legendary gladiator died at about the same time as his patron. They say that in the last minutes of his life, Nero even wanted Spikul to kill him. That's just one, as luck would have it, in the palace at that moment was not. And after the death of the despot, his close associates began to be mercilessly pursued. In June 68, Spiculus was thrown under the statues of Nero, which people were dragging around the forum. So it was not Nero who died at the hands of his favorite, but rather the opposite.

Tumelik. It is believed that this gladiator comes from a noble family. His father was the famous German leader Arminius. And he became famous for the fact that in the depths of the Teutoburg Forest he managed to defeat three Roman legions at once. They were commanded by the governor Var. And Tusnelda became Tumelik's mother. That defeat became so humiliating that the Roman Empire could not ignore it. Soon the emperor Tiberius ordered his nephew Germanicus to go on a campaign and defeat the obstinate Germans. Three times the Romans entered the lands east of the Rhine. They destroyed the fortifications of the tribes, liberated the city of Segest, besieged by Arminius. But most importantly, Tusnelda was taken prisoner with her little son Tumelik. Germanicus was about ready to capture Arminius himself, but then Tiberius called him back to Rome. During the celebration of the triumph in honor of the victory over the Germans, the main witnesses of his success, Tusnelda and Tumelik, walked in front of the chariot of Germanicus. Even Tusnelda's father saw this, being next to Germanicus. So the mother of the young captive and his grandfather lived out their lives in a foreign land. Tusnelda became a servant in one of the rich houses, she could even outlive her son. Tumelik himself got into the school of gladiators. When he was eighteen years old, the son of Germanicus, Caligula, became the new emperor. Today, everyone admits that he was simply a mad ruler. So, he ordered Tumelik to be brought to battle. The brave German put on an iron mask, which depicted his unconquered father Arminius. The gladiator had a sword in his hands. But Caligula decided not to field other fighters against him, but ordered the hungry lions to be released. It is difficult to judge the age of Tumelik; according to some sources, he was generally fifteen or sixteen years old at that time.

Enomai. This gladiator went down in history as one of the leaders of the uprising of Spartacus, his right hand. And Enomai commanded the slaves. He was captured by the Romans during the conquest of Gaul by the empire. Enomai was one of those gladiators who studied at the famous school of Lentulus Batiatus. This establishment was in Capua. There is evidence that this school had unbearable conditions for training and living. That is why Enomai without hesitation came out in support of his countryman Crixus and Spartacus, who was born, as they said in Thrace. These gladiators stood at the head of the uprising. But of the whole trinity, it was Enomai who was destined to die first. Historians tend to believe that he died between 73 and 72 BC. And the gladiator died not in the arena and not even on the battlefield, but during the robbery of one of the towns of southern Italy. Historians believe that Enomai was engaged in the craft of a gladiator for more than ten years. Such a long career took place thanks to the huge strength of the fighter and his literally inhuman endurance. It is reported that in one of the battles, Enomai's nose was injured. It did not grow together very well, which is why it twisted. A small hump formed on the bridge of the nose. But although the gladiator had a formidable appearance, his temper remained calm. Enomai even had a lover named Embolaria. There is evidence that Enomai was still not the real name of the gladiator, but his nickname, which he received for performances in the arena. After all, Enomai was the name of the son of the god Ares, who was distinguished by a warlike and cruel disposition. In those days, often the names of gladiators became part of their "stage" image. The Romans did not even want to hear their own, “barbarian” names, considering them simply ugly.

Batiatus. We have repeatedly mentioned the name of this gladiator in connection with his school. But initially he also performed in the arena. After the end of his active career, Lentulus Batiata founded his own school, which became the largest in the country. There is reason to believe that it was Batiata who was the mentor of Spartacus himself. And the school opened in Capua became a model for an institution of this type, which soon began to appear throughout the Roman Empire. And Cornelius Lentulus Batiata lived in Rome. His views were based on materialistic beliefs. And although he called his gladiator wards nothing more than monsters, Batiata did this in a playful and affectionate manner. The founder of the school himself stated that it is essentially a farm where experimental creatures are grown. Such radical life had a right to life, the gladiators from Capua were really popular. People from the most remote places of the empire came to watch their battles. It was not easy for Batiata to work with the gladiators. In addition, it was enough to organize just a couple of fights that were not interesting for the public, as competitors would have removed Batiat's school from performances in the Colosseum. The former gladiator himself was well aware of how competition from other schools is growing. To increase the motivation of his fighters, Batiata introduced an interesting motivation system. The owner inspired his gladiators that life is actually an ordinary dream that comes to a person by the will of the gods. In total, more than two hundred fighters were trained at the school. Most are prisoners from Thrace and Gaul. Historians believe that it was the cruel attitude of the owner towards his gladiators that ultimately resulted in a rebellion.

Guy Ganik. It is not known exactly when this gladiator was born and died. Some encyclopedists believe that Gaius Ganik died in 71 BC. And this man went down in history as an ally of Spartacus. He led a large detachment of slaves who rebelled at that time. Gaius Gannicus was originally from Gaul. But in one of the biographies of Spartacus there is information that his colleague belonged to the ancient people of Italy, the Samnites. It was also said that the gladiator had Celtic roots. Most likely, Gaius Gannicus ended up in Rome, having been captured during the conquests of Gaul. Together with Spartacus, Guy Gannicus studied gladiator skills at the Capua school of Lentulus Batitata. In Capua, many believed that it was he who, in fact, was the best gladiator. During the uprising of Spartacus, the former gladiator became the commander, defeating the regular units of the Romans. In 71 B.C. Spartacus, together with Gaius Gannicus, decided to lead the rebels to Gaul and Thrace. But in the last phase of the uprising, after Spartacus decided to capture the city of Brundisium, an army of twelve thousand people broke away from the main forces. It was led by Guy Ganik and Kast. But this time the gladiators failed to resist the trained and superior troops of the Romans. In the last battle, Guy Ganik was brave, as befits a real gladiator. The legendary warrior died near the city of Regia, which is located in the Jura of modern Italy. In his Comparative Life, Plutarch found a place for Gaius Gannicus, whom the historian called Gaius Cannicius.

Crix. This gladiator was a Gaul and was in slavery for several years. Crixus fell into captivity while fighting the Romans on the side of the Alloborgs. Crixus, like Spartacus, was a gladiator in the school of Lenthal Batiatus, which was in Capua. In 73 B.C. Crixus, along with other fugitives from this school, began to plunder the neighborhood of Naples and collect other runaway slaves. Crixus was one of the most important assistants of Spartacus. But after the first military successes, Crixus separated from his leader, remaining in southern Italy. The main forces of the slaves moved north. Plutarch said that the reason for this separation was the arrogance and arrogance of Crixus. In his army remained the Gauls and Germans, the tribesmen of the leader. In the spring of 72 BC. Roman consul Publicula began to actively fight with the army of Crixus. A decisive battle took place near Mount Gargan in Apulia. In the course of it, Crixus was killed. He fought with great courage, killing at least ten legionnaires and centurions. But in the end, Crixus was stabbed to death with a spear and beheaded. The 30,000-strong army of slaves was defeated. Spartacus honored the memory of his comrades-in-arms by arranging gladiator games, as was customary in Rome. Only this time, more than three hundred noble Roman prisoners of war were forced to take part in such events.

Gherardesca Manutius. Speaking of the greatest gladiators, it is worth mentioning the most famous woman who mastered this profession. Gherardesca Manutius is perhaps the greatest warrior in history. She killed more than two hundred opponents of different sexes in the arena, meeting her death in battle. She was a beauty, with jet black hair and a perfect body. Roman fans adored her. And Manutius entered the arena just a year before her death. In such a short period of time, she managed to become a celebrity. The fugitive slave was 28 years old when she fell into a group of those tens of thousands of slaves who united under the leadership of Spartacus. In the rebel army, a woman first played the unenviable role of a prostitute. With Spartacus, she traveled all over Italy, in her free time the woman took lessons in working with a sword. This allowed her to become an excellent hand-to-hand fighter with experience in martial arts. At the Battle of Lucania in 71 BC, when Spartacus was killed, Gherardescu was captured by Marcus Lucinius Crassus. Without thinking twice, he ordered the woman to be crucified along with other six thousand runaway slaves. But already at the moment when the Amazon was chained to the cross, the Roman suddenly changed his mind. The beautiful Gherardesca liked her bronzed skin and spent the night in Crassus' tent. The next day, the commander sent the woman to Capua, to the gladiatorial school. He hoped that this craft would help her one day become free. The basics of gladiatorial combat were given to Gerardesca without much difficulty. A few weeks later, the first battle of the Amazon took place. The excitement was explained by the fact that the protégé of Crassus himself entered the arena. But it took the gladiator woman only five minutes to finish off the muscular and tattooed Greek Thracian. The audience watched with delight as the two topless bodies, sweating from the sun, moved in an attempt to kill each other. As a result, the sword entered the groin of the Greek, and the thunder of applause shook the amphitheater. The winner used a trick. But the bloody career could not last long. For 11 whole months, Gherardesca destroyed all her rivals, including already famous fighters. And the gladiator died in a battle with two dwarfs. During the duel, one of them managed to sneak behind the woman and stick the trident right into the kidneys. The former favorite of the public suddenly lost all the sympathies at once, which went to the dwarfs. The entire Colosseum pointed their fingers down, passing judgment on Gherardesca. According to the rules, the wounded woman is light on her back, tormented by pain. She raised the finger of her left hand and at that moment the dwarfs drove their tridents into her stomach and chest, ending the fight. The wounded body of the gladiator was carried away from the arena and simply thrown onto a pile of other victims of the battles. So the idol of Rome, the famous female fighter, did not receive the last worthy honors.

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 a finishing sword, and "Life" meant simply a hidden thumb in 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 condemned. 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 (in fact, 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 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 cords. 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; they rode on a camel, keeping lions 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 open-air opera venue, 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" - 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).
"Spartacus: Blood and Sand" - director's series

Initially, gladiators were people sentenced to death, who had nothing to lose. The statutes of ancient Rome made it possible to fight for freedom and, in case of victory, it was possible to exchange life for finances gained in battle. Then ordinary people who desperately wanted to achieve fame and material well-being joined the gladiator fights. In order to get into the number of fighters, they had to take an oath and become "legally dead." Each person who decided on this was fed high-calorie food free of charge and provided timely treatment. Sponsors of the fights spent a lot of money on the maintenance of gladiators, so it was often very expensive at the show where the fight was fought. There are cases when bloody gladiatorial battles of women were arranged.

gladiator schools

In ancient Rome, there were even special institutions in which gladiators were trained in combat. They could belong to both the state and a private person. The manager of such an institution was called "lanista". In his submission was a staff of teachers teaching fighters fencing, gunsmithing, as well as cooks, doctors and even a funeral team. The daily routine and discipline at the gladiator school were extremely strict.

In some of these institutions, fighting with wild animals was also taught. Such fighters were trained much longer. They were trained in training, the habits of various types of animals. Elephants, lions, tigers, bears, panthers, leopards died in the ring along with people.

Classification of gladiators

Ancient Rome was full of gladiator fights, which were first held during church holidays, and then became an integral part of almost everyday entertainment of citizens. There was even a classification of fighters by specialization.

1. Andabats - gladiators who fought on the principle of cavalry competitions, without the right to see an opponent.

2. Bestiaries were originally criminals sentenced to fight with animals. The convicts actually had no chance to survive. Subsequently, these gladiators began to be trained. Armed with darts or, fighters began to often win in such fights.

3. Bustari - gladiators who fought in memory of those who died at ceremonial games.

4. Velites - pedestrian gladiators who fought with darts, a small dagger and a shield.

5. Venators were not gladiators, but were present at every battle. Entertained the audience, using animals. They did tricks: put their hands in the mouth of a lion, rode a camel.

6. Dimachers in the process of fighting had 2 swords with them. A helmet and shield were not allowed.

7. The Gauls were armed with a spear, a small shield and a helmet.

8. Lakvearia. Their task was to catch the enemy with a lasso.

9. Murmillos. On the crest of their helmet was a stylized fish. They are armed with a short sword and a shield.

10. Noxii - criminals who were released to fight each other. Sometimes they were blindfolded, given this or that weapon. The judge or someone from the crowd was allowed to prompt the combatants. However, most often the audience shouted over the instructions and nothing was heard by the fighting.

11. Pregenaries. Speaking first, they "warmed up" the crowd. These gladiators wrapped their bodies in rags and used wooden swords.

12. Provocateurs - armed with gladiuses and gladiator shields, were the only ones who were allowed to protect the body with a cuirass.

13. Rudiarii - fighters who deserved freedom, but decided to remain in the ranks of the gladiators. Awarded with a wooden sword. They became coaches, judges or assistants.

14. Sagittarii fought on horseback, armed with a bow.

15. Scissors - fighters armed with weapons resembling scissors.

16. Tertiary - a substitute player who came on as a substitute if, for some reason, one of the gladiators could not participate in the battle. In other battles, tertiarii fought the winner of the main competition.

17. Equites spent the first half of the battle on horseback, and after the spear with which they were armed was thrown, they continued to fight on their feet with short swords.

18. Cestus - fighters who fought using only cestus - an old analogue of brass knuckles.

The tradition of gladiator fights in the territory of Ancient Rome has been preserved for more than half a millennium.

Gladiators are Roman slave fighters who fought for the delight of the public in the Roman Empire for nearly 700 years. One of the first mentions of this phenomenon is the fights of three pairs of gladiators at the Cow Market in Rome in 264 BC. e., and the last - the decree of the emperor Honorius on their ban.

How gladiators lived, what they did besides battles, as well as other equally interesting stories about the ancient fighters of the Great Empire - in the new material of the site.

Gladiators were slaves, prisoners of war, or criminals, and sometimes ordinary citizens. These comrades, not old and well developed, ended up in gladiator schools, where they underwent military training under the guidance of a manager. Gladiators practiced every day with trainers and teachers who taught them how to use a variety of weapons. Also at the service of the gladiators were cooks, doctors and getters.

The gladiators of ancient Rome lived much better than simple slaves

Gladiators lived much better than ordinary slaves, but this advantage was nothing more than an ordinary investment. The better the gladiator lived, the better he fought, won, and therefore brought more profit.

Some gladiators could achieve emancipation from slavery, but there were few of them. These fighters received a rudis - a wooden sword, a sign of liberation from slavery. Often they became paid trainers in their own luduses (gladiator schools).

Gladiator fights usually ended with the death of one of the opponents or the defeat of a group of gladiators if it was a group duel. If one of the losers remained alive, then the audience decided their fate. A well-known gesture - thumb down or up - decided the fate of the defeated. However, it is believed that the gestures were different: fingers clenched into a fist - life, thumb set aside - death.

If the losing gladiators survived, their fate was decided by the spectators

Roman gladiators were divided into types, and each of them was armed in its own way and was used in different battles. Often gladiators were armed as representatives of one of the peoples conquered by Rome or as some fictional characters. However, despite all this, the weapons of the gladiators did not differ in variety.

Interesting Facts:

1) The life of a gladiator was highly valued. It took a lot of time, effort and money to bring up an excellent fighter, and such a fighter brought a huge income to its owner.

2) Gladiators were considered the lowest "caste" even among slaves, and becoming a gladiator is a huge shame for a Roman citizen. But there were not rare cases when a simple citizen of Rome went to the gladiators - sometimes out of complete hopelessness, sometimes out of his own whim.

Gladiators were considered the lowest "caste" even among slaves.

3) In all the films, the gladiator looks like a bodybuilder, but he was not. Two to three months before the fights, the gladiators were fed rich and fatty foods, as a thick layer of fat protected the internal organs..

4) There is a myth that gladiators are the best fighters in Rome. Fighters, yes, but not soldiers. They did not know how to fight in an organized manner, like legionnaires, they did not know the tactics of formations, etc. This was the misfortune of Spartacus. Gladiators could be good bodyguards, which often was the case, but soldiers were not.

There is a myth that gladiators are the best fighters in Rome. Fighters - yes, but not soldiers

Main types of gladiators:

- Sagittarius - a mounted archer, armed with a flexible bow capable of firing an arrow at a long distance, dressed in a tunic and without armor.

- Mirmillon - was in a helmet with a stylized fish on the crest.

- Andabat - so named because he fought on horseback.

— Equit is a lightly armed gladiator.

- Pegniarius - used a whip, a club and a shield that was attached to his left hand, but did not use armor and a helmet.

Rudiarium - a gladiator who deserved to be released, but remained a gladiator

- Retiarius - armed with a trident, a dagger and a net, except for a loincloth he had no clothes, including a helmet.

- Pregenary - speaking at the beginning of the competition to "warm up" the crowd.

Tertiarius is a gladiator with a wide variety of weapons and armor.

- Gallus - was armed with a spear, a helmet and a small Gallic shield, dressed in a leather belt and cloth bandages on his arms and legs.

- Bustuary - any type of gladiator who fought in honor of the deceased at the ritual games during the funeral rite.

August 4, 2018

Most gladiators were convicted criminals, captured by the military or despised slaves. In a frantic mortal battle against the same unfortunate, the gladiators of Rome tried to gain their freedom in this way - after all, the winner of the bloody fight, causing delight and respect for the entertaining public, could count on the removal of punishment and restoration of rights if he was a citizen.

Along with this, some Roman gladiators were free citizens who risked their legal and social status, and most importantly, their lives for the sake of money and fame.

Spartacus - a gladiator who rebelled against Rome

Over the centuries, this legendary name has inspired many political thinkers, and the image of Spartacus has been repeatedly used in literature and cinema as a symbol of the oppressed and the rebels in the struggle for freedom. However, no historical document indicates that the purpose of the rebellion he raised, known as the Spartacus revolt, was to end slavery in the Roman Republic.

Most of the details from his life are connected precisely with these events and little is known about his youth. The Greek biographer and essayist Plutarch describes Spartacus as "a Thracian from a nomadic tribe" who became a Roman mercenary and fought in Macedonia. The iron discipline that reigned in the Roman legions prompted him to attempt an escape. As noted by the ancient Greek historian and philosopher Appiano of Alexandria, Spartacus was soon captured, recognized as a deserter and condemned to enslavement under Roman military law. About 75g. BC. he was sold to Lentulo Batiato, a lanist who owned a gladiator school in Capua, where Spartacus fought in the arena of the Capuano amphitheatre. A few years later, 70 slaves, dissatisfied with the conditions of their detention, fled the school. Armed with kitchen knives and agricultural tools taken from there, the fugitives defeated a group of Roman soldiers sent in pursuit from the local garrison and took refuge on the slopes of Vesuvius.

The previous military experience and knowledge of the tactics of the legionnaires provided Spartacus with leadership and the first successes in military clashes with regular troops sent by Rome to pacify the rebels.

In the spring of 72 BC. the army of Spartacus, already numbering more than 30 thousand people, moved north, intending to cross the Alps and leave the peninsula. Alarmed by the rebellion, the senate sent eight legions of well-trained soldiers against him, led by Licinius Crassus, who forced the defeated troops of Spartacus to retreat to the south. According to Plutarch, the Roman gladiator made a deal with the Cilician pirates to transport the remnants of his army to Sicily, but they betrayed him. The last battle in which Spartacus was defeated and killed, according to the same Plutarch, took place in 71g. BC. near Petelia, in Calabria.

Death of Spartacus. Engraving by Hermann Vogel (1882)

Gladiator Crixus

An associate of Spartacus, a native of Gaul, he was also one of the leaders of the slaves who fled from the Lanist school in Capua. However, after the first successes in battles with the Roman legions, part of the rebels led by Crixus, consisting of his fellow Gauls and Germans, separated from the army of Spartacus. Some historians argue that this was the wrong tactical move, which included the diversion of part of the Roman legions; others suggest that certain disagreements arose between the two leaders - Spartacus wanted to get to the lands of Gaul and disband the army, while Crixus, pursuing personal goals, intended to plunder southern Italy. Either way, this was the beginning of the end.

In the spring of 72 BC. consul Lucius Gellio Publicola, sent after the army of Crixus, in a decisive battle at Mount Gargan in Apulia, defeated him, destroying about 30 thousand. disobedient slaves. The Roman gladiator himself, being wounded in the chest, dropped to one knee and gave the legionnaire the opportunity to cut off his head. According to the testimony of the ancient Roman historian Titus Livius (59 BC-17 AD), the executor was the praetor Quintus Arrius himself, a famous politician and military leader, who then took the head of Crixus as a trophy. Spartacus honored the memory of the former gladiator in the manner of the Roman aristocrats - he arranged a funeral gladiatorial games, in which 300 Roman prisoners of war participated, forced to fight to the death.

Gladiatricians - brave female gladiators of Rome

Little is known about female gladiators (gladiatrice) - there are only about a dozen literary fragments in the world and a bas-relief with an epigram found in Halicarnassus, dating from the 2nd century AD. e. and is now in the British Museum.

Bas-relief found at Halicarnassus. I-II centuries AD

For the first time they are mentioned in his writings by the ancient Roman historian and writer Publius Cornelius Tacitus. According to his description, it is believed that the first fights in the arena between women date back to 63. BC. During the reign of Nero, the freedman Patrobius arranged unusual gladiator fights for the emperor, in which women participated. The magnificent action was timed to coincide with the visit of the king of Armenia Tiridates I.

Ancient bronze figurine depicting a female gladiator. Museum of Art in Hamburg

One of the proofs of the existence of female gladiators in Rome can be an antique bronze statuette found in the storerooms of the Hamburg Museum of Art by the archaeologist of the University of Granada Alfonso Magnas. According to his conclusion, in the hands of the statue is a sica (sica) - a short curved dagger, which was a common weapon among the Thracians and Dacians. As the historian himself notes, “the appearance of naked female gladiators in the arena produced an exciting effect on the crowd. Watching women in an atypical role stimulated the male imagination and libido."

According to some legends, Gerardesca Manutius, a twenty-eight-year-old runaway slave who joined the Spartacus rebellion, could have headed the list of female gladiators. A seductive black-haired beauty and a former courtesan, she quickly mastered the techniques of warfare and fought on a par with men. After the defeat of the army of Spartacus, the captive Gherardescu, like the rest of the fugitive slaves, was expected to be executed. However, Licinius Crassus himself pardoned the woman, giving her the opportunity to fight in the arena as Roman gladiators. According to various testimonies, she won two hundred fights. Death overtook Gherardescu in the arena in a fight against two dwarfs, one of whom crept up behind the gladiatrician and stabbed her, thrusting a trident into her back.

History of the gladiator Commodus

Ancient Roman morality demanded that the gladiators of Rome enter the arena from the lower social classes of society. However, despite this, according to the chroniclers, some emperors also spoke in public.

Emperor Commodus. Part of the sculptural composition in the Capitoline Museums. Rome

The most famous of them was Commodus (161-192 AD) - the eighteenth Roman emperor, who had a fanatical passion for gladiatorial combat. Imitating the exploits of the legendary Hercules, he appeared in the arena in a lion's skin to fight wild animals and once even killed a hundred lions in one day. Nevertheless, the famous ancient Roman chronicler Dion Cassius (155-235 AD) noted that the emperor was an experienced archer who could hit a running ostrich right in the head with this weapon. Having beheaded the bird, Commodus brought its head to the front rows of the amphitheater, where eminent persons and senators were seated. However, they found his actions more ridiculous than frightening and often chewed bay leaves so as not to give themselves away with laughter.

Commodus, being left-handed, was extremely proud of this fact and, speaking in fights with gladiators, he always won. However, the Romans considered his battles shameful, since sick or physically handicapped people, as well as captured wounded soldiers, got into the arena as the intended victims, which caused anger among the military officials of Rome. Perhaps in the future this was the reason for the murder of Commodus.

Maximus - gladiator or fictional hero

The film "Gladiator" (2000) by American film director Ridley Scott marked the revival of the "pepulum" genre, which was so popular at the turn of the 50s and 60s of the last century, with its release on the screens.

Frame from the film "Gladiator" (2000)

However, the reliability of the facts set forth in the blockbuster can mislead the viewer, who is inexperienced in ancient Roman history. Therefore, I would like to note that the gladiator Maximus is a fictional character. His prototype in the film may have been Gaius Julius Verus Maximus (Latin - Gaius Julius Verus Maximus), the son of the Roman emperor Maximinus Thrax (173-238) and Caecilia Paolina.

Gladiators of Rome - the history of Roman fighters and the names of the best