Gladiators of Ancient Rome

In ancient Rome, prisoners of war and slaves fought each other to entertain the Roman people. In ancient times, these people were called gladiators. Forced to fight, gladiators would not only face each other, but also wild animals. Each of the gladiators had a different weapon and trained accordingly.

-Not all gladiators were prisoners of war or slaves

Not all Roman gladiators were brought into the arena in chains. While many of the earliest warriors were war artifacts and criminal slaves, tomb inscriptions show that this began to change in the 1st century AD. Impressed by the war and the excitement of the crowd, many free men began to sign contracts with gladiator schools voluntarily in hopes of gaining glory and rewards. These free warriors were usually helpless men or veterans skilled at fighting. But some were upper-class patricians, knights, and even senators willing to show their warrior ancestry.

-Gladiator fights were originally held on tombs to honor the dead.

Many ancient historians said that the Roman games were taken from the Etruscans. But modern-day historians claim that gladiator fights began as a blood ritual performed at the funerals of wealthy nobles. When eminent aristocrats died, their families would have slaves and prisoners fight over their graves to pay tribute to the virtues displayed during one's lifetime. These funeral games became even more popular during the reign of Julius Caesar, who later held matches between hundreds of gladiators in honor of his deceased father and daughter.

(Etruscans: A people who lived in the Etruria region of Italy, located between the Tiber and Arno rivers, and survived until the 6th century BC.)

-Roman gladiators didn't always fight to the death

Hollywood movies and television shows often depict gladiator matches as bloody and free for all. However, most fights were conducted under very strict rules and regulations. Competitions often consisted of one-on-one fights between two men of similar size and experience. The referees followed these fights carefully and stopped the fight when one of the gladiators was seriously injured. If the crowd got tired of a long and contentious battle, the fight would be deadlocked. On such rare occasions, two gladiators who had put on an exciting show for the crowd were allowed to leave the arena with dignity.

Because gladiators were expensive to house, feed, and train, their supporters hated to see them killed needlessly. Given this situation, the trainers may have taught the gladiators to injure, not kill. However, a gladiator's life was often short. Most gladiators only lived into their mid-20s.

-The famous "thumbs down" sign probably didn't mean death

If a gladiator was seriously injured or was defeated and dropped his weapon, his fate would be in the hands of the spectators. In competitions held at the Colosseum, the emperor had the final say on whether the gladiators would survive, but rulers and war organizers often left the decision to the people. Movies show crowds making a "thumbs up" gesture when they want to finish off a disgraced gladiator, but that's not entirely true. While some historians think that the sign symbolizing death was actually thumbs up, a closed fist with two fingers extended and a thumbs down sign may indicate mercy. No matter what sign is used, the crowd that goes crazy with excitement will say "let it go!" or “kill!” they was screaming.

-Roman gladiators were divided into different classes and types

When the Colosseum opened in 80 AD, gladiator games had turned into a well-organized blood sport, from free battles to the death. Warriors were divided into classes based on their credential, skill level, and experience, with most of them specializing in a particular fighting style and weapon. The most popular were the thraex and murmillo, which fought with the sword and shield. However, in addition to these two styles, there were equites who entered the arena on horseback, essedarius fighting on chariots, and dimachaeri wielding two swords at the same time. Perhaps the most unusual of all popular gladiator species was the retiarius, armed only with a net and a trident. These warriors sought to trap their opponents with their nets before moving on to kill them. But if they failed, they were almost completely defenseless.

-Roman gladiators rarely fought against animals.

Although the Colosseum and other Roman arenas were often depicted with gruesome animal hunts, gladiators were rarely involved. Because there were two special warrior classes called “venatores” and “bestiarii” who challenged animals such as deer, ostrich, lion, crocodile, bear and elephant. Animal hunts were the opening event of the games, and many unfortunate animals were slaughtered in a single event. 9,000 animals were killed during a 100-day festival to celebrate the opening of the Colosseum, and another 11,000 were killed as part of a 123-day festival organized by Emperor Trajan in the 2nd century AD. Wild animals have become an important part of a popular form of execution. Convicted criminals and Christians were often thrown in front of hungry dogs, lions, and bears as part of the day's entertainment.

-Womens also fought as gladiators

Female slaves were regularly forced to fight in the arena alongside the men. But a few took the sword of their own free will. It is unclear when women first began fighting as gladiators. However, it is known that they started to take part in games in the 1st century AD. These female warriors may not have been taken seriously in patriarchal Roman culture (Emperor Domitian liked to pit women against dwarves), but a few managed to prove themselves in one-on-one combat. For example, a marble relief dated to the 2nd century AD depicts a fight between two women, the Amazon and Achillia, who are said to have fought honorably. Women also took part in animal hunting, but their presence in the arena ended around AD 200.

-Some Roman gladiators organized into unions

Although they regularly had to face each other in a life-or-death battle, the gladiators saw themselves as a kind of brotherhood. Some even organized into groups with their own elected leaders and patron deities. When a gladiator died in combat, these groups ensured a proper burial for their deceased comrades honoring their achievements in the arena. If the deceased had a wife and children, they would help them get monetary compensation.

-Some Roman emperors also showed up in the arena.

Hosting gladiator games was an easy way for Roman emperors to win the love of the public. But a few took it a step further and joined the fight. Many monarchs appeared in the arena, including Caligula, Titus, and Hadrian. But they most likely fought under highly controlled conditions or with blunt blades. Also, their opponents were often inexperienced warriors or frightened slaves.