The provocator (‘challenger’) wore a full breastplate and a helmet with a visor. He fought with a sword and carried a shield too. The murmillo is sometimes referred to as the ‘fishman’ because of the fish motifs on the heavy helmet of this gladiator. This gladiator was armed with a sword and carried a shield. The secutor (meaning ‘follower’ or ‘chaser’) was regularly pitted against the retiarius, and had a smooth helmet shaped like the head of a fish. With little armor, the retiarius relied on speed and agility in the arena. The retiarius (which may be literally translated to mean ‘net-man’ or ‘net-fighter’) is a type of gladiator armed with a net, a trident, and a dagger. Some of the more popular gladiator types are: In fact, there were so many different types of gladiators, that not all of them can be named here. There are various types of gladiators, each distinguished by the weapons and armor that were used. ( Sailko/CC BY SA 3.0 ) Types of Gladiators Regardless of the authenticity of his claim, Suetonius made it to highlight the extravagant nature of the emperor by demonstrating that Nero was willing to shower a presumably lower classed individual with such expensive gifts.Ĭarving showing a Roman Emperor presiding over gladiatorial games. According to Suetonius, the emperor Nero awarded a gladiator, Spiculus, with houses and estates worthy of generals returning triumphantly from a war. Their remains show the poor men were, however, well fed and adapted to battle later in life – possibly so they would be stronger and more impressive looking combatants in the gladiatorial games.ĭespite the low social status of gladiators, they had the potential to gain the patronage of the upper classes sometimes even benefits from the emperor himself. The research shows most of the men were extremely malnourished as children and likely came from disadvantaged homes. Studies analyzing the teeth of supposed gladiators which have been found in Driffield Terrace, York, UK, have also suggested that gladiators generally came from harsh backgrounds. The participation of emperors in these games, however, was scorned by some, as gladiators belonged to the lowest of social classes. It is also recorded that some Roman emperors even participated in gladiatorial games themselves the most famous of whom was probably the emperor Commodus. However, the evidence of such citizen gladiators is extremely slim. The benefits to be found in fighting in the arena – fame, glory, and fortune - were strong enough to entice some people to become gladiators voluntarily. But not all gladiators were forced into the trade.ĭespite the hard and precarious life, gladiators were the superstars of their day. Thus, gladiatorial combats may be seen as a way for the Romans to re-enact the wars that they had with their conquered subjects. The use of Rome’s defeated enemies in these games is reflected in some of the gladiator types, including the Thraex (or Thracian), the Hoplomachus, and the Samnite. Many gladiators fought because they were forced into the arena as prisoners of war, slaves, or criminals with a death sentence. (Public Domain) Why Did Gladiators Fight? Floor mosaic in Great Palace of Constantinople (Istanbul), 5th century. Two Venatores (those who made a career out of fighting in arena animal hunts) fighting a tiger. Over the centuries, however, these funerary games came to be a form of entertainment, and the earliest Roman gladiatorial combat is said to have taken place in 264 BC. Thus, gladiatorial combats originally possessed a sacred significance. In Etruscan society, gladiatorial games were supposed to be part of the funerary rituals honoring the dead. The concept of gladiatorial games has its roots in the Etruscans, the predecessors of the Romans. This appetite for violence not only manifested itself in Rome’s imperialist policy, but also in its fascination with gladiators and the empire’s most well-known sport – gladiatorial combats. After all, this allowed the Romans to build an empire in the first place. They were, however, also renowned for their war-like nature. The ancient Romans were known for many things – their engineering marvels, road networks, and the establishment of Roman law.