Post by Maximus on May 10, 2006 18:50:54 GMT -5
This information was donated to us by our lufflery member, Nimue! -hug-
Gladiators who had to swear an oath (sacramentum gladiatorium): “I will endure to be burned, to be bound, to be beaten, and to be killed by the sword” (uri, vinciri, verberari, ferroque necari, Petronius Satyricon 117) which consigned the gladiator to possible death, but also conferred honor much like that of a soldier.
At first, gladiators were slaves, criminals condemned to death, and war prisoners. In time, free men volunteered to become gladiators
Anyone who became a gladiator was, by definition, infamis (whence: infamy), not respectable, and beneath the law.
Not only was there honor for a gladiator, but there were adoring crowds, and, sometimes there was wealth (victors were paid with a laurel, monetary payment and donations from the crowd) and a life of leisure. Some gladiators may have fought no more than two or three times a year and may have won their freedom within a very few years. Because of the financial incentive, free men and even aristocrats who, having squandered their inheritance had no other comfortable means of support, would voluntarily become gladiators.
At the end of his service, a freed gladiator (as token, he received a wooden sword or rudis), could teach other gladiators or a he could become a freelance bodyguard.
Honor was crucial to the gladiatorial games and the audiences expected the loser to be valiant even in death. The honorable way to die was for the losing gladiator to grasp the thigh of the victor who would then hold the loser's head or helmet and plunge a sword into his neck.
To make sure the loser wasn't pretending to be dead, an attendant dressed as Mercury would touch him with his hot iron wand. Another attendant, dressed as Charon, would hit him with a mallet.
As for thumbs up, there appears to be no evidence for it -- or at least, if it was used, it probably meant death, not mercy. A waving handkerchief also signified mercy, and graffiti indicates the shouting of the words "dismissed" also worked.
When a gladiator went down, cries of Habet, Hoc habet! (He's had it!), and shouts of Mitte! (Let him go!) or Iugula! (Kill him!) could be heard. If able, the wounded gladiator would lay down his shield and raise his left hand to plea for mercy, which the crowd signified either by extending their thumbs up or down (pollice verso), turning the thumb upwards and jabbing it toward the heart (pollicem vertere) also was a sign of disapproval, and approval indicated by pressing the thumb and forefinger together (pollicem premere).
The editor of a game, whether senator, emperor, or other politico, made the final decisions about the fates of the gladiators in the arena. However, since the games were to curry public favor, the editor had to pay attention to the wishes of the audience. Much of the audience attended such brutal events for the single purpose of witnessing the bravery of a gladiator in the face of death.
Three Ways to End a Fight
If the editor made no rules for the game, the combatants could fight until the audience asked for their dismissal. It was then up to the editor to decide whether to go along with the crowd's wishes or call for a fight until "the finger."
If the editor wished, he could order the fight to last until "the finger." After his weapons were cast aside, a gladiator could fall on his knees and raise his index finger to ask for mercy.
Again, it was up to the editor to grant it.
The editor could also choose a game without dismissal (sine remissione), where fighting lasted until one combatant died. Augustus may have forbidden this version of the game, but if so, the prohibition was short-lived.
Weapons in the Arsenal of a Roman Gladiator
There were many types of gladiators in ancient Rome. Some gladiators -- like the SAMNITE -- were named for opponents of the Romans; other types of gladiator, like the PROVOCATOR and SECUTOR, took their names from their functions: challenger and pursuer.
Weapons of the Gladiator
fascina: harthingy
galea: visored helmet
galerus: metal shoulder piece
gladius: sword
hasta: lance
iaculum: net
manicae: leather elbow or wrist bands
ocrea: metal or boiled leather greave
parma: round shield
scutum: large oblong shield
sica: curved scimitar
subligaculum: loin cloth
Types of Gladiators
Andabatae wore helmets without eye holes
Catervarii did not fight in pairs, but several together
Dimacheri fought with two swords
Equites fought on horseback
Essedarii fought from chariots like the Gauls and Britons
Hoplomachi were like the Samnites, but more heavily armed
They wore ocrea on both legs and mail or leather cuirasses
Laqueatores used a noose to catch their adversaries
Meridiani fought in the middle of the day, after the wild beast fights
They were lightly armed
Myrmillo wore a large galea with a fish on its crest, a manica of mail, leather or metal scales on his left arm, ocrea on at least one leg, a scutum and a straight Greek-styled sword
Ordinarii were the regular gladiators who fought in pairs in the ordinary way
Provocator was armed like the Samnite with a parma and a hasta, his opponent was often the Myrmillo
Retiarius wore a subligaculum and a metal galerus on the left arm
He carried a net, a dagger and a trident or tunny-fish fascina
The Samnite used scutum and ocrea on his left leg, a galea with a large crest and plume, and a gladius
The Secutor carried a large oval or rectangular shield, an ocrea on his left leg, a round or high-visored helmet, manicae at the elbow and wrists, and a sword or dagger
Thracian wore ocrea on both legs, a small square shield, a helmet, a sica or the Thracian sword.
Gladiators who had to swear an oath (sacramentum gladiatorium): “I will endure to be burned, to be bound, to be beaten, and to be killed by the sword” (uri, vinciri, verberari, ferroque necari, Petronius Satyricon 117) which consigned the gladiator to possible death, but also conferred honor much like that of a soldier.
At first, gladiators were slaves, criminals condemned to death, and war prisoners. In time, free men volunteered to become gladiators
Anyone who became a gladiator was, by definition, infamis (whence: infamy), not respectable, and beneath the law.
Not only was there honor for a gladiator, but there were adoring crowds, and, sometimes there was wealth (victors were paid with a laurel, monetary payment and donations from the crowd) and a life of leisure. Some gladiators may have fought no more than two or three times a year and may have won their freedom within a very few years. Because of the financial incentive, free men and even aristocrats who, having squandered their inheritance had no other comfortable means of support, would voluntarily become gladiators.
At the end of his service, a freed gladiator (as token, he received a wooden sword or rudis), could teach other gladiators or a he could become a freelance bodyguard.
Honor was crucial to the gladiatorial games and the audiences expected the loser to be valiant even in death. The honorable way to die was for the losing gladiator to grasp the thigh of the victor who would then hold the loser's head or helmet and plunge a sword into his neck.
To make sure the loser wasn't pretending to be dead, an attendant dressed as Mercury would touch him with his hot iron wand. Another attendant, dressed as Charon, would hit him with a mallet.
As for thumbs up, there appears to be no evidence for it -- or at least, if it was used, it probably meant death, not mercy. A waving handkerchief also signified mercy, and graffiti indicates the shouting of the words "dismissed" also worked.
When a gladiator went down, cries of Habet, Hoc habet! (He's had it!), and shouts of Mitte! (Let him go!) or Iugula! (Kill him!) could be heard. If able, the wounded gladiator would lay down his shield and raise his left hand to plea for mercy, which the crowd signified either by extending their thumbs up or down (pollice verso), turning the thumb upwards and jabbing it toward the heart (pollicem vertere) also was a sign of disapproval, and approval indicated by pressing the thumb and forefinger together (pollicem premere).
The editor of a game, whether senator, emperor, or other politico, made the final decisions about the fates of the gladiators in the arena. However, since the games were to curry public favor, the editor had to pay attention to the wishes of the audience. Much of the audience attended such brutal events for the single purpose of witnessing the bravery of a gladiator in the face of death.
Three Ways to End a Fight
If the editor made no rules for the game, the combatants could fight until the audience asked for their dismissal. It was then up to the editor to decide whether to go along with the crowd's wishes or call for a fight until "the finger."
If the editor wished, he could order the fight to last until "the finger." After his weapons were cast aside, a gladiator could fall on his knees and raise his index finger to ask for mercy.
Again, it was up to the editor to grant it.
The editor could also choose a game without dismissal (sine remissione), where fighting lasted until one combatant died. Augustus may have forbidden this version of the game, but if so, the prohibition was short-lived.
Weapons in the Arsenal of a Roman Gladiator
There were many types of gladiators in ancient Rome. Some gladiators -- like the SAMNITE -- were named for opponents of the Romans; other types of gladiator, like the PROVOCATOR and SECUTOR, took their names from their functions: challenger and pursuer.
Weapons of the Gladiator
fascina: harthingy
galea: visored helmet
galerus: metal shoulder piece
gladius: sword
hasta: lance
iaculum: net
manicae: leather elbow or wrist bands
ocrea: metal or boiled leather greave
parma: round shield
scutum: large oblong shield
sica: curved scimitar
subligaculum: loin cloth
Types of Gladiators
Andabatae wore helmets without eye holes
Catervarii did not fight in pairs, but several together
Dimacheri fought with two swords
Equites fought on horseback
Essedarii fought from chariots like the Gauls and Britons
Hoplomachi were like the Samnites, but more heavily armed
They wore ocrea on both legs and mail or leather cuirasses
Laqueatores used a noose to catch their adversaries
Meridiani fought in the middle of the day, after the wild beast fights
They were lightly armed
Myrmillo wore a large galea with a fish on its crest, a manica of mail, leather or metal scales on his left arm, ocrea on at least one leg, a scutum and a straight Greek-styled sword
Ordinarii were the regular gladiators who fought in pairs in the ordinary way
Provocator was armed like the Samnite with a parma and a hasta, his opponent was often the Myrmillo
Retiarius wore a subligaculum and a metal galerus on the left arm
He carried a net, a dagger and a trident or tunny-fish fascina
The Samnite used scutum and ocrea on his left leg, a galea with a large crest and plume, and a gladius
The Secutor carried a large oval or rectangular shield, an ocrea on his left leg, a round or high-visored helmet, manicae at the elbow and wrists, and a sword or dagger
Thracian wore ocrea on both legs, a small square shield, a helmet, a sica or the Thracian sword.
