Gladiators Handout
Who were gladiators?
Mostly unfree individuals such as condemned criminals, prisoners or war, slaves. Some were volunteers (freedmen or low class free-born men) who did it for fame and money. Women could be gladiators – called Gladeatrix – but these were rare.
Different types of gladiatorial games
• Animals in the arena - Venationes • Executions • Man vs man
Q. What is the name of the arena (above) recreated for the film Gladiator (2000)?
Q. How many people could it hold and when was it built?
Types of gladiators
Gladiators were distinguished by the kind of armour they wore, the weapons they used and their style of fighting.
• Eques These would begin on horseback and usually finish fighting in hand-to-hand combat.
• Hoplomachus These were heavy-weapons fighters who fought with a long spear and dagger.
• Provocator These were attackers who were usually heavily armed. Generally, they were slower and less agile than the other fighters listed above. They wore pectoral covering the vulnerable upper chest, padded arm protector and one greave on his left leg.
• Retiarius These were known as “net-men”, i.e. they fought with a net with a long trident and small dagger. They were the quickest and most mobile of all the fighters. They fought with practically no armour that made them more vulnerable to serious injuries during fights.
• Bestiarius These were individuals who were trained to fight against wild animals such as tigers and lions. Mostly criminals were sentenced to fight in this role, they, however, would not be trained nor armed. They were the least popular of all the gladiator fighters.
Q. What types of gladiators do you think are depicted in the mosaics above and below?
Q. What was special about these types of gladiators?
Q. What weapons did they typically use?
Gladiator weapons
What did they fight with?
• Gladius (Sword) • Spatha (Sword) • Semispatha (half-sword) • Pugio (dagger) • Pilum (spear/javelin) • Fascina (trident) • Net • Bow and Arrow
Q. What do you think the weapons below are?
Q. What type of gladiator would have used this type of weapon?
Object Handling
Q. What do you think this object is?
Q. What do you think it was used for?
Q. What do you think it was used for?
Q. What do you think this object is?
Q. What do you think it was used for?
Q. What do you think it was used for?
Coins -Denarius of Hadrian, Rome, AD 134-138: Denarius of Septimius Severus, Rome, AD 203-204: Homework: Design your own Gladiator/Gladeatrix
Design your own gladiator armour and weapons. What would be the most useful weapon to fight with? What armour would best protect you? What makes your gladiator different to other gladiators? Why should roman audiences support you?
Draw and label your gladiator below.