The earliest gladiatorial games were held in the Forum, which continued throughout the entire Republic. It was interesting that the Romans, both glorified and looked down on the same figure. The gladiator functioned as a symbol of virility in Roman society at the same time, they were also one of the most despised groups in society. There were many stories of rich aristocratic women having affairs with them. Images of gladiators were found in graffiti and mosaics, used as decorations on lamps, plates, bowls, and even a baby’s bottle. When freed, they received a wooden sword called the rudis, the symbol of their liberty.Ĭhampion gladiators were celebrities with status similar to that of rock stars.
If a gladiator fought extraordinarily well, he was freed, although many continued to compete even though they no longer had to. The record was held by a gladiator who was victorious in almost 88 matches over the course of his career. Status of Champion Gladiatorsįor a gladiator, winning more than 10 combats was exceptional. Analysis of the bones from a gladiator cemetery at Ephesus revealed that many suffered serious injuries to leave scars on the bones, but most of them healed.
From the 1st century A.D., details of about 100 fights were preserved on tombstones or inscriptions, and out of the 200 gladiators involved, 19 were recorded as killed. In some games, nearly every contest resulted in the death of the loser, while in others, almost everyone was spared. Learn more about the gladiators and the beast hunts. The victor received a palm of victory, a crown, and prize money. If the crowd demanded death, then the winner plunged his sword into his enemy’s throat. (Image: Jean-Léon Gérôme/Public domain)īased on evidence from sculpture and mosaics, it was believed that the thumbs-down sign was a way of calling for the victorious gladiator to drop the weapon and spare his enemy, whereas the thumbs-up meant, stabbing him in the throat. Thumbs up was a sign of stabbing the enemy in the throat. In Latin, the passage from a poem, described the custom saying that the gesture involved the turning of the thumb, but not specifying the direction.ĭuring the gladiator games, it is believed that a thumbs-down gesture by the audience meant sparing the enemy by the winner. They did this using both shouts and gestures. The crowd then either called for him to be killed, or, if he fought well, asked that he be spared. Meaning of the GesturesĪ gladiator asked for mercy by dropping his shield and raising a finger of his left hand.
This is a transcript from the video series The Roman Empire: From Augustus to the Fall of Rome. Whenever a gladiator received a wound, the crowd would shout out “ habet,” meaning ‘a hit’. Rooting for Favorite Gladiatorĭuring the main event, the gladiator fight, the gladiators came out, raising their weapons in salute to the giver of the games while shouting the phrase, “ Morituri te salutant,” “They who are about to die salute you.” Fans had a favorite gladiator that they rooted for, and enjoyed arguing with each other over the merits and drawbacks of the different varieties of fighters. Once, the emperor Caligula was bored because there were no criminals to be slain during the intermission, so he ordered his guards to throw an entire section of the crowd into the arena to be eaten by animals. Christians persecuted during the later empire were put to death during those intermissions. Obsession for ProsecutionĬriminals known as noxii, were led into the arena, lined up and their throats cut. Learn more about emperor Vespasian, the first in the line of Flavian family emperors. During the break, the spectators went to get some lunch or stayed watching executions. In the morning, there were exhibitions of wild beasts and beast hunts, continuing until noon. Such bands included flutes, horns, and often a water-powered organ. During the parade, and throughout the day’s activities, a band played. At the head of the procession was the person providing the funding, accompanied by lictors. On the show day, festivities began with a parade of the participants. The German took one of those sponges and crammed it down his throat, to suffocate himself. Romans did not have toilet paper in its place, each bathroom was equipped with a sponge on a stick. An even more horrible method of suicide was employed by a German. Twenty-nine Germans, supposed to fight the next day, strangled one another. One man thrust his head between the wheel spokes of the wagon in which he was being transported. Some gladiators, particularly foreign soldiers captured in wars against Rome, chose to commit suicide rather than fight each other. (Image: Soloviova Liudmyla/Shutterstock) Doomed Non-fighter Gladiators The arena was witness to many innocent deaths as a part of the games which the spectators were fascinated to watch.