Types of Gladiators
Types of Gladiators
These are the types of gladiators that fought in the arena. Below is the description of the six types of gladiators that competed in the Colosseum.
Retiarii: Retiarii carried a net and a trident, [a three pointed spear], and had armour on their left shoulder. These Gladiators tried to throw their net over their opponent before they got to attack. If this failed, that is when they used their trident. Retiarii were trained to fight another type of Gladiator called a Secutore.
Myrmillones: This type of Gladiator used a sword to attack and had a large shield to protect them from the enemy. On the helmets of the Myrmillones, a fine crest of horse hair adorned the top to create a plume. Their arms and legs were wrapped in fabric rather than covered with armour. It is said that Myrmillones never fought against each other.
Samnes: These men were named after a certain group/tribe that had fought in many battles against Rome. They were donned with a helmet, a greave [armour] on one of their legs, and had a full arm piece of armour on their sword arm. They carried a sword and a rectangular shield into battle.
Provocatores: Provocatores were nicknamed the ‘challengers’ as they rushed into battle ferociously. They were equipped with a breastplate, a helmet with a visor, a greave on one leg, and used a sword and large rectangular shield. These people were thought to be braver if they fought without a breastplate against an opponent.
Equites: ‘Equites’ means horsemen and that describes what these Gladiators rode on. While on horseback these men battled till they were defeated. These guys wore a tunic and helmet and had material wrapped around their legs and their sword arm. They also used a round shield. Equites only ever fought each other as it would have been an unfair fight.
Velites: In the Roman Army, a certain regiment of Roman soldiers were called Velites, and these Gladiators were named after this group. They held a spear that was attached to a special strap so that they could throw it again and again and it could be dragged back to the Gladiator. ‘Hasta amentata’ was the Latin name for, ‘to throw something using a strap’, therefore verifying this type of spear that the Velites used.
Gladiators of the empire
The sport soon spread around the country and new types of Gladiators appeared.
Thraeces: these Gladiators were named after the Thracian tribe and wore protection on their sword arm [armour], and on both legs [greaves]. Their helmets bore a griffin – a creature that most Romans believed to be the sign of the dead, and had a plume on top. They guarded themselves with a small curved sword, and a small rectangular shield.
Hoplomachi: this gladiator had pretty much the same armour as the Thraeces, but unlike them, they carried a spear, sword, and rectangular shield into the arena. Hoplomachi looked like Rome’s old Greek enemy, the soldiers called hoplites. This is how they got their name. The tactics of the Hoplomachi go a bit like this. They would throw their spear early on at the enemy, hoping to wound them, and for the rest of the fight would use the sword and shield to protect them.
Emperors in the ring
Some emperors fought at the Colosseum as Gladiator as well!
For example:
Emperor Commodus [AD 180-192]: Emperor Commodus claimed to have survived hundreds of battles without being hurt by his opponent. The reason why was because no-one would dare harm the Emperor or they would probably be condemned to death!
These are the types of gladiators that fought in the arena. Below is the description of the six types of gladiators that competed in the Colosseum.
Retiarii: Retiarii carried a net and a trident, [a three pointed spear], and had armour on their left shoulder. These Gladiators tried to throw their net over their opponent before they got to attack. If this failed, that is when they used their trident. Retiarii were trained to fight another type of Gladiator called a Secutore.
Myrmillones: This type of Gladiator used a sword to attack and had a large shield to protect them from the enemy. On the helmets of the Myrmillones, a fine crest of horse hair adorned the top to create a plume. Their arms and legs were wrapped in fabric rather than covered with armour. It is said that Myrmillones never fought against each other.
Samnes: These men were named after a certain group/tribe that had fought in many battles against Rome. They were donned with a helmet, a greave [armour] on one of their legs, and had a full arm piece of armour on their sword arm. They carried a sword and a rectangular shield into battle.
Provocatores: Provocatores were nicknamed the ‘challengers’ as they rushed into battle ferociously. They were equipped with a breastplate, a helmet with a visor, a greave on one leg, and used a sword and large rectangular shield. These people were thought to be braver if they fought without a breastplate against an opponent.
Equites: ‘Equites’ means horsemen and that describes what these Gladiators rode on. While on horseback these men battled till they were defeated. These guys wore a tunic and helmet and had material wrapped around their legs and their sword arm. They also used a round shield. Equites only ever fought each other as it would have been an unfair fight.
Velites: In the Roman Army, a certain regiment of Roman soldiers were called Velites, and these Gladiators were named after this group. They held a spear that was attached to a special strap so that they could throw it again and again and it could be dragged back to the Gladiator. ‘Hasta amentata’ was the Latin name for, ‘to throw something using a strap’, therefore verifying this type of spear that the Velites used.
Gladiators of the empire
The sport soon spread around the country and new types of Gladiators appeared.
Thraeces: these Gladiators were named after the Thracian tribe and wore protection on their sword arm [armour], and on both legs [greaves]. Their helmets bore a griffin – a creature that most Romans believed to be the sign of the dead, and had a plume on top. They guarded themselves with a small curved sword, and a small rectangular shield.
Hoplomachi: this gladiator had pretty much the same armour as the Thraeces, but unlike them, they carried a spear, sword, and rectangular shield into the arena. Hoplomachi looked like Rome’s old Greek enemy, the soldiers called hoplites. This is how they got their name. The tactics of the Hoplomachi go a bit like this. They would throw their spear early on at the enemy, hoping to wound them, and for the rest of the fight would use the sword and shield to protect them.
Emperors in the ring
Some emperors fought at the Colosseum as Gladiator as well!
For example:
Emperor Commodus [AD 180-192]: Emperor Commodus claimed to have survived hundreds of battles without being hurt by his opponent. The reason why was because no-one would dare harm the Emperor or they would probably be condemned to death!