Gallus

History, Facts and Information about the Gallus, heavily armed gladiators
Gladiators were divided into different classes according to their weapons and fighting styles. There were strict rules and protocol surrounding the fights of gladiators. The first Roman Gladiators, such as the Gallus, were prisoners of war and  used the weapons and equipment characteristic of their people.
 

The early enemies of Rome included the Samnites, the Thracians and the Gauls (Gallus) and gladiators were named according to their ethnic roots.  This changed over the years and the names of the different types of gladiators reflected their combat techniques such as Secutores (chasers), Bestiarii (beast fighters) and Retiarius (net fighters).

Roman Colosseum Home

 

History, Facts and information about Gallus (Gali) *** The gladiators who fought in Ancient Rome *** The brutal society and the gladiatorial combats of the Romans *** Fighting style of this type of gladiator, opponent, weapons, armor and clothing *** Gallus *** The Role of this type of gladiator *** Ancient history, facts and interesting information about these famous gladiators who fought in the Roman Colosseum and other arenas for the entertainment of the Romans

Gallus

Gladiators were always clothed and armed to resemble barbarians with unusual and exotic weapons and their fights depicted famous victories over barbarians and the power of the Roman Empire. Gallus (aka Gallus, or Galli) referred to prisoners of war who came from Gaul (Latin: Gallia) which was the Roman name for the region of Western Europe consisting of present day Northern Italy (around the Po valley), France, Belgium, western Switzerland and the areas of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the River Rhine.

Gladiator Weapons

Gallus - Matched Pairs
Combats between similarly armored gladiators would demonstrate superior skills when gladiators were fighting against equally armed opponents. However, contrasting types of fighters were also carefully selected in order to achieve a reasonably fair pairing. Matched pairs of gladiators of would ensure that one fighter was hampered by heavy armor whilst the other was lightly armed. One gladiator might have freedom of movement but with little to nothing to protect him, whereas the other gladiator might be more heavily armed and protected but restricted in his movements by his equipment. There were therefore many different types of gladiator, including the Gallus, who specialised in using specific weapons, armor and shields.

Definition of a Gallus - Weapons, Armor, Fighting Styles and Opponents
What type of gladiator was a Gallus? What weapons and armor did they use? What was their style of combat? And what type of gladiator was matched as their opponent?

 - Definition: The Gallus was a heavily armed gladiator who was armed in Gallic fashion as warriors from Gaul

 - Opponents: There is limited information regarding the opponents of this type of gladiator, but Gladiators who wore little armor, so had freedom of movement, such as the Retiarius, Dimachaeri or the Laquerarius would make novel opponents for the heavily armed Gallus

 - Weapons: The Gallus gladiator fought with a sword (the gladius) or occasionally a lance

 - Body Armor and helmet worn by the Gallus gladiator: The Galea, a visored, smooth, bell-shaped helmet, with decorative crests. He wore an Ocrea, or metal greave, on the lower left leg. His right arm and wrist was protected by a manica of tied linen or leather

 - Shield: The Gallus carried a large, rectangular, semi-cylindrical body shield (scutum)

 - Clothing worn: Canvas Loin Cloth (subligaculum) worn in a variety of colors. He also wore sandals or went barefoot

 The Gallus and Samnite gladiators were the models for the later secutor and murmillo gladiators.

The Role of the Gallus
The role of the Gallus was dictated by his heavy armor which would have made him a lot less agile than his opponents. His smooth helmet was less likely to become entangled in the net of the Retiarius.   

The Gladiator School of the Gallus - Ludus Gallicus
The Emperor Domitian, who reigned from 81 AD to 96 AD, commissioned the building of the four great imperial schools of gladiators in Rome. All of the gladiator schools were located very near to the Roman Colosseum. The Ludus Gallicus was the smallest of the gladiator schools and specialised in training gladiators who were heavily armored starting with the Gallus and then incorporating the Samnite gladiators. The other heavily armed types of gladiators soon followed to receive training at the Ludus Gallicus. 

Gallus
The content of this Gallus category on the different types of gladiator who fought to the death in the gladiatorial combats staged in Ancient Rome provides free educational details, facts and information for reference and research for schools, colleges and homework. Refer to the Colosseum Sitemap for a comprehensive search on interesting different categories containing the history, facts and information about Ancient Rome. Interesting facts and information on this type of gladiator: their weapons, their armor and their style of combat.

Facts and information about Gallus *** The Gallus gladiator of Ancient Rome *** Matched Pairs in the arena *** Definition of the Gallus *** Gallus *** Weapons and Armor *** Fighting Styles of the Gallus *** Opponents of the Gallus *** Facts and interesting information about the Gallus gladiator

Gallus

© 2017 SiteseenCookies PolicyBy Linda AlchinPrivacy Statement

The Romans - Gallus - Ancient Rome - Weapons - Armor - Fight - Fighting - Styles - Opponents - Encyclopedia - Reference - Research - Gladiators - Facts - History - Information - Info - Romans - Italy - Educational - Schools - Colleges - Homework - Anceint - Ancient Rome - Weapons - Armor - Fight - Fighting - Styles - Opponents - Encyclopedia - Reference - Research - Gladiators - Facts - History - Information - Info - Romans - Italy - Educational - Schools - Colleges - Homework - Anceint - Gallus - Written By Linda Alchin

Gallus