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Gladiator Fights
Heavily armored
gladiators were well protected for the fights but restricted
in his movements by his equipment. Lightly armed
gladiators would have freedom of movement and speed during
his fights but with little or to nothing to protect him. The
gladiator fights, the styles and techniques therefore varied
from one gladiator to another.
Lightly Armed Gladiator
Fights
The gladiator fights of
lightly armed men featured one of the most famous types of
gladiators - the
Retiarii (Net Fighters).
A Retiarius was a Roman gladiator who fought with equipment
styled on that of a fisherman. The Retiarii
were lightly armored, wore no helmet, carried no shield so they had the advantage of agility, mobility
and speed in a fight. These factors were all taken into account when
adopting his fighting style and technique. The Retiarius
fought with the heavily armed Roman gladiators such as the
Mirmillones. His fighting style was evasive and
his tactics were to entangle his opponent with his net and then
skewer him, as a fisherman would, with his trident.
Heavily Armed Gladiator
Fights
The gladiator fights of
heavily armed gladiator like a Murmillo were often drawn
against a Retiarius. The Murmillo fought with a sword (first
the the gladius which was eventually replaced by the Spatha).
This Roman Gladiator wore armor consisting of an Ocrea, or metal greave, on the
lower left leg and his right arm was protected by a 'manica' of
tied linen or leather. The Murmillones carried a large,
rectangular, semi-cylindrical body shield called a scutum and wore a
helmet with a stylized fish on the crest. The helmet
featured small eye-holes to prevent the
narrow prongs of the Retiarius' trident from penetrating to the eyes.
His fighting technique was to avoid
being entangled in the net and
his tactics were to barge his opponent with his shield and thrust
with his short sword. The Gladiator figts between such
contrasting gladiators thrilled the spectators of the Roman
Colosseum.
Gladiator Fights -
Fighting Styles, Armor and Weapons
Gladiator fights and
techniques focussed on different fighting styles and weapons
which were used by specific types of Roman gladiators. The
majority of Roman Gladiators fell into two different types
of fighters - lightly armored or heavily armored men. Roman
Gladiator fights and techniques therefore varied according
to their different armor, weapons and fighting methods, all
of which are are described in the following links:
Types of
Heavily armed Gladiators
Types of
Lightly armed Gladiators
Gladiator Fights -
Specialised Combat Styles
There were also additional
gladiators who specialised in many different styles leading
to more varieties of Gladiator fights. Some gladiators
fought on horseback, others from chariots. Other gladiators
specialised in fighting wild animals called
Bestiarii (Beast Fighters)
others specialised in
participating in wild animal hunts. Bows and arrows and
lances might be used together with a range of other weapons
all requiring different forms of gladiator fights. For a
complete list click
Types
of Gladiators.
Gladiator Fights
The content of this Gladiator Fights
category on life in Ancient Rome provides free educational
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