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Satires of Juvenal
The Satires by Juvenal was a
collection of satirical poems reflecting on life in Ancient
Rome. One of the Satires of Juvenal provides details of the
women who fought as female gladiators in the bloody arenas
of Ancient Rome. Reading this particular poem from the
Satires of Juvenal provides a fascinating insight into the
lives and views of people of Ancient Rome and in particular
his views on female Gladiators!
Roman Literature
The Satires of Juvenal -
The Female Gladiators
This poem taken from the
Satires by Juvenal is a scathing denouncement of women who
sought to behave like men...
"Who has not seen the dummies of wood they slash at and
batter
Whether with swords or with spears, going through all the
moves?
These are the girls who blast on trumpets in honour of
Flora.
Or, it may be, they have deeper designs, and are really
preparing for the arena itself.
How can a woman be decent, sticking her head in a helmet, denying her sex she was born
with?
Manly feats they adore, but they wouldn't want to be men,
Poor weak things (they think), how little they really enjoy
it!
What great honour it is for a husband to see, at an auction
Where his wife's effects are up for sale, belts, greaves, manica and plumes!
Hear her grunt and groan as she works at it, parrying,
thrusting;
See her neck bent down under the weight of her helmet.
Look at the rolls of bandage and tape, so her legs look like
tree trunks.
Then have a laugh for yourself after the practice is over,
Armour and weapons are put down, and she squats as she uses
the vessel.
Ah, degenerate girls of the line of our praetors and
consuls,
Tell us, whom have you seen got up in any such fashion,
Panting and sweating like this? No gladiators wench,
No tough strip-tease broad would ever so much as attempt it."
From the Satires of Juvenal.
Comments on the poem from
the Satires of Juvenal - Gladiator Training
The following are comments
on the poem about women gladiators from the Satires of Juvenal.
Who has not seen the dummies of
wood they slash at and batter
Whether with swords or with spears, going through all the
moves?
These lines by Juvenal refer to a
gladiators training techniques. There were at least four
great imperial gladiator training schools in Ancient Rome
which were all just a short distance from the Roman
Colosseum. Each had an arena, similar to the the one in the
Colosseum, but smaller. The arenas in the training schools
were surrounded by raised seating, the largest held 3000
spectators. Many Romans visited these training schools when
there were no gladiatorial games being staged at the
Colosseum. Juvenal was clearly one of these spectators and
he was talking about the training techniques which were used
by both men and women gladiators. Gladiators practised their
skills with a sword, or with spears, using a wooden dummy.
Gladiators also rehearsed their moves just as athletes do in
modern day sports.
Comments on the poem from
the Satires of Juvenal - The Roman Goddess Flora
The following are comments
on the poem about the Roman Goddess Flora from the Satires of Juvenal.
These are the girls who blast on trumpets in honour of
Flora.
Or, it may be, they have deeper designs, and are really
preparing for the arena itself.
Flora was the Roman Goddess of spring,
youth, flowers and fertility. Her companion was said to be
Hercules. The male gladiators were involved in the cult
worship of the god Hercules. Hercules was their 'hero god’
famous for his great strength and performing the 'Twelve
Labours of Hercules' which involved killing wild animals
with his bare hands. The Floral Games, Ludi Florales, or
Floralia, were staged in honor of the Goddess Flora and were
celebrated from April 28 through May 3. Juvenal appears to
be referring to the celebrations in honor of Flora (such as
music and fanfares) but questions these activities as being
a 'smokescreen' for the women preparing to not only to
appear in the arena, but also to fight in the arena.
Satires of Juvenal -
Hairstyles and Helmets!
The following are comments
on the poem about the hairstyles and helmets from the Satires of Juvenal.
How can a woman be decent, sticking her head in a helmet, denying her sex she was born
with?
The women of Ancient Rome were
restricted in the type of clothing and jewelry that they
were allowed to wear. And, unlike Roman men, their style of
dress did not clearly indicate a high status in society.
Their hairstyles were therefore really important to Roman
women. The more elaborate the hairstyle, the better. So was
not only the wearing of a heavy helmet minimising their
femininity it also covered the elaborate hairstyles of
wealthy women and disguised their status.
Satires of Juvenal - Poor
Weak things?
The following are comments
on the poem about the Roman Goddess Flora from the Satires of Juvenal.
Manly feats they adore, but they wouldn't want to be men,
Poor weak things (they think), how little they really enjoy
it!
Juvenal is perhaps commenting on women
envying the lifestyle of men, but when it comes to matching
physical skills and strength it is extremely difficult.
However, Juvenal acknowledges that women in general are not
weak.
Satires of Juvenal - Armor
of Gladiators
The following are comments
on the poem about the armor of gladiators from the Satires of Juvenal.
What great honour it is for a husband to see, at an auction
Where his wife's effects are up for sale, belts, greaves, manica and plumes!
Juvenal at his most sarcastic! He is
pointing out what might happen if a free female gladiator is
killed. He makes reference to the armor of gladiators (leg
armor - greaves, arm - manica and head protection - the
plumes on helmets) which might be her legacy.
Satires of Juvenal - Grunt
and Groan
The following are comments
on the poem from the Satires of Juvenal.
Hear her grunt and groan as she
works at it, parrying, thrusting
In modern day we use the term 'grunt
and groan' referring to male wrestlers. He has cleverly used
these words to emphasis the lack of femininity of the women.
Satires of Juvenal -
Appearance of Female Gladiators
The following are comments
on the poem about the appearance of female gladiators from the Satires of Juvenal.
See her neck bent down under the weight of her helmet.
Look at the rolls of bandage and tape, so her legs look like
tree trunks.
Juvenal is insulting the female
gladiators - he's calling them fat! The rolls of bandage and
tape are 'fascia' were protective arm and leg wrappings
found in
Roman Gladiator Armor.
Satires of Juvenal -
Chamber Pots
The following are comments
on the poem from the Satires of Juvenal.
Then have a laugh for yourself after the practice is over,
Armour and weapons are put down, and she squats as she uses
the vessel.
All Roman cities were highly dependent
on chamber pots and Juvenal is making snide reference to
this 'matter of convenience' and how, after using the male
trappings of weapons and armor, women were forced to adopt
the most inelegant of female positions.
Satires of Juvenal - Worse
than Harlots!
The following are comments
on the poem from the Satires of Juvenal.
Ah, degenerate girls of the line of our praetors and
consuls,
Tell us, whom have you seen got up in any such fashion,
Panting and sweating like this? No gladiators wench,
No tough strip-tease broad would ever so much as attempt it.
Juvenal is clearly expressing his
disgust that the female family members of high ranking Roman
magistrates or Roman army commanders were behaving worse
than the lowest harlots.
Satires of Juvenal
The content of this Satires of Juvenal
category on life in Ancient Rome provides free educational
details, facts and information for reference and research
for schools, colleges and homework. Refer to the
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different categories containing the history, facts and
information about Ancient Rome. Just like the subject of
Satires of Juvenal there is hardly a page of Roman history and the Romans that is not, on
some way, connected to the Roman Colosseum which became a
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