Samnites, the heaviest armored gladiators, took their name, costume and weapons from the mighty warriors of Samnium, a region in southern Italy conquered by Rome in about 80 BC. These warriors would become the model for the standard Roman gladiator. Until the reign of the first Roman emperor, Augustus (31 BC - 14 AD),, their name would be given to all "heavy" gladiators. Samnites were usually paired with other heavy gladiators, such as Thracians or Murmillos. A close kin to the Samnite was the Hoplomachus, a gladiator who so closely resembled the Samnites that the only known distinction today is the name - after the reign of Augustus, all gladiators were known as hoplomachi.
1. Sword: Called gladius in Latin, this straight, double-edged sword could be up to two feet long and was the source of the word "gladiator." It was meant to be used primarily as a thrusting weapon. Modeled on weapons used by Spain's Celtic populations, the gladius was also first used by the Roman Army during the Punic Wars of 264 BC - 146 BC.
2. Shield: This large rectangular shield was called a scutum. It reached from the knee to the throat and was slightly curved so that the gladiator could stay protected behind its cover. Gladiators would bring their body closer into the shield as they moved closer towards their opponent.
3. Leg Greave: Made of heavy metal or boiled leather, the protective ocrea greave was always worn on a Samnite's left leg.
4. Helmet: The bronze galea had a visor to protect the wearer from sword strokes and was topped off with a crest and often with plumes.
4. Helmet: The bronze galea had a visor to protect the wearer from sword strokes and was topped off with a crest and often with plumes.
5. Ankle Guards: Leather or metal fasciae provided some protection to the Samnite's right wrist and ankle.
Thracian gladiators were modeled after fighters from the northern Greece region of Thrace. Lightly armored, they would do battle with the Hoplomachus or the Murmillo gladiators. Their strategy focused on their sword, which was fashioned to snake past heavier opponentsı shields. The armor and dash with which Thracians performed their fights made these among the most popular of gladiators. An inscription on a wall in Pompeii describes the champion Thracian gladiator Celadus as suspirum et decus puellarum or "the sigh and glory of girls." The rebel commander Spartacus had fought as a Thracian gladiator before going on to lead an uprising of gladiators and peasants in 73-71 BC that would consume most of southern Italy.
The Murmillo or "fish man" was immediately recognizable from his helmet's high crest - similar to the shape of a fish. This gladiator is thought to have been derived from the dress and weapons of prisoners of war from conquered Gaul (corresponds roughly to present-day France, Switzerland, Belgium) who were made to fight as gladiators during the Roman Republic. His name taken from the Greek word for "fish," the Murmillo originally did battle with the Hoplomachus or Samnite gladiators, in a match designed to replicate the rivalry between Greece and Rome. Later, he was paired with the Retarius, or "net man," who would try to catch this fishy gladiator with a net. The Murmillo was considered heavily armed only because of the large oblong shield that covered his legs. A manica or arm guard was standard and some mosaics depict the Murmillo with metal leg shields as well.
The Retarius fought as a fisherman with deadly purpose. Like his namesake, the Retarius gladiator would use his lead-weighted net to ensare an opponent usually the Murmillo, though often the Secutor -- and then move in for the kill with his trident. (The Retarius would often chant to his opponent ³I seek not you, I seek a fish. Why do you flee from me?²) If his cast missed its object, the Retarius could retrieve it via an attached cord. In contrast to other gladiators, the Retarius wore no helmet and very little armor. A leather belt provided some protection to his abdomen and an arm guard with a shoulder shield on his left arm protected one side. Unlike other gladiators, the Retarius was allowed to retreat from combat he would dart in and out to wear his opponent down. Speed and dexterity were his strategic advantages.
The Secutor or "Pursuer" was usually paired with the Retarius, who he chased around the arena. Closely related to the Samnite and Hoplomachus gladiators, the Secutor featured a curved helmet designed to make entrapment by the Retarius,'s net more difficult - though its oddly spaced eyeholes are thought to have limited the fighter's vision. The Secutor's entire left side was protected by a heavy curved shield and a metal leg guard, or ocrea.. Metal or leather bands shielded his right arm. The Secutor is thought to have first been featured as Retarius's opponent around 50 AD.
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