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Gladiator (gladiatores) was a wrestler fighting in the arena or amphitheatre. His name came from the Roman sword, gladius. Gladiator fights were called munus (pl. munera), which meant “sacrifice for the dead”.
Many people today think that gladiators’ fights in the arenas always ended with the death of one of the fighters. However, this is not true. It is known that gladiators had excellent medical care, and their lives were more valuable than those of a single citizen. However, it can not be concealed that the “slaves of the arena” died at a relatively young age. The average age was 30 years and it was rare for a gladiator to live longer. It should be emphasized, however, that the commonly existing idea of a gladiator’s certain death is a myth.
Excellent training and incredible courage of gladiators were repeatedly used by the emperors who incorporated them into the army, as it was during the “Year of the Four Emperors” in 69 CE. At that time, when there were no recruits, two legions of slaves were set up, among whom there were probably many gladiators. They were also recruited to serve as the rulers’ or citizen’s guards.
Interestingly, today’s name “arena” is derived from the Latin word harena, which meant absorbent sand, which was scattered on the ground at the place of gladiators’ fights and aimed at absorbing the blood of the fighters.
History of gladiators’ fights
Gladiator fights at funerals
The custom of gladiators’ battles comes from the Etruscan tradition of worshipping the dead through struggle, instead of making human sacrifices. In Rome, this kind of fighting appeared for the first time probably in the year 264 BCE. At the time, at the funeral of senator Junius Brutus Pera taking place at the Forum Boarium, six warriors (three clashes) fought to commemorate the late senator. The organizer of the event was Decimus Junius Brutus, who honoured his father in this way. Among the gladiators, there were also his two sons. After this event, gladiatorial fights became one of the most popular Roman pastimes.
As Rome was expanding and many slaves came to Italy, gladiatorial struggles were organized on a big scale. At the end of the 3rd century BCE at the aristocrats’ funerals, fought dozens of war prisoners. With time, munera became more an “advertisement” for their organizers than a real tribute to the deceased. While at first, only the family used to watch the fight in silence, later many people began to come and watch, as interested in the bloody spectacle and loudly “cheering” the gladiators. Gradually, the religious rite turned into a source of entertainment for the people. In 183 BCE the family of the deceased Publius Licinius Crassus organized munera, which took part of 200 prisoners. The fights lasted for a few days and brought crowds of spectators. From then on, gladiatorial battles became Olympic games – a spectacle as popular as chariot races. Scipio Africanus organized a huge munera out of Rome in 206 BCE – after conquering the New Carthage, several hundred captives were forced to fight against each other.
