Female gladiator

Encyclopedia : F : FE : FEM : Female gladiator

While rare in the Roman world, female gladiators or gladiatrices (sing. gladiatrix) were present in the bloody arena sport. It is commonly accepted that Emperor Domitian was the first to employ female gladiators as a treat for those who watched the amphitheatre blood sports. They were banned around AD 200 under the rule of Emperor Severus.

In September 2000 the Museum of London announced that it had excavated a grave purported to be that of a female gladiator. The grave was located in England, and the press soon dubbed the occupant "Gladiator Girl." The grave goods found within the grave included numerous oil lamps, and one even depicted a fallen gladiator [link]. Scholars still debate if the occupant is truly a gladiator, but the evidence is intriguing but not conclusive [link]. Professor Steven Murray[link] details the existence of female gladiators in his article "Female Gladiators of the Ancient Roman World" Journal of Combative Sport 2003. [link]

Relief of two gladiatrices found at Halicarnassus.

The most compelling piece of evidence for the existence of female gladiators is a marble relief found in Halicarnassus and currently on display at the British Museum.[link] The relief depicts two female gladiators. With an adopted nom de guerre appearing beneath each of them (Amazon and Achillia), they are depicted in loinclothes and wearing traditional gladiator equipment such as greaves and a manica. Each is armed with a sword and shield; neither is wearing a helmet nor a shirt. Professor Kathleen Coleman[link] of Harvard University details the relief extensively in her academic manuscript "Missio at Halicarnassus" Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, 2000; 100: 487-500[link].

Historically, a strong condemnation against female gladiators was written by Juvenal, decrying the fact female gladiators were typically from upper-class families and seeking thrill and attention.

Who has not seen the dummies of wood they slash at and batter

Whether with swords or with spears, going through all the manoeuvres?

These are the girls who blast on the 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 the 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 a great honour it is for a husband to see, at an auction

Where his wife’s effects are up for sale, belts, shin-guards,

Arm-protectors 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 put down, and she squats as she used the vessel.

Ah, degenerate girls from 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 gladiator’s wench,

No tough strip-tease broad would ever so much as attempt it.

In art

Among the pictures commissioned in Italy by king Philip IV of Spain for his Palacio del Buen Retiro in Madrid, there is a series on Roman circuses including a picture of female gladiators.

External links

From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.