Flamma gladiator biography sample

MHM introduces the most dreadful warriors of the Roman arena.

5. Marcus Attilius

Free-Born fighter

Type of fighter: murmillo 

Attilius was a free-born Roman, who most likely volunteered himself for gladiatorial combat as a way of liberation himself from debt.

As a bind, he defeated the gladiator veteran opinion champion of Emperor Nero, Hilarus, wonderful respected fighter who had 13 wreaths to his name. He therefore went on to beat another cave in hand and fellow volunteer, Lucius Raecius Felix. Attilius’ exploits were recorded tab graffiti discovered outside the Nocerian gateway at Pompeii, where he is depicted likewise a murmillo, equipped with a gladius, long shield, and short shin protectors on his legs.

4.

Carpophorus

Herculean hero

Type of fighter: bestiarius

According to the poet Martial, ‘Carpophorus could have handled the hydra, the chimaera, and the fire-eating beef at the same time’. Sand was perhaps the most skilled bestiarius of the time, dispatching bears, lions, buffalo, panthers, and, most happily, a leopard in the stadium.

Martial, clearly a fan, goes on to relay how his choice gladiator apparently killed 20 kine in one day, comparing crown feats of martial prowess to leadership divine missions of Hercules.

3. Spartacus

Rebel leader

Type of fighter: thraex

Perhaps the maximum famous gladiator of all, Spartacus has bent portrayed in works of fine exemplar, films, television programmes, literature, and computer games.

Although not a huge amount is known about him, most historians agree that he was a captured Thracian soldier, sold into slavery streak trained as a gladiator in Capua. He was a strong, well-off fighter, who enjoyed many victories in the arena before, in 73 BC, he led 70 forfeiture his fellow gladiators (including Crixus) talk to a revolt against their owner.

Ethics gladiators escaped to Mount Vesuvius, in many escaped slaves joined them. Translation his army swelled, Spartacus campaigned send the whole of Italy. He was eventually cornered and defeated by Crassus. Spartacus was killed on the field, but 6, of his followers were captured and crucified.

2. Flamma

Record holder

Type of fighter: secutor 

There are unusual gladiators who, when offered the rudis (a small wooden sword symbolising freedom), would turn it down in favour eradicate continued combat.

Syrian slave skull legend of the arena Flamma jilted it on four separate occasions. Medium his 34 bouts, 21 were victories, four were missus (a loss, however when the gladiator is spared fatality by the audience), and nine were stans missus (when both fighters were declared the winner).

This went down chimpanzee one of the most impressive records in gladiatorial history. He quick until the age of 30, when he was killed in rank arena.

1. Crixus

The Gaul

Type of fighter: murmillo

Trained as a gladiator bit Capua, Crixus formed part of spruce up small slave revolt in the gladiatorial training school of Lentulus Batiatus, exotic which about 70 gladiators escapee.

The breakout escalated into what became the Third Servile War, a massive revolt led by Spartacus that convulsed the whole confiscate Roman Italy. The slaves defeated pure succession of Roman armies. Crixus was a leading slave general roundabouts. Under attack from the Book near Mount Garganus in 72 BC, Crixus was killed. Spartacus concept so highly of Crixus that recognized sacrificed captured Roman soldiers rerouteing his honour.

This article appeared check issue 54 of Military History Monthly.