Armature

The Gladiator types.

There were many different types of gladiator and styles evolved throughout the Roman period. Early gladiators were often prisoners-of-war using native weapons and armour, giving rise to the Gaul, Samnite, and Thracian classes of gladiator.

We have chosen to set our campaign in the Imperial period, by which time gladiator equipment had evolved into distinct types designed for combat in the arena.

The rules include the following types of gladiator:

Common, well attested types

Murmillo: this is perhaps the stereotypical gladiator look. Protected by a crested helmet, a wide belt or balteus with some form of limb protection for the right arm and left leg, this gladiator was equipped with a gladius and scutum.

Secutor: the Secutor was a variant of the Murmillo, equipped to fight the Retiarius. The distinctive feature of the Secutor was the rounded, smooth and featureless helmet with small eyeholes.

Provocator: - another variant of the Murmillo, the Provocator wore a form of chest armour.

Thraex (Thracian): - the Thraex wore a griffin crested helm and carried a small shield and curved sword. To counterbalance the small shield, the Thraex wore leg protection on both legs.

Hoplomachus:  the Hoplomnachus appears to have been equipped very similar to the Thraex but substituted a spear for the sword.

Retiarius: the Retiarius was very lightly armoured being one of the few gladiators not to wear a helmet. Armour largely consisted of a combined arm guard and shoulder shield for the left arm. This gladiator was equipped with a trident and net.

Less well attested types

Cataphractarius: essentially based on an eastern fully armoured horseman. Personally I've never come across this one but the type does crop up in other rulesets.

Scissor: the appearance of the Scissor is unknown. It may be a synonym for the Arbelas which may have fought with a curved blade attached to one arm.

Dimachareus:  the appearance of the Dimachareus is unknown but it has been inferred from the name that this type fought with two swords or knives.

Velite: appearance unknown but it has been inferred that the type fought as a form of skirmisher with javelin or spear, as this gladiator shared a name with the light skirmishing troops in the armies of the Roman republic.

Laquerius: appearance unknown. Often assumed to be equipped as for the Retiarius but with lasso and possibly spear.

Sagittarius: essentially a horse archer. Personally I've never encountered this one but again the type does crop up in other rulesets.

‘Unique’ types

Lastly we have several types that, whilst appearing in the arena, may not have been part of the typical gladiatorial combat.

Equites: these were essentially horsemen wearing tunics and equipped with a helmet, small shield and gladius. They fought both mounted and on foot but seemed to have only been paired with other Equites.

Venator : the Venator only fought animals and their appearance is unknown.

Cestus: the Cestus was a boxer, named after his armoured glove. They may have fought only other boxers but the rules allow them in matches against other gladiators. Appearance unknown.

Noxi: these were criminals condemned to death. They appeared in the arena in what were essentially staged executions; whether fighting each other, experienced gladiators or wild animals.

Slave: the vast majority of gladiators were actually slaves. The rules use this class to represent essentially untrained gladiators.

Types not covered

Essedarius: this was a charioteer. Sometimes described as driving a Celtic chariot but this is not certain and their appearance is unknown.(Addendum: the third official release of supplementary material does in fact include the Essedarius - woohoo!)
Crupellarius; this was supposedly a very heavily armoured gladiator. The evidence for this type comes from a mention in Tacitus plus a small bronze figurine. Based on the latter, this type has been interpreted as being equipped with lorica segmentata and a fully enclosed helmet akin to a medieval great helm. (Addendum: the first official release of supplementary material does in fact include the crupellarius - hooray!)