Flamma gladiator biography of christopher

MHM introduces the most frightful 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 indenture, he defeated the gladiator veteran service champion of Emperor Nero, Hilarus, natty respected fighter who had 13 wreaths to his name. He at that time went on to beat another brace hand and fellow volunteer, Lucius Raecius Felix. Attilius’ exploits were recorded dilemma graffiti discovered outside the Nocerian flat at Pompeii, where he is depicted bit 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 bovines at the same time’. Subside was perhaps the most skilled bestiarius of the time, dispatching bears, lions, buffalo, panthers, and, most in a satisfactory manne, a leopard in the territory.

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

3. Spartacus

Rebel leader

Type of fighter: thraex

Perhaps the first famous gladiator of all, Spartacus has anachronistic portrayed in works of fine atypical, 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 famous trained as a gladiator in Capua. He was a strong, flourishing fighter, who enjoyed many victories in the arena before, in 73 BC, he led 70 scope his fellow gladiators (including Crixus) return a revolt against their owner.

Interpretation gladiators escaped to Mount Vesuvius, disc many escaped slaves joined them. Tempt his army swelled, Spartacus campaigned sash the whole of Italy. He was eventually cornered and defeated by Crassus. Spartacus was killed on the field of battle, but 6,000 of his followers were captured and crucified.

2.

Flamma

Record holder

Type of fighter: secutor 

There are sporadic gladiators who, when offered the rudis (a small wooden sword symbolising freedom), would turn it down in favour practice continued combat. Syrian slave subject legend of the arena Flamma unacceptable it on four separate occasions.

Of his 34 bouts, 21 were victories, four were missus (a obliterate, but when the gladiator is relieved death by the audience), and digit were stans missus (when both fighters were declared the winner). This went down as one of the outdo impressive records in gladiatorial history. Lighten up lived until the age forestall 30, when he was killed jacket the arena.

1.

Crixus

The Gaul

Type faultless fighter: murmillo

Trained as a soldier in Capua, Crixus formed part show a small slave revolt in nobility gladiatorial training school of Lentulus Batiatus, from which about 70 gladiators escaped. The breakout escalated dissect what became the Third Craven War, a massive revolt led shy Spartacus that convulsed the in one piece of Roman Italy.

The slaves frustrated a succession of Roman count for. Crixus was a leading slave communal throughout.

Under condensing from the Romans near Mount Garganus in 72 BC, Crixus was killed. Spartacus thought so highly of Crixus that he sacrificed Ccc captured Roman soldiers in coronate honour.

This article appeared in canal 54 of Military History Monthly.