News (Ancient) Female gladiators

Pixie · Jun 29, 2012

About a month ago the second (only) depiction of a female gladiator was found.

Female-gladiator fights appear to have been rare spectacles in the Roman Empire. But new analysis of a statue in a German museum adds to the evidence that trained women did fight to the death in ancient amphitheaters, a new study says.

The roughly 2,000-year-old artwork, which resides at the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbein in Hamburg, shows a bare-chested woman in a loincloth brandishing a scythe-like object in her left hand.
Manas believes the woman is holding a sica, a short, curved sword associated with a type of gladiator known as a thraex, or Thracian. Thraexes typically fought in plumed helmets, with small shields and metal leg guards called greaves. Their unarmored backs were particularly vulnerable—and were likely ripe targets for sica.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/04/120419-female-gladiator-statue-topless-science-ancient-rome/

Infacundus · Jun 29, 2012

I KNEW IT
Thong armor IS historical!

Wait 'til I show this to the jerks critiquing my mod

Pixie · Jun 29, 2012

LOL

I'm sure there were some Borat looking gladiators as well.

Manus Correctrix · Jun 29, 2012

This also justifies amputee porn.

Adrian · Jul 1, 2012

In common belief female gladiators were usually lower class women, slaves or POWs. However, according to sources I found, a "gladiatrix career" was a "quite attractive" alternative for well born female citizens:
http://www.roman-colosseum.info/gladiators/female-gladiators.htm
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/gladiators/amazones.html

Wealthy Roman Women (Patricians) who fought as Female Gladiators
What would motivate wealthy Roman women to undertake the role of a female gladiator? Tacitus (56 – 117) who was a senator and a historian of the Roman Empire, wrote that, "Many ladies of distinction, however, and senators, disgraced themselves by appearing in the amphitheatre" (Annals, XV.32). These women gladiators did not fight for money, they already had money. These women might have wanted attention, excitement, thrills and notoriety. But they must have had permission from their male 'guardian'. As long as the women did not receive a participation fee they would be exempt from the stain of 'infamia' which was a legal disability attached conscripted gladiators, actors and prostitutes.

Female Gladiators and the Emperor Domitian It is documented by Dio Cassius that the Roman Emperor Domitian arranged for female gladiators fight dwarfs in the arena. As noted in the writings of Dio Cassius, "Often he would conduct the games also at night, and sometimes he would pit dwarfs and women against each other" (67.8.2).

"There was another exhibition that was at once most disgraceful and most shocking, when men and women not only of the equestrian but even of the senatorial order appeared as performers in the orchestra, in the Circus, and in the hunting-theatre [Colosseum], like those who are held in lowest esteem. Some of them played the flute and danced in pantomimes or acted in tragedies and comedies or sang to the lyre; they drove horses, killed wild beasts and fought as gladiators, some willingly and some sore against their will."
Cassio Dio, Roman History (LXI.17.3)

The scandalous events described above, including an elephant walking on a tightrope, were provided by Nero in honor of his mother, whom he had murdered (as well as his first and second wife, and his step-sister and step-brother). In recounting the Neronian games, Tacitus, relates, too, that "Many ladies of distinction, however, and senators, disgraced themselves by appearing in the amphitheatre" (Annals, XV.32). Later, in entertaining the king of Armenia, Nero gave a gladiatorial exhibition in which Ethiopians appeared, both men, women, and children (Dio, LXIII.3.1). And Petronius, who Nero forced to commit suicide, speaks of a woman who was to fight from a chariot in the manner of essedarii (Satyricon, XLV).
Increasingly elaborate displays were hosted by Titus in the dedication of the Colosseum and baths.

Apparently Juvenal did not like "gladiatrix concept":

The Satires of Juvenal - The Female Gladiators

"Who has not seen the dummies of wood they slash at and batter
Whether with swords or with spears, going through all the moves?
These are the girls who blast on 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 her 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 great honour it is for a husband to see, at an auction
Where his wife's effects are up for sale, belts, greaves, manica 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 are put down, and she squats as she uses the vessel.
Ah, degenerate girls of 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 gladiators wench,
No tough strip-tease broad would ever so much as attempt it."

Akela · Jul 4, 2012

"Many ladies of distinction, however, and senators, disgraced themselves by appearing in the amphitheatre" (Annals, XV.32). ... These women might have wanted attention, excitement, thrills and notoriety.

How can a woman be decent, sticking her head in a helmet, denying her 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 great honour it is for a husband to see, at an auction
Where his wife's effects are up for sale, belts, greaves, manica and plumes!
...
Ah, degenerate girls of 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 gladiators wench,
No tough strip-tease broad would ever so much as attempt it."

Criticism of some modern women, anyone? Within the last 20-30 years?

Alethian · May 13, 2013

Infacundus dixit: ↑

I KNEW IT
Thong armor IS historical!

Wait 'til I show this to the jerks critiquing my mod

This made my day.

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News (Ancient) Female gladiators

Pixie Inquisitio Latinae Pravitatis

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News (Ancient) Female gladiators

Pixie Inquisitio Latinae Pravitatis

Infacundus Magister Bibendi

Pixie Inquisitio Latinae Pravitatis

Manus Correctrix Cave Manum Correctricem

Adrian Civis Illustris

Akela Princeps Senatus

Alethian Member

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