![]() ![]() That said, the Romans saw them as only an exotic and/or erotic novelty, and many regarded their existence (and of women's athletics in general) as a corruption of traditional Roman gender roles, hence why women were eventually banned from competing in the arena sometime around 200 AD during the reign of Septimius Severus. It's believed that many women who were drawn to the arena were free citizens motivated by fame, fortune, and independence, or the daughters of retired male gladiators who followed in their fathers' footsteps. The vast majority of gladiators were men, though female gladiatrices are not unknown to history at the very least, regulations on the games existed concerning them specifically. These voluntary gladiators will very rarely appear in fiction, whereas in Real Life they were often the most skilled fighters in the arenas and by the time of the Roman Empire actually outnumbered the enslaved gladiators. note For non-citizens and impoverished Romans, this provided food and shelter, and if they were skilled enough to survive even the opportunity to earn significant wealth. While gladiators were originally all slaves, over time a class of professional gladiators also emerged. The manner of the Coup de Grâce varied, but one common method, supported by archaeological evidence, was to have a man dressed as Dīs Pater, a Roman god of the underworld, hit the doomed gladiator in the head with a large mallet.Ĭriminals condemned to die by the sword were not considered gladiators, and for them death was predetermined. In Real Life, most gladiators who got killed in the end of the fight were either Dirty Coward types, or so badly wounded they were not expected to survive. Hollywood gladiators almost always fight to the death. In fact, battles to the death were widely advertised specifically because they were so rare. In Real Life, only around a tenth of fights between professional gladiators actually resulted in death, as gladiators were expensive to train and difficult to replace. Hollywood History comes into play for some of the elements. Very popular in Ancient Rome settings, oddly enough, and in Sword and Sandal settings based on it. Contrast The Tourney, which doesn't carry this stigma because the nobles risk themselves rather than compel others to do so. On the other hand, this situation was involved in the Trope Namer for Androcles' Lion.įrequently features in the nastier sort of Bread and Circuses, but it may just be an upperclass entertainment because Aristocrats Are Evil. ![]() ![]() This trope is distinguished from other forms of recreational combat - such as The Tourney - by one or both sides having no choice but to fight. Sometimes, after a particularly grand victory, the gladiator is freed, but generally ends with either Gladiator Revolt, or gladiators loosing the monsters they fight on the crowd, to great consternation. Generally as a result of being starved a bit leading up to the match, as was the practice in the Real Life games. Monsters used in an arena will fight long after a Real Life animal would retreat. Conversely, it may be a way of combining executions with amusement - a Death Trap that gets watched - which generally involves animals, as they don't want to deal with the winner. The first is more common the crowds will insist Finish Him!. ![]() As a Blood Sport, this may last for a time, with many bouts, allowing the gladiators time to train either the character can always win, or they do not always insist on death at defeat. Sword and Sorcery (especially Sword and Sandal) and Lost World stories are particularly fond of the monsters a good way to show them off. People - criminals or slaves - are forced to fight each other or savage monsters. Because nothing says decadent and evil like death and carnage as a spectator sport. ![]()
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