The fighters
Gladiator types, explained
The murmillo, retiarius, secutor and thraex: what each carried, who faced whom and why the pairings were popular.
Book the gladiator show ↗Quick answer
Gladiators fought in set types, each with its own helmet, shield and weapon. Wikipedia describes the murmillo with a large rectangular shield, the retiarius with a net and trident, the secutor with a smooth helmet made to face the retiarius, and the thraex with a small shield and curved sword. Knowing the four makes a re-enactment easier to follow, though which types you see depends on the performers on the night.
Why types mattered
Wikipedia says the earliest recorded types were named after peoples Rome fought, such as the Samnite and the Thracian, and that fighters were matched by type so that one style of armour faced another. The pairing was a part of the show: heavy against light, shield against net. The secutor article adds that the pairing of heavy armour against light equipment was popular. The booking page for the show names gladiator fights without listing the types, so this guide gives the background you can use to follow the action.
The murmillo
Wikipedia lists the murmillo's gear as a gladius, a large rectangular wooden shield with a small bronze boss, a decorated belt, a segmented arm guard, a large crested helmet with a grilled visor and a shin guard over thick leg padding. It says the type likely takes its name from the Greek word for a fish, reflecting the fish-like crest of its Gallic-style helmet, and that the murmillo mainly fought the thraex or the hoplomachus.
The retiarius
The retiarius was the lightest of the standard types. Wikipedia says he carried a weighted net, a trident about as tall as a person and a dagger, and wore an arm guard on his left arm and a shoulder guard, with no helmet or footwear. He relied on speed and distance, trying to throw the net over his opponent and then jab with the trident. Wikipedia adds that Romans regarded him as the lowest type, though his bare face may have made him more popular with the crowd.
The secutor
The secutor was trained to fight the retiarius. Wikipedia says his helmet had only two small eye-holes, which kept a trident from reaching his face, and a rounded top that would not catch in a net. He carried a large curved rectangular shield and usually a gladius. The name comes from the Latin for follow, and the pairing, Wikipedia says, dramatised a fisherman against a fish. The helmet in the photograph shows the small eye-holes clearly.
The thraex
The thraex, or Thracian, is one of the earliest types in Wikipedia's account. Its gear included a small shield, which the article says could be rectangular, square or circular, a short sword with a curved blade, greaves, a protective belt worn over a loincloth and a helmet with a side plume, a visor and a high crest. The curved blade is meant to injure an opponent's unarmoured back. A mosaic caption in the article shows a thraex fighting a murmillo.
What this means in the arena
In a re-enactment you may see some of these types and not others. The booking page for the show lists gladiator fights among four kinds of performance, with real weapons and armour. If you recognise the large shield of a murmillo, the net of a retiarius or the narrow-eyed helmet of a secutor, you can read the bout as the Romans did. The museum on the site also displays arms and armour of gladiators, Turismo Roma says, so you can compare the kit up close.
A caution on certainty
The details above come from a general reference, and scholars debate parts of them. Wikipedia notes that some ancient writers say a murmillo also fought a retiarius, but calls that pairing disputed. It also says the details of the thumbs signal that decided a beaten fighter's fate are too imprecise to reconstruct. A re-enactment is an informed reconstruction, so read what you see as the group's reading of the evidence, not as the last word.
Frequently asked questions
Which gladiator type is the most famous?
The murmillo and the retiarius are among the best known. Wikipedia describes the retiarius with a net and trident and the murmillo with a large rectangular shield.
Why did the secutor's helmet have tiny eye-holes?
Wikipedia says the two small holes kept a retiarius's trident from reaching the face, and the rounded top would not catch in a net.
Will I see every type at the show?
Not necessarily. The booking page names gladiator fights but not the types, so the performers on your night decide.
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