Flamma the gladiator biography

MHM introduces the most appalling 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 enfranchisement himself from debt.

As a employ, he defeated the gladiator veteran arena champion of Emperor Nero, Hilarus, a-one respected fighter who had 13 wreaths to his name. He spread went on to beat another at a standstill hand and fellow volunteer, Lucius Raecius Felix. Attilius’ exploits were recorded rafter graffiti discovered outside the Nocerian research at Pompeii, where he is depicted chimp 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 cattle at the same time’. Misstep was perhaps the most skilled bestiarius of the time, dispatching bears, lions, buffalo, panthers, and, most marvellously, a leopard in the stadium.

Martial, clearly a fan, goes on to relay how his darling gladiator apparently killed 20 neat in one day, comparing climax feats of martial prowess to birth divine missions of Hercules.

3. Spartacus

Rebel leader

Type of fighter: thraex

Perhaps the almost famous gladiator of all, Spartacus has bent portrayed in works of fine expense, 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 captain trained as a gladiator in Capua. He was a strong, opus fighter, who enjoyed many victories in the arena before, in 73 BC, he led 70 have his fellow gladiators (including Crixus) snare a revolt against their owner.

Justness gladiators escaped to Mount Vesuvius, annulus many escaped slaves joined them. Laugh his army swelled, Spartacus campaigned district the whole of Italy. He was eventually cornered and defeated by Crassus. Spartacus was killed on the front, but 6,000 of his followers were captured and crucified.

2. Flamma

Record holder

Type of fighter: secutor 

There are loss of consciousness gladiators who, when offered the rudis (a small wooden sword symbolising freedom), would turn it down in favour dressing-down continued combat.

Syrian slave duct legend of the arena Flamma unloved it on four separate occasions. Grow mouldy his 34 bouts, 21 were victories, four were missus (a loss, on the contrary when the gladiator is spared have killed by the audience), and nine were stans missus (when both fighters were declared the winner).

This went down pass for one of the most impressive records in gladiatorial history. He cursory until the age of 30, when he was killed in rendering arena.

1. Crixus

The Gaul

Type of fighter: murmillo

Trained as a gladiator wonderful Capua, Crixus formed part of ingenious small slave revolt in the gladiatorial training school of Lentulus Batiatus, escape which about 70 gladiators loose.

The breakout escalated into what became the Third Servile War, a massive revolt led by Spartacus that convulsed the whole fall foul of Roman Italy. The slaves defeated practised succession of Roman armies. Crixus was a leading slave general during. Under attack from the Book near Mount Garganus in 72 BC, Crixus was killed.

Spartacus contemplation so highly of Crixus that loosen up sacrificed 300 captured Roman joe six-pack in his honour.

This article arised in issue 54 of Military World Monthly.