Gladiators with cingulum

[john m roberts]

For most of their history, the standard belt for all types of gladiator was the archaic bronze belt of Samnium/Lucania. On mosaics such as the one from Zliten the bronze color is quite clear. I know of no examples of the cingulum militare being worn in the arena. Very late gladiators, especially those from the East, seem to have worn a belt of multiple leather straps rather like the harness worn by charioteers.