Posts: 1,550
Threads: 81
Joined: Oct 2006
Reputation:
49
What would be a good reference on training gladiatorial arms as a hobby? Juvenal and Petronius have several references to people in +II Italy owning a gladiator's kit and training as a pastime, not as preparation for potentially lethal combat in the arena.
I've heard the name Junkelman come up before in discussions of gladiators, and I have a list of half a dozen general references on gladiators, so I will try those if nobody suggest anything.
Nullis in verba
I have not checked this forum frequently since 2013, but I hope that these old posts have some value. I now have
a blog on books, swords, and the curious things humans do with them.
Posts: 4,318
Threads: 127
Joined: Jan 2004
Reputation:
6
Junkelmann is purely about the proffesional gladiators. Not about private combat by rich people in 'weapon handling/gladiator combat'
I'm not sure if there is written anything on it, other then references to rich people (or suns of richt people) who got private training. At least I don't know any discussion of it in Junkelmann, Shadrake, Nossov and some others.
Posts: 7,668
Threads: 117
Joined: Apr 2005
Reputation:
0
There is a pretty strenuous gladiator school in Hungary.
http://www.gladiator.at/index2en.html
You could get a "sort of" taste of what it might have been like there, though I suppose the money to get there could be hard to come up with. Just a thought.
M. Demetrius Abicio
(David Wills)
Saepe veritas est dura.
Posts: 1,550
Threads: 81
Joined: Oct 2006
Reputation:
49
I think gladiator reenactors today could be an interesting parallel, since they also train to put on a show but don't expect to be killed or maimed (except for bruises and broken hands). I'll keep those Hungarians in the back of my mind when I'm finally planning a European trip.
This might be worth a conference paper or an article somewhere. But first I should read up the modern literature on gladiators, and see if I can dig up other ancient sources than the first two.
Nullis in verba
I have not checked this forum frequently since 2013, but I hope that these old posts have some value. I now have
a blog on books, swords, and the curious things humans do with them.
Posts: 7,668
Threads: 117
Joined: Apr 2005
Reputation:
0
Also, Ars Dimicandi (many members on this forum)
http://www.arsdimicandi.net/ has a bunch of you tube videos, and from them you might get some ideas. You're right, though, the training we might endure is not a serious as that which the ancient gladiators did. They
were putting on a show, but there was real blood expected. Sometimes a competitor gave all there was.
M. Demetrius Abicio
(David Wills)
Saepe veritas est dura.