07-21-2011, 10:23 PM
"any gladiator (minus volunteers perhaps, and possibly criminals) who left the arena would become freedmen"
Where do you get this idea from?
Surely gladiators were hired out by the lanista for a public event and then returned afterwards. The idea promoted by so many books, television programmes and silly films like 'Gladiator' that gladiator fights all ended in the death of a gladiator is plainly false. Gladiators took time and expense to keep and train and because of this could not be replaced at the rate that such a situation would demand. The equipment of gladiators makes it fairly certain that display was an important part of the fight and we know that fights were closely controlled by referees. Although fatalities would almost certainly have occurred relatively often, it is probable that most gladiator fights ended with plenty of blood but with both combatants walking out of the arena under their own steam.
We know that a gladiator could earn money (presumably by having an agent who took bets on his behalf) and could aspire to buying his freedom, possibly with the intention of setting up as lanista himself or working with an existing lanista (others probably found work as 'security guards' and doormen, while others may have have continued in the job their knew best and hired themselves out as 'independent' gladiators).
Of course, this would not apply to condemned criminals who were forced to pretend to be gladiators to undergo their public execution.
Crispvs
Where do you get this idea from?
Surely gladiators were hired out by the lanista for a public event and then returned afterwards. The idea promoted by so many books, television programmes and silly films like 'Gladiator' that gladiator fights all ended in the death of a gladiator is plainly false. Gladiators took time and expense to keep and train and because of this could not be replaced at the rate that such a situation would demand. The equipment of gladiators makes it fairly certain that display was an important part of the fight and we know that fights were closely controlled by referees. Although fatalities would almost certainly have occurred relatively often, it is probable that most gladiator fights ended with plenty of blood but with both combatants walking out of the arena under their own steam.
We know that a gladiator could earn money (presumably by having an agent who took bets on his behalf) and could aspire to buying his freedom, possibly with the intention of setting up as lanista himself or working with an existing lanista (others probably found work as 'security guards' and doormen, while others may have have continued in the job their knew best and hired themselves out as 'independent' gladiators).
Of course, this would not apply to condemned criminals who were forced to pretend to be gladiators to undergo their public execution.
Crispvs
Who is called \'\'Paul\'\' by no-one other than his wife, parents and brothers. :!: <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_exclaim.gif" alt=":!:" title="Exclamation" />:!:
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