80 skeletons suspected to be Gladiators

[Medusa Gladiatrix]

Not much armor in the Neck area... :?

Would gladiatorial arms & armor be buried or recycled for the next gladiator?

Most likely they would be recycled for the next gladiator because the weapons and armor were property of the lanista. Also the Romans did not put weapons into graves not even into those of soldiers, this was more a barbaric custom. Although many gladiators were of barbaric origin their comrades were of different backgrounds. So to find a common sense they were buried after Roman fashion with a grave stone, if grave goods then something like oil lamps, earthen bowls for insence or food etc. but not with weapons.

[Astiryu1]

I thought as much about Gladiator hand me downs. Thanks! What about cut marks on any of the bones I read about the bite marks. A Gladiator would be cut once or twice in a fight and still live possibly. The decapitation is a final blow and easily recognized but they would have scars elsewhere most likely.

[Viventius]

There is evidence of cuts on the bones from Driffield Terrace. The jargon is sharp and blunt force trauma which occurs in many places - these are very knocked about chaps. It remains to be seen how much the programme actually goes to the information about the burials though :wink: