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Ex-Gladiators as Centurions
#1
I recently read the Colleen McCullough Master of Rome series and I am wondering what sources she used to assert that Caesar frequently recruited former gladiators into his legions as centurions or did she just use creative license?

On a side not, I have greatly enjoyed this forum and didn't think that the internet contained such treasure troves of information. Thanks to all the past posters and keep the info coming!
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#2
I think she was getting creative or hasn't done her research well. Gladiators were considered as infamis which excluded them to run of any offices or to join the army. This infamia was still valid even if you left the arena as a free man. Some reasons for free Roman citizens to sign a contract with a lanista (owner of gladiator school) as volunteer gladiator (auctoratus) was to avoid military service. The contract as a gladiator was usually for three to five years whereas you joined the army for 20-25 years. Men from lower classes usually did not go directly to the centurionate also, you had to be at least a bit priviliged.
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#3
Thank you. Sounded a little hokey, judging by the whole class system in Roman culture. Thanks.
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#4
Also we recently had a talk about Freedmen in the Roman Legions. It was not allowed, and since any gladiator (minus volunteers perhaps, and possibly criminals) who left the arena would become freedmen. I believe they could join the auxiliaries, but don't quote me on that. Their sons would be Roman citizens, but the freedman never would never be, they kept that title for life.

Does it sound a little goofy that freedmen could not be in the legions? To us yes, but remember the Romans were a very proud and prejudice people, and the stigma that someone was a slave might have "tainted" the legion
Quintus Furius Collatinus

-Matt
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#5
Gladiators during the Republic were a bit different than the ones under the Principate. Colleen McCullough was pulling from the more recent scholarship on Spartacus as it is now assumed by such as Barry Strauss (The Spartacus War) that he was a soldier under some sort of punishment.

The research needed would look at whether, in fact, soldiers under the later Republic could be punished for mutiny or the like by being sent to serve as gladiators for a period of time. Then, if so and if they survived, could/would they be accepted into military service again?

Simon Scarrow makes a similar "error" with Cato in his series of novels. Cato was a palace freedman. He should have been absolutely barred from anything except service in the Vigiles. However, minimally it works because the man putting him in the army and in the legions, no less, is the highest authority in the Empire, Claudius, who is the Emperor and who had freed Cato. We do know that an optio in Legio III Cyrenaica, T. Flavius Longus, had to prove he was freeborn when his status and thus his right to be in the legion was questioned. He obtained affidavits; the Romans had no such thing as birth certificates.
Quinton Johansen
Marcus Quintius Clavus, Optio Secundae Pili Prioris Legionis III Cyrenaicae
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#6
"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
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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#7
Quote:Gladiators during the Republic were a bit different than the ones under the Principate. Colleen McCullough was pulling from the more recent scholarship on Spartacus as it is now assumed by such as Barry Strauss (The Spartacus War) that he was a soldier under some sort of punishment.

You have to take into consideration who the first gladiators in Rome were: slaves and prisoners of war only who fought at the pyres of wealthy deceased to the death. Later on gladiator shows became more and more popular and were hence used to trigger you chances to win the election for office (until that became banned). But the "profession" of gladiator was always considered as very low, similar to prostitutes, actors and undertakers.

And Spartacus was a mercenary before he became a gladiator. Yes, he was punished and the punishment was to fight in the arena.
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#8
Quote:a palace freedman... should have been absolutely barred from anything except service in the Vigiles.

We do know that an optio in Legio III Cyrenaica, T. Flavius Longus, had to prove he was freeborn when his status and thus his right to be in the legion was questioned. He obtained affidavits; the Romans had no such thing as birth certificates.

That's interesting, particularly in terms of this thread (to which you contributed, Quinton), the upshot of which seemed to be that there was no actual law in place barring freedmen from the army - it was just customary not to enlist them except in times of crisis.

But the note on Flavius Longus suggests otherwise. Or was he just proving that he was not currently a slave? Where did you find the information?

EDIT - just found it - p.10 of Campbell's The Roman Army: A Sourcebook. You're quite right - Longus swears that he is 'freeborn'. :o
Nathan Ross
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#9
Quote:"any gladiator (minus volunteers perhaps, and possibly criminals) who left the arena would become freedmen"

Where do you get this idea from?

I got that from my understanding that Gladiators were slaves, and slaves who were set free became "freedman". I would assume since many if not most gladiators were technically slaves that they too would become freedmen if they were set free
Quintus Furius Collatinus

-Matt
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#10
I was also under the impression that most, if not all Centurions were required to be literate...that would seem to be a pretty big problem for most gladiators. Of course there is always the exception that proves the rule.
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#11
Quintius Clavius wrote: "the Profession of Gladiator was always considered as very low, similar to prostitutes, actors and understakers." Is this why lanistas prostituted some of them out to wealthy equestrian women? I know the successful ones enjoyed near r'rock-star' status but wasn't more in relation to the amount of money their patrons and fans won betting on them than the actual victories themselves? I know that Gladiator contest NEVER eclipsed chariot racing the NASCAR of the day.

I would also think that their use as instructors would be treated with contempt by the Centurionate not only because of their low status but their flashy 'performer' style of arena fighting would be completely out of sinc with the proven Legion 'punch with the umbo, thrust with the gladius, avoid entrails while stepping over the body, repeat as neccessary' technique.
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#12
The first Gladiators at Rome were those Romans who would fight in funerary games. Later prisoners and slaves were used for entertainment. Then the profession became of infame status. Gladiators who won their freedom became freedmen. Their sons might have joined the legion, but they themselves could not. Especially the idea that they could function as officers is very very unreal.

M.VIB.M.
Bushido wa watashi no shuukyou de gozaru.

Katte Kabuto no O wo shimeyo!

H.J.Vrielink.
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#13
Even as late as the funeral games celebrated by Scipio Africanus for his father and uncle slain in the war with Hannibal, free volunteers, centurions, sons of allied chieftains and even men of senatorial status fought in the arena. Of course, these were very extraordinary games honoring highly distinguished men, an opportunity to curry favor with Scipio who was rising in Roman politics, and perhaps to settle some personal scores without setting off a blood feud. It is not clear whether these combats were to the death or simply until enough blood had been shed to satisfy honor.
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