Fighting stances

[john m roberts]

That does appear to be blood running down the secutor's back, a detail I had missed. And it would be unusual to give the death blow with his left hand since he's clearly right-handed. Perhaps what happened it this: The rete drew the secutor's guard down with his trident and went in over the shield with his dagger, leaving it buried in the man's shoulder or back (and maybe took that wound in his side doing it). Now a time-out has been called (neither man is in a fighting stance) and the secutor is pulling the dagger from his own shoulder rather than having it done by an arena attendant. It would be a moment worthy of commemorating in a mosaic: first the extremely brave and adroit maneuver by the rete, then the macho gesture of the secutor.