Relief of a scissor

[Uwe Bahr]

Avete omnes,

I just wanted to show this photo of a gladiator that I found recently on an Internet site. May-be, the gladiator specialists know it already - for me it was new. The relief is from a site about Halicarnassus / Bodrum, Turkey:



Obviously here is shown a scissor with the typical weapon on his left. His armor might be something like a musculata over a tunica and the short greaves of the secutores or murmillones. The helmet seems not to be derived from the secutor class but looks more like a simple murmillo helmet of the sub-typus Chieti.

Opinions? Greets - Uwe

[Uwe Bahr]

Recently I have just read the chapter about scissores in Marcus Junkelmann's book about gladiators. He writes that up to now there were only 4 images of scissors known. Two are shown in his book and the two others are described by him. What they all have in common is the fact that they are wearing a mail or scale cuirass, a secutor's helmet, a short sword in their right and the typical scissor's weapon in their left (or in one case lying on the ground). All known depictions come from the east.

Also the scissors are the only armatura with two (!) short greaves (secutores and murmillones only have one at their left leg).

So IMHO the above shown gladiator from Halicarnassos must be a fifth and not so well-known depiction of a scissor. His typical weapon and the two short greaves are very good visible. Also are his leggings clearly recognizable that leave the feet uncovered.

But what makes him outstanding beside the untypical helmet (for a scissor) is his body armor. If there is really a lorica musculata shown then do we have the first gladiator depicted in that armor, what has been always denied by all experts.

Boys and girls, really nobody of You has an opinion about that?

Uwe

P.S.: ... and then this miniature of Pegaso models would not be so wrong as I always thought. :wink:

[url:u499pj1u]http://www.pegasomodels.com/details_it.asp?code=54-119#[/url]

[Jona Lendering]

Wow!
When I made that photo, I was not aware that it was something special. If someone needs the bigger file, write me a PM.

If someone wants to improve the explanatory remark on this page, just tell me!

[Uwe Bahr]

Hi Jona,

this nice photo was made by You !!! When I found that photo by googling I didn't remark that it was from Your homepage. :? Otherwise I would of course have referred to You.

Well at least I find it very outstanding, thanks so much. Laudes point Nr. 40 for You !

Greets from Asciburgium - Uwe

[Conal]

Amazing what you can find in Googleland :roll:




http://www.philipharland.com/Museums/Hi ... on1web.jpg

http://www.philipharland.com/Museums/Hi ... iators.htm

[john m roberts]

It looks like a hamata to me, with the typical belly sag over the belt. The details would have been painted on. The helmet seems unusual for a scissor, but he was an unusual form of gladiator and equipment rules seem to have been looser in the east than in the west.

[Uwe Bahr]

Hi John,

where You saw the typical belly sag over the belt, did I have the first impression that it might be a lorica musculata worn over a short-sleeved tunica. :wink:

But I must confess that You might be right as well, there could be depicted also a hamata, and this even would be more probable.

Greets - Uwe

[Jona Lendering]

From this topic, I've I understood that pictures of scissors are rare. Are the pygmees you can see below scissors? I mean, of course they are nude, and these pictures are satirical, but the helmet and the weapon look like the guy from Halicarnassus above (unless the Halicarnassian gladiator has his full face covered).



Photo's from the Villa Selene, near Leptis Magna.

(BTW: Does anyone know what kind of birds these are? The Italian leaflet I have says these are cicogne, "big swans", but that's obviously not what they are.)

[Martin Moser]

Hi Jona,

From this topic, I've I understood that pictures of scissors are rare. Are the pygmees you can see below scissors?

Interesting pictures there! The helmet seems to be a flower actually and the thing he's sticking his left arm in looks like the broken off upper end of an amphora to me (better visible on the larger pictures at Jona's site). Since he is attacked by an animal, I'd say that if it is meant as a satirical depiction of arena shows it would rather be that of a bestiarius.

(BTW: Does anyone know what kind of birds these are? The Italian leaflet I have says these are cicogne, "big swans", but that's obviously not what they are.)

I'd say that's an ibis. Considering the bird's fame in Egypt and that the mosaic is in Northern Africa, it would not be unlikely to be chosen for depiction either, I'd think.

[Jona Lendering]

Of course, a flower and an amphora! Laudes!

[M. Demetrius]

That's a nightmare bird, to be sure! But I think the unfortunate person is a dwarf, not a pygmy.

[john m roberts]

Traditionally, Pygmies are depicted battling cranes, but I admit the bird looks more like an ibis. The Pygmies were a mythical, tiny people thought to live at the headwaters of the Nile. When 19th century explorers discovered the small people of the Ituri Forest region, they bestowed the name Pygmies on them.

[aitor iriarte]

To my mind, they are ill-depicted cranes, look at the crests

Aitor

[Jeroen Pelgrom]

for pygmies vs cranes see also this link: www.theoi.com/Phylos/Pygmaioi.html

The story behind the pygmies vs cranes is that a princes forgot to invite artemis and Hera to her wedding with a pygmie prince. When Artmemis and Hera showed up, they turned the princes into a crane. The crane wanted to save its child, the pygmie prince wanted also to save its child. Before they know it, both of them were fighting eachother.

[Bushikage]

But what makes him outstanding beside the untypical helmet (for a scissor) is his body armor. If there is really a lorica musculata shown then do we have the first gladiator depicted in that armor, what has been always denied by all experts.

Wow, i recognize this guy...i saw this relief on my visit to Bodrum.
Unfortunately no pics left of this relief, my camera was stolen...shame on that, i had some very nice pics of him and of the castle.
But when i saw the relief i was under the impression that the gladiator was barechested and that the bulky lump of his belly was a wide belt or just his quite grand belly. I could be wrong ofcourse...a hamata or musculata are both things i can also see and relate to in the relief.