Ludus Gladiatorius - Research and Study.

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Glossary of terms and links

This list is primarily a glossary of common terms and a series of links found within the subject of gladiatorial combat. It is not a complete list and will be added to as time and understanding allow.

If you have any terms or references that you do not understand or think should be added, drop us an email and we will either add them or research them for inclusion.

ad bestias: A form of capital punishment, by being thrown to animals.
auctoratus: Often used as a phrase for a volunteer gladiator.

bestiarius: Fighter that would fight animals.

caserma dei gladiatori: House of gladiators
confector: Bxecutioner, normally working with wild animals.
crupellarii: Gladiator type, very heavily armoured. Some believe their armour was the inspiration of the Lorica Segmentata worn by the military.

damnati ad bestias: Death by Animal. Condemned to death by animal mutilation.
damnati ad gladium: Death by sword. Condemned to death either by execution by sword or to fight until dead as a gladiator.
damnati ad mortem: Condemned to death somewhere in the arena or by other methids of execution.
decretoria arma: The name given to metal weapons used in the arena and occasionally in training.
doctor, doctores: Gladiator trainer. Specialist would have the type of specialist they trained attached. Eg: Doctores Retiarius.

editor: The name given to the person that had paid for the games.
equites: Gladiators that would start the combat on horseback and often finish on foot.
essedarius: Gladiator type that fought from chariots.

famalia: The name given to a group of gladiators, a sort of collective noun for them. It would normally be followed by the name of their owner. Eg: Famalia Gainus.

gallus: Gladiator type. The name given to the Murmillo prior to Augustus' reforms.
gladius: Sword, a gladiator is a gladius user.

harenarii, harenarius: A name given to arena attendants and those sentenced to the arena as servants. It means People of the sand.
hoplomachus: Gladiator Type, armed with a spear, short sword, round shield and high greaves. Possibly based upon the Hoplite.

juventus: Gladiatorial training place for Roman youths.

lanista: Gladiator owner, often responsible for a familia of gladiators.
laquerius: Gladiator Type, armed with a trident or spear and a lasso or length of rope. Some suppose the spear was attached to the rope.
ludi: Roman festival celebrations.
ludus: Gladiatorial schools, the plural is ludi and is easily confused with the festivals of the same name.
lusoria arma: Wooden training sword for gladiators, not to be confused with the rudus given as a symbol of freedom.

medici: Doctor, not to be confused with the doctores.
missio: If a gladiator was allowed to live after defeat it was called mission. This was also the term given to their retirement from fighting.
munera gladiatorum: gladiator combats
munus: Funeral games, later became synonomous with gladiatorial combat at the end of the republic.
myrmillo: Gladiator type, also murmillo or mirmillo. Heavily armed and fought retiarius or thracian.

paegniarius: More than probably specifically trained fighter who only fought with wood and non gladiatorial weapons, a warmup to the prolusio and main games.
pompa: Funeral procession.
porta libitinensis: door of libitina
procurator: A man who oversaw regions of gladiatorial schools in during the mid to late Empire.
provocator: Gladiator type, closely linked to the military in appearance and weapons.

retiarius: Gladiator type, the fisherman, who fought with a net and trident.
rudis: A wooden sword given to a gladiator to signify he had to no longer fight in the arena.

samnite: Gladiator type, heavily armed and never heard of post Augustus, probably became the myrmillo and or secutor.
secunda rudis: Second in line to the summa rudis.
secutor: Gladiator type, fought the retiarius, first makes his appearance during the reign of Augustus.
sica: The lethal curved sword of the Thracian.
sine missio: Gladiatorial contest in which one of the gladiators had to die.
spectacula: early name for amphitheatre.
spoliarium - chamber, adjacent to the porta libitinenis, where throts were slit and equipment removed after games.
stans: A draw, when both gladiators had fought until no decision could be made as to a victor.
summa rudis: Either a retired gladiator who returned to training, a veteran trusted by his lanista or a gladiator trainer, possibly a combination of all three.

thracian: A gladiator type typically paired against the Hoplomachus or later more frequently against the myrmillo. Also called a Thraex.
tiro: Trainee gladiator.
veterani: The name given to gladiators after they ended their time as a tiro.