Gladiatrices: The Female Gladiators of Ancient Rome
Female gladiators, or ‘gladiatrices’ were every bit as bloody, infamous, and crazy as their male counterparts in ancient Rome.
The Ancient Romans Loved Sex, Entertainment, and Novelty
Yes, that is true, and a female gladiator called ‘gladiatrix’ ticks all the above three boxes perfectly.
These women wore the same costume as their male counterparts, which means they fought topless and only wore a loincloth to cover their lower half. This also meant they provided exotic, lewd entertainment to the male-dominated Colosseum crowds who devoured these fights.
That said, women had few rights and zero freedom in the Roman Empire. It was considered taboo and sometimes even a bad omen to see women fighting like men. They were expected to be domestic and were not even considered Roman citizens. That was why we find some women adopting the gladiatrix route as a quick way to gain independence, wealth, and fame. Not to mention, a rich and independent woman would always be an eyesore for misogynistic Roman nobles.
And these beautiful, powerful girls quickly acquired a huge fan following among Romans. People came to see the ‘winning’ performers again and again, and soon souvenirs like dolls, lamps, and pieces of art started getting made with their images that sold like hotcakes in gladiator stadiums all across the empire. Soon female fighting became lavishly held affairs and one of the key sexual indulgences of the wealthy Roman elite.
The historian Cassio mentions them in his book on Roman history.
“What sense of shame can be found in a woman wearing a helmet, who shuns femininity and loves brute force… If an auction is held of your wife’s effects, how proud you will be of her belt and arm-pads and plumes, and her half-length left-leg shin guard! Or, if instead, she prefers a different form of combat, how pleased you’ll be when the girl of your heart sells off her greaves! Hear her grunt while she practices thrusts as shown by the trainer, wiling under the weight of the helmet.”
The Story of the Gladiatrices
The historian Tacitus notes that gladiatrices first became prominent during the reign of the Roman emperor Nero. As he writes, Tacitus expresses disapproval over the high-ranking women who enter the gladiator arena just for thrills.
"Many ladies of distinction, however, and senators, disgraced themselves by appearing in the amphitheatre."
But not all women belonged to the nobility. Many women were prisoners sold into slavery and entered the arena to get freedom and wealth. It was a high-risk gamble, but it was worth the fame that came with it.
And since most gladiators fought without their shirts, women needed to wear the same outfits as men when they started to fight. That meant they would be fighting topless with a loin cloth covering their lower parts that would easily fly, much to the delight of a voyeuristic crowd.
While some people argue that fighting topless was a convenience so that they could freely use their arms and legs, the fact that there was intense hooting, shouting, and whistling every time a woman’s derriere gets exposed meant that the show was meant to excite the lusty crowd.
In many ways, gladiator shows worked like TV soap operas where TRP ratings are important, and it is obvious that a half-naked, sweating, bloodied gladiatrix will push the ratings up like crazy.
The Gladiatrices Were Treated as Outcasts
Another interesting point was that, unlike male gladiators who become respectable Roman citizens after they taste fame and get their freedom, the female gladiators were still treated the same as prostitutes and were seen as a disgrace to society.
Their male admirers would openly curse them, accusing them of polluting society while secretly lusting after their bodies and even paying them to perform in private gatherings. They were outcasts in society and were seen as off-limits for any Roman man to marry.
But as slaves, the suffering was the same as their male counterparts. Emperor Nero loved to make them hunt wild animals in the arena with only a small pocket knife to defend themselves, irrespective of man or woman. The emperor Domitian would make them fight in the dark, with Roman soldiers whipping them all around. The cruelty imposed on them was the same, whether man or woman.
For most gladiatrices, all the humiliation meted on them was part of the larger plan to work for a few years, survive, and then retire in peace with wealth without depending on any man. They absorbed all the insults with a pinch of salt while continuing to entertain the bloodthirsty crowd with a gory concoction of blood, brutality, and sex.
The Female Gladiators Were Forgotten
Female gladiator games ended in 200 AD when Emperor Septimus banned woman gladiators or any women from fighting in the arena. And after that, the memories of these brave women who dared to be independent in a misogynistic society were pushed away deep into the dusty annals of history.
More than 2000 years later, archaeologists discovered these gladiators' existence through a tomb found in a small cemetery just outside the Roman Colosseum built in London. The woman was tall and in her 20s. Her mortal remains were surrounded by her gladiatorial achievements with trinkets, medals, and even oil lamps, with her image implanted on all of them.
According to Roman law, gladiators were not allowed to be taken outside the city to be buried in a proper cemetery. The fact that this woman was buried near the amphitheater showed her immense social standing among the people. The people loved her so much that they surrounded her remains with her glorious achievements in the arena, which speaks volumes about the fame she had in her lifetime.
It is time we give these obscure, hidden women their rightful place in society.
Sources
· Warrior Women: Who Were the Gladiatrices of Ancient Rome?
· 10 Things You Should Know About Female Gladiators
· Did female gladiators exist?
· Gladiatrix: Female Fighters Offered Lewd Entertainment in Ancient Rome
· Celebrating Warrior Women (Gladiatrices) in History