Unique performance – Finally some action on the university meadows –
The female sex symbols of Roman times fight for their lives
By Andrea Matzker and Dr. Egon Schlesinger
Roman Gladiatrices as Murmillo Retiarius and Secutor on the university meadows of Cologne. Photo: Andrea Matzker
After only five days of daily practice under the guidance of trainer Mathias Kunzler, the Cologne archeology professor dr Eckhard Deschler-Erb extremely happy with the result. In an elaborate special project, the students created costumes of various types of gladiators from Roman times that were almost entirely true to the original and learned the complicated rituals of their various combat steps. Mathias Kunzler usually instructs film actors who have to portray their roles in historically accurate ways, such as in the gladiator films known all over the world. Famous gladiators like Spartacus were admired by the Romans and were the sex symbols and superstars of their time. Many ladies of society and also empresses succumbed to her fascination.
Roman Gladiatrices as Murmillo Retiarius and Secutor with professor and trainer on the university meadows of Cologne. Photo: Andrea Matzker
Most of the knowledge about the weapons and fighting methods of the different types of gladiators comes from the excavations in Pompeii, where many pieces of equipment from a gladiator’s barracks were found. Shield, sword, helmet, bracers and greaves are donned and worn according to very strict rules. The last known gladiator fight took place on January 1st, 404.
Roman gladiatrices Murmillo and Thraex fight each other on the university meadows of Cologne. Photo: Andrea Matzker
Roman gladiatrices, also called Amazons, were the exception, but their existence is clearly documented in numerous writings. They were the pinnacle in Roman arenas, especially since the spectators were mostly male. Like their male colleagues, they mostly performed shirtless. They were considered the absolute sensation of Roman times and attracted thousands of admirers. They were the sex symbols of their time. Even empresses occasionally appeared as gladiatrices.
Roman gladiatrices Murmillo and Thraex fight each other on the university meadows of Cologne. Photo: Andrea Matzker
The three students in Professor Deschler-Erb’s class chose four of the more well-known gladiator models.
Since the first century BC the Murmillo proven. He carries the short sword gladius, a large, arched rectangular shield scutum and as protective clothing an armguard and a greave on the left. The helmet with visor is shaped like a fish, “mormylos” means “small fish”. Therefore the name. Most of the time he fights against Thraex, den Thraker.
Thraex wields a curved bladed sword called a sica and a small domed shield parmula. His helmet with visor is crowned by a griffin’s head. He wears the manica arm guard on his right and two greaves as leg guards.
Retiarius is feared for his net. Also, he wears it trident tridens and a short sword or one Dolch dagger He wears neither a body shield nor a helmet, but does have one Shoulder umbrella galerus and a Armschiene sleeve. Mostly he fights against the Secutor.
The fourth gladiator type presented on the Uniwiesen is this one Follower. He wears an egg-shaped helmet with very small eye-holes, so Retarius can’t blind him so quickly. He is armed with a short sword and a large one Rechtecksschild shield. He, too, mostly fights with Retarius.
Roman Gladiatrices Retiarius finishes off Secutor with her trident. Photo: Andrea Matzker
Roman Gladiatrices Retiarius casts her net at Secutor. Photo: Andrea Matzker
At the end of the performance, trainer and referee Kunzler was very satisfied with his students and only regretted the low budget of “60,000 sesterces”, which unfortunately meant that real blood had to be dispensed with in this performance. The professor was also very proud of the success of his project, but now it was only a matter of finally finding an original Roman amphitheater in Cologne, because so far none has been found.
Andrea Matzker and Dr. Egon Schlesinger
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