School for gladiators

Learning to use techniques and equipment of ancient Roman fighters

Swords cross, and the clang of metal drowns the noise of traffic in the background. It is 2007, but a corner of the Eternal City is still practicing the skills of ancient Romans.
The place is the Gladiator School of Rome, along the Via Appia. Here, two athletes, wearing traditional armour, fight with their short swords, under the vigilant gaze of their magister and of fellow students who don’t miss a move.
Flags fly on the edge of the field, while the flames of torches shed light on the sweating faces of the fighters. The fighters have jobs or go to school during the day. But in the evening they leave the present and plunge into the past, recreating the mythical duels that took place in the Colosseum of Imperial Rome.
They leave behind their names, too, donning – with their home-sewn tunicae – a Latin name; Caius, Siculus, or Maximus, like Russell Crowe’s character in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator.
The gladiator school, established in order to study and recreate the techniques and equipment real gladiators used in training and combat, has a library with classic texts on wars and battles, a workshop, a museum, and even a kitchen preparing meals for the fighters.
The courses have a well-defined curriculum; there is a theoretical component, consisting of a monthly lesson on the history of gladiators, and a practical component with two weekly lessons of two hours each on combat movements, training bodies to assume the duelling positions, both in attack and on defence. Students then learn to handle weapons, starting with the short sword (initially made of wood), the shield, the net, the trident and the axe. Attendance is taken, and every six months there is an exam in order to advance to the next level.
Following a two-week trial period, a student’s fitness is assessed. After passing an entry exam, students start training for the first advancement test. In this first semester, they all get trained in the use of the rudis (a wooden staff), devoting special attention to leg positioning, six standard body moves for defending and attacking, a combination of four forms to execute in sequence, and theoretical knowledge of gladiatorial combat techniques.
The various proficiency levels are distinguished with names of animals, and each requires the completion of a specific training course and the passing of various tests, using different weapons and armour.
Upon admission, a new student is a Tiro, i.e. a pupil and gladiator trainee. After the first semester, a Tiro takes the Sacramentum gladiatorum, i.e. a gladiatorial oath of devotion to ars dimicandi (the art of combat); that marks the official admission to the Ludus (school).
After taking the oath and passing the test, consisting in a demonstration of the combat forms learned during the semester and a simulated combat with the rudis, the novice becomes known as an Anguis. The next semester will see the Anguis practice combat with the rudis with the addition of shield and helmet.
The schoolmaster, based on the degree of preparedness, might allow the novice to start using the gladius (a short sword made of iron). The next exam will test the student’s ability with either the rudis or the gladius, plus shield and helmet. After passing the test, the student becomes an Equus and will begin facing other gladiators.
Subsequent training includes learning the use of a double gladius while wearing full armour, i.e. including protection for the arms (iron gauntlets) and legs (greaves). Students will go on to learn to fight with different weapons, e.g. net and trident, sica (a curved gladius), spear, axe, and hammer, advancing to Lupus, Leo, and Aquila. After achieving the top level, one can specialize as a particular type of gladiator, such as a Retiarius, Mirmillo, Thrax, Secutor, Dimachaerius, Hoplomachus, or Amazon. Each class leads to a Diploma of Doctor.
Of course, the exam to become a Doctor is much more challenging than the rest; any candidate must prove worthy of fighting on a peer level with the existing Doctores.
The Gladiator School of Rome was established by Gruppo Storico Romano, a not-for-profit cultural association of re-enactors of Imperial Rome, especially of the first century CE.
The group is based on Via Appia Antica and has a current membership of 150 full members and 50 temporary members, “all sharing their love for the most beautiful city in the world, their pride for being Roman citizens, and their awareness of being the heirs to a culture that shed light throughout the world,” as the association declares.
The main goal of the group is the study and reconstruction of the civilian and military customs of ancient Rome. In pursuit of this goal, the association established several initiatives, such as the Legio XI Claudia, which marches along the streets of all over the world and especially in Rome, enchanting adults and children alike with its manoeuvres, including the famous testudo.
Constant training, which includes lessons of Latin, and military-like discipline enable the legionnaires to execute orders in the best of ways.
Gruppo Storico Romano has also created a group of six Vestals, who – under the leadership of Vestalis Maxima Flavia Publicia – officiate ancient rites such as Ignis Vestae (keeping of the sacred flame), Captio Virginis (initiation of new vestals), Palilia and Mola Salsa.
They try to adhere as scrupulously as possible to the ancient rituals, as described in texts by Ovidius, Phestus, Vergilius and other Latin authors. The GSR also established the IV Cohors Praetoria, the Emperor’s bodyguard, which escorts him in dress uniform. There is a dance group that performs ancient Forma Choreae, inspired to the dances of ancient Rome.
Finally, the Museum displays weapons and coats of armour of legionnaires and gladiators, life-sized war machines, and everyday items. All the objects are faithful reproductions of originals dating back to the opening decades of the Roman Empire.

Publication Date: 2007-08-26
Story Location: http://www.tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=7591