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The retiarius (the gladiator with the net, trident and spear)

posted 8 years ago by lumbee
1 reply | jump to latest

It bothered me in the first fight that two guys, one with a net the other with a sword, took that guy down. Wrong, and damned unsporting as well.

The Retiarius was a SINGLE gladiator, armed with the tools of a fisherman; the net, trident and knife. ONE man not two. Historically dead-wrong.

The retiarius was routinely pitted against a heavily armed secutor. The net-fighter made up for his lack of protective gear by using his speed and agility to avoid his opponent's attacks and waiting for the opportunity to strike. He first tried to throw his net over his rival. If this succeeded, he attacked with his trident while his adversary was entangled. Another tactic was to ensnare his enemy's weapon in the net and pull it out of his grasp, leaving the opponent defenseless.

Almost but no cigar.

[–] Iberian_Wolf 8 years ago

Historically dead-wrong.

and there is more:
in the movie most gladiators who lost die. In reality that would have been a huge loss for the lanistas. These guys were like today's pro athletes, fights to the death were not that common as the movie portraits. that would just be bad business.

plus, according to a book a bought in the Colosseum, Retiarius were considered low level gladiators almost feminine fighters, I doubt the flea infested city crowd would enjoy them at all...

Sean Bean has not died from Lightsaber related issues yet...just saying