CLASSIC 20 Lecture Notes - Lecture 20: Murmillo, Titus Statilius Taurus, Maius
Document Summary
Origins of gladiators: display of courage a man fighting to the death with a sword often thought to be an etruscan custom to honor the dead a. i. Some but very little evidence to support this a. ii. Recorded in athenaeus only ancient source that attributes origins to etruscans a. ii. 2. Trainer of gladiators (lanista) is an etruscan word a. ii. 3. Etruscan god charon of the underworld is associated with god dis pater, who escorts corpses of slaughtered from the arena a. iii. But of all the wall paintings from etruscan culture with greek athletics and horse races, none depict gladiatorial competitions a. iii. 1. Other types of athletics and ceremonies go on but this one isn"t shown: other scholars say campania in southern italy was most likely the place of origins b. i. First permanent amphitheaters and arenas for gladiators were built in this area b. ii. Earliest gladiator type was known as samnite b. iii. City south of naples (ancient posidonia, colony of.
