Naked Statues, Fat Gladiators, and War Elephants: Frequently Asked Questions about the Ancient Greeks and Romans

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I came across a reference in Plutarch's writings (Life of Lycurgus) which seemed to indicate that Spartan men wore only one garment on a regular basis, and that this garment left them bare above the waist. The only references made to their complete nudity was during their exercises and their games, during the latter of which the young women and girls would strip themselves and join the young men and boys.

Being trampled by elephants was considered to be an undignified death among the Romans and a well deserved form of execution for the traitors of Rome. 6. The Fire Dance One method of execution that was favored by the audience was to simply allow the criminal to run around the arena. The wild cat or cats were set free to chase after the victim until he was caught and sufficiently mauled and battered. Another thing to take into account is that, in the archaic age particularly, armies would often meet on the field of battle and then agree to settle the differences by having one warrior from each side meet. This form of battle would have been more akin to the gladiatorial matches of later periods. Since the Greeks, and even the Romans to some extent, had a romanticized concept of naked warriors it is quite possible some of these matches might have taken place naked. By the classical age, these one-on-one contests were not as common. Soldiers would have wanted to wear as little as possible, especially if the weather was hot, but they would also want protection. What we do know is that the purpose of sexus coetus [also known as a group bang] the goal was to help the trainee learn how to cope with pain. Because of their size and stature, elephants were also used in executions. For example, in 167 BC, general Aemilius Paullus had elephants trample the captured men who had attempted to desert his army.

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That said, the tradition of depicting ancient Greek warriors naked or semi-naked in works of art is a lot older than Hollywood: In other accounts of wild cats used in executions, the victim was tied to a post that had been set up in the arena for such events. The cat would be let loose and the victim shredded to the cheers of the crowd. It would be erroneous to blame all of the brutal executions that took place in the Colosseum on the ancient Romans. While arguments can be made that the Pagan executions were beyond brutal, the same can be said of the executions that occurred after Rome had been Christianized. Despite its popularity, archaeologists have only discovered the remains of two people who died by crucifixion. Both of the remains were male and both showed evidence of having a nail driven through their feet to a wooden cross. There was no evidence that a nail had been driven through their hands or wrists, so it is believed that their arms were tied into position. 7. Trampled to Death

When a female gladiator defeated her opponent, she would remove her helmet so that the spectators who crowded the Colosseum or the battle arena could see for themselves what the victor’s face would look like. In 2001, in Southwark, London, a female Roman skeleton was unearthed and identified as a female gladiator. She was buried as an outcast outside the main cemetery with several items related to the world of gladiators. The tomb included such things as pottery lamps of Anubis, a lamp with a depiction of a fallen gladiator engraved on it, and bowls containing burnt pine cones from a Stone Pine which were planted around the London amphitheater. Some researchers still are uncertain if this woman was a Gladiatrix or the wife of gladiator.By the 700s AD, the once great Colosseum had fallen into a terrible condition. It was no longer a place for the games, but a place for public punishment and execution. For example, under Pope Stephen III, a criminal was taken to the Colosseum and had his eyes and tongue savagely ripped out.

Because so many of these men were imprisoned by their masters, their ability to engage in sexual relations with women was limited (at best). Photo Credit: Bromans When criminals were to be executed by wild beasts, a sentence called ad bestias, and it could be performed in a number of ways. After the criminal had been flung about and gored by the animal’s horns, he or she (women were not excluded from this form of execution) was then taken out of the netting. The throat was then sliced to further ensure total death.Death by crucifixion in the arenas was, no doubt, extremely painful. Oftentimes, the criminal’s legs were broken before being suspended. When the criminal was in position, he would slowly die by asphyxiation and blood loss. For these ancient male fighters, oral and anal interaction was considered the ultimate bonding experience. In fact, taking in the seed of another gladiator was the equivalent of drinking Jupiter’s ambrosia. Because their lives could end at any moment, it is believed that many took on male lovers to give their realities meaning. This is not to say these men were “gay”. On July 2, 2010, in Credenhill, Herefordshire, England, archeologists uncovered other remains which might be from a female gladiator. The burial contained the wooden chest secured with three iron bands and many iron nails. The pelvis and the head, belonged to a very common woman. However, the leg and arm bones were found to be unusually heavy and suggested that she had strong muscles. The goal of Ancient Origins is to highlight recent archaeological discoveries, peer-reviewed academic research and evidence, as well as offering alternative viewpoints and explanations of science, archaeology, mythology, religion and history around the globe.