Gladiators used in roman army?

[Jeanne d'arc]

One of the roman units are gladiators , where they used in the roman armies back then??I thought they only fight in arena's for entertainment to the crowd.

[Tamur]

You're right, they were fighters in the same sense that boxers these days are. Making an army of them was the purvue of Spartacus alone.

[Hurin_Rules]

I don't think gladiators were ever used by the Roman army. Gladiators were usually slaves/prisoners of war and would not be trusted, let alone armed.

I think CA tried to justify the gladiator unit with the rather weak argument about the slave revolt led by the gladiator Spartacus. This revolt did indeed happen, and gladiators did fight in it. But note that these rebels fought AGAINST Rome, not for it.

I can't think of any other examples of Gladiators fighting in a war. Anyone else?

[Barkhorn1x]

One of the roman units are gladiators , where they used in the roman armies back then??I thought they only fight in arena's for entertainment to the crowd.

This is one of 'those' issues. Here, IMO, is why their inclusion - as units are a bit silly.

1. There is documented evidence of Gladiators fighting during the Sparticus Slave revolt, circa 72BCE, and as part of one of the "claiment" armies during the Civil Wars of 69CE.
2. However, these men would have fought in legionary attire - gladiator attire being more suited for a "show" rather than serious fighting.
3. Therefore, these men would have been indistinguishable from a run of the mill legionary.
4. So their inclusion - as units in gladiator attire - is ahistorical, quite silly and a sop to those whose only knowledge of Roman history comes from a Riddley Scott movie.

Barkhorn.

[lars573]

The gladiators in spartucuses slave revolt would have been wearing gladiator gear at first. They had no other armour in the gladiator barracks. I couldn't find any referance to gladiators being used in a real battle, but what I did find is that rich romans would use gladiators as private security and bodyguards

[shingenmitch2]

Jeanne.

In a nutshell... nope.

As for the revolts, they would have used anything on hand including farm implements. After Sparticus defeated his first roman army, I'm certain they stripped the bodies of the Roman regulars and used whatever was still in decent shape.

[Steppe Merc]

Yeah, these units are pure fantasy. But at least they aren't totally made up like the Arcani...

[Oaty]

Unfortanately with the new board all the old posts got deleted but someone posted that they were used (excluding Spartucus) and they performed so horribly in the battle they were'nt really worth bringing. So the option is there and if they make them weak units then it wo'nt be so bad

[Lonewarrior]

Here is some info

Spartacus (died 71 bc), Roman slave and gladiator, born in Thrace. He is thought to have been a deserter from the Roman army, and he was sold as a slave to a trainer of gladiators at Capua. In 73 bc he escaped with other runaway gladiators and took refuge on Mount Vesuvius, where he was joined by large numbers of escaped slaves. As leader of the historic insurrection of Roman slaves known as the Third Servile War, or Gladiators' War, he defeated two Roman armies, and his forces overran southern Italy. In 72 bc he defeated three more Roman armies and reached Cisalpine Gaul, where he planned to disperse his followers to their homes. They decided to remain in Italy for the sake of plunder, and Spartacus marched south again. In 71 bc the Roman commander Marcus Licinius Crassus forced Spartacus and his followers into the narrow peninsula of Rhegium (now Reggio di Calabria), from which, however, they escaped through the Roman lines. Crassus then pursued Spartacus to Lucania, where the rebel army was destroyed and Spartacus was killed in battle. Upon his death the insurrection came to an end, and the captured rebels were crucified. A few who escaped to the north were killed by Pompey the Great, who was returning from Spain.

Microsoft® Encarta® Reference Library 2003. © 1993-2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

[King Azzole]

Gladiators rock. Cant wait to use em.

[lars573]

Gladiators rock. Cant wait to use em.

I know there the battlefield ninja/hashasin of RTW

[Kraxis]

It is surprising how many time this come up at varius boards.

Anyway, gladiators were used in battles now and then.
It is believed that the 'criminals' in one of the Roman armies chasing Hannibal around were in fact gladiators (they were inticed to fight because they were promised their freedom, and they won the battle they fought in).
Both Ceasar and Pompey used gladiators in their armies, I think Ceasar himself noted that Pompey's gladiators were superior in melee and his own were superior with the pilum (or the other way around).
But it must be mentioned that both these and Spartacus' gladiators were armed as Roman legionaries and not like in the ring. Their equipment was not very effective, it prevented quick kills but not kills themselves, and they were meant to help in one on ones. Some helmets were directly impossible to use in battle (some having almost blinders others presenting only small eyeholes).

[Spino]

I know there the battlefield ninja/hashasin of RTW

No, the three or four gladiator units in RTW will simply be melee fighters of a various classes. The RTW equivalent of ninja/hashanin will be units like the Arcani.

[Sir Moody]

well dont worry when some of us get around to moding RTW (probably the second it comes through my door) we will put them in as they hsould be - in Full legionaire uniform

[GoldenKnightX2]

not all gladiators where gladiators because they were forced to be, many volunteered.

[Oaty]

not all gladiators where gladiators because they were forced to be, many volunteered.

And not only that some of them were also Gigalos

[Maedhros]

I'm not sure gigolo is the right word.

Roman ladies would pay for their "services" but the money went to whomever owned the poor sap. So he received no support or benefit beyond a good nite.

There is some indication that some gladiators were used as bodyguards by the rich and powerful. But i suspect then the gladiator attire was more about intimidation and less about effect.

[Drake]

I seem to recall a sentence in Livy's "The War with Hannibal" that says that after Cannae that the Roman standing army was so heavily hit that they began to make cohorts up of gladiators, slaves and even prisoners. Livy is not known for being entirely accurate, but it would fit given the desparation of the time.

Would gladiators have fought in their arena gear or in uniform? Debatable. Army gear would have been hard to come by, and sinc etheir own stuff would be efficient(ish), they could in theory have been gladiators who fought in gladiator attire, but this is just be casting out possible guesses.

[Kraxis]

Would gladiators have fought in their arena gear or in uniform? Debatable. Army gear would have been hard to come by, and sinc etheir own stuff would be efficient(ish), they could in theory have been gladiators who fought in gladiator attire, but this is just be casting out possible guesses.

It is quite unlikely that they would have fought in gladiatorial equipment. As I have already mentioned several of the classes had lousy vision and were only effective against a single opponent he could keep an eye on all the time.
Most likely the gladiators of Livy's battle would have been issued a helmet, a shield and a sword, possibly a pilum or two. No armour would of course go to them as the real legions would get that (rather they would have bought all the armour in Rome).
So in effect the gladiators became Hastati more or less. Less disciplined but more furious.