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Retiary

A retiarius faces a secutor with his trident. Mosaic of a Roman villa in Nennig.

The retiarius plural, literally, "fighting the net" in Latin) was a type of Roman gladiators. Its weaponry is characteristic of a retiarius emblem of the gladiator.

Summary

1 Description
2 Summary
3 See also
4 Gallery: retiarius cons Secutor

Description

The retiarius fought with equipment just like those of a fisherman netting sealed (in Latin rete, hence the name retiarius), a trident (fuchsin or trident) and a dagger (pugio). The retiarius fought with lightweight protection: protection of arm (Manica) and one at the shoulder (or galerus spongia). Generally, as the only garment he wore a kilt (subligaculum) held by a wide belt (balteus) or a short tunic with light padding. He wore no shoes or protection on the head.

The retiarius was consistently opposed to secutor heavily armed. The retiarius compensated for its lack of protective equipment by its speed and agility to avoid attacks from his opponent and wait for the opportunity to attack. He tried at first to cast his net over his opponent. If this succeeded, he attacked with his spear while his opponent was entangled in the net. Another tactic was to entangle the arms of his opponent in his net and pull them out of reach, leaving the enemy helpless. If the net was missing the secutor or if it managed to get rid of the retiarius generally abandoned his weapon but could also try to recover it for a second run. Usually the retiarius ended his fight with his trident and dagger. His trident, tall as him, allowed the gladiator blows fast and keep his opponent at bay. It was a powerful weapon capable of inflicting deep wounds to the skull or a member unprotected. The final dagger was the weapon of retiarius backup in case he lost his trident. It was reserved for close combat or as a quick way to finish the fight. In some fights, one retiarius faced two secutor simultaneously. In this case, the lightly armed retiarius was placed on a platform of stones and had to repel the attackers.

The retiarii appeared for the first time in the arena during the ^first century AD and became the attraction referred ^to the 2nd ^and 3rd centuries. The lack of protection and the use of avoidance tactics in combat had made retiarii the lowest bracket (and more effeminate) of a class already despised. Passages from the works of Juvenal , Seneca and Suetonius suggests that retiarii who fought in tunic (tunicate retiarii) were not considered as combatants but as real clowns. Nevertheless, works of Roman art, graffiti, prints tombstones show they had, apparently, the reputation of skilled fighters and appreciated.

His opponents were Mirmillon or Secutor. The opposition of the cons retiarius mirmillon composed a setting where the humble fisherman with his net and trident, raises a sea monster depicted by mirmillon.