A Rare Roman Knife Handle Shaped Like A Gladiator Was Uncovered In England
Archaeologists in northern England have unearthed a rare Roman knife handle in the shape of a gladiator, revealing the extent of Roman celebrity culture’s reach across the empire.
The handle is made of copper alloy and depicts a heavily armored gladiator with a shield and helmet. The figure represents a secutor gladiator, a type of fighter that was trained for close combat against the retiarius gladiator, a quicker, more agile class of gladiator that wielded a net and trident.
Gladiators in ancient Rome were considered celebrities, particularly if they consistently won battles and animal hunts. Their fame and influence spread throughout the Roman Empire, giving rise to creations like the knife handle.
The 2,000-year-old handle was found at the ruins of Corbridge Roman Town, which is located near Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland, England. It was occupied from 79 C.E. to 400 C.E.
Archaeologists pulled the handle out of the River Tyne and were struck by the artifact’s intricacy right away.
“It is amazing; it’s absolutely pristine,” said Dr. Frances McIntosh, the collections curator at English Heritage, a charity that manages historic sites in England, for Hadrian’s Wall. “To find such a well-preserved and interesting piece is remarkable.”
An analysis showed that the gladiator figure was left-handed, which was rare among Roman gladiators. Left-handedness was typically seen as unlucky, though some gladiators were trained to fight left-handed to give them a special advantage in combat.
In this case, it is likely that the figure depicts a specific gladiator rather than a symbolic fighter. In ancient Rome, gladiator fights, also known as games, were the most popular form of public entertainment.
“It could be that it is a very specific gladiator because gladiators were celebrity culture in the Roman world,” said Dr. McIntosh. “Gladiators were big and individual gladiators, if they won multiple bouts, then they become better known.”
The gladiators were usually enslaved people or condemned criminals. Sometimes, the fights ended with the death of a gladiator.
Members of the upper Roman class, including the emperor, organized the events as a way of displaying their wealth, entertaining the public, and celebrating special occasions.
The first recorded gladiator fight took place in 264 B.C.E., but the games occurred throughout the empire from 105 B.C. to A.D. 404. The Roman Coliseum was built in the early 70s C.E. to host gladiator fights and other events.
Even though gladiators came from low-class backgrounds and had bad reputations outside of the sports world, they were still highly adored and held a special place in Roman society, as the discovery of the knife handle proves.
To this day, people around the world are still fascinated by these ancient warriors. English Heritage plans to put the rare knife handle on display at Corbridge Roman Town early next year.
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