Gladiatores

Murmillo (continued)

The murmillo was equipped with a gladius and a scutum (large rectangular shield) which resembles the legionary infantry. He wore a manica to protect his sword arm and a short ocrea (greave) on his left leg. His helmet with a visor had a high angular crest which was decorated with colorful feathers. His standard opponent was the

Thraex (also thrax, threx, i.e. "Thracian")

The armatura of the thraex still reminded of his origin from Thracia. He was equipped with the sica (sword with a curved blade) and a parmula (small rectangular curved shield, in contrast to the large scutum). His visored helmet had a crest, which always ended in a griffin head. Like the murmillo, he also had a manica to protect his sword arm. He also had padded leg protection over which he wore a pair of high greaves ending above his upper thigh.

Hoplomachus

An alternative to the pairing murmillo - thraex could have been the pairing murmillo - hoplomachus. Exceptionally the hoplomachus would also fight against the thraex. The hoplomachus resembled the thraex a lot, except that he had a hasta instead of the sica and a parma (a round shield similar to the Greek hoplite shield). For close combat he carried a pugio or gladius.