Murmillo

The murmillo ( - onis m, lat, also: Myrmillo, mirmillo, mormillo ) was a heavily armed Roman Gladiator. The name is derived from Murma, a fish that has been caught in nets. The murmillo was in fact originally used primarily against a gladiator who was armed with a net, the retiarius.

For more gladiator types see: Gladiator genres.

Equipment and armament

The murmillo belonged to the heavily armed gladiators. He was a geradklingigen short sword, the gladius, armed. As protection he wore a Boeotian helmet, the shield of the Roman legionaries ( scutum ), a hand and arm on the right arm ( manica ) and a -faceted below the left knee brace with leg brace ( ocrea ). He was dressed in a loincloth ( subligaculum ) and a belt ( balteus or cingulum ).

Opponent

The main opponents of the murmillo was the thraex. He was often used against the hoplomachus. A few sources mention an opponent also retiarius.