 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Murmillo" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(December 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Themurmillo (also sometimes spelled "mirmillo", "myrmillo", or "mirmillones" pl.murmillones) was a type ofgladiator during theRoman Imperial age. The murmillo-class gladiator developed in the early Imperial period to replace the earlier Gallus-type gladiator, named after the warriors ofGaul (Latin:Gallus,lit. 'a Gaul'). As theGauls inhabiting Italy had become well integrated with the Romans by the time of the reign (27 BCE to 14 CE) ofAugustus, it became undesirable to portray them as enemy outsiders;[dubious –discuss] the Gallus-class gladiator thus fell out of use.[1]
The designationmurmillo originated with the Greek word μορμύρος (mormyrus) for a type of fish[2] - murmillo gladiators could wear aGallic-model helmet incorporating fish-imagery.[3][4]
The murmillo was armed with:
The murmillo usually fought thethraex (Thracian) orhoplomachus, with whom he shared some of the equipment (notably arm guards and all-enclosing helmet, and the dangerous short sword). A number of ancient authors, includingValerius Maximus andQuintillian, assert that he also regularly fought theretiarius. It would certainly have been an unusual pairing, contrasting a heavily protected gladiator with a fast but lightly equipped one. It would have been rather appropriate however, to have the retiarius, depicting a fisherman, fighting a Murmillo depicting a fish or sea monster.[5] This pairing is disputed; visual depictions of murmillones usually show them fighting the thraex or hoplomachus rather than the retiarius.[6]: 237–238 n14 However,Channel 4'sTime Team discovered in Wales a carved penknife handle depicting a retiarius and a murmillo fighting.[7]
The murmillo's fighting style was suited for men with strong arms and shoulders due to carrying the weight of the shield, sword and heavy helmet. As a result, murmillones were usually tall and always very muscular.[8] The murmillo depended on his strength and endurance to survive the battle against foes who were more suited to attacking. The tower shield gave him an edge in defence and the gladius enabled him to thrust and swing at his enemies when in close range. The murmillones were also trained to kick their enemies with the thick padding worn around their legs.
Examples of pairing murmillones with other gladiator types can be seen in frescoes and graffiti inPompeii. In one well-preserved example, a murmillo named Marcus Atillus, who is credited with one match and one victory, is depicted standing over the defeated figure of Lucius Raecius Felix, a gladiator who is credited with 12 matches and 12 victories. His opponent is shown kneeling, disarmed and unhelmeted. The graffiti records that Felix survived the fight and was granted his freedom (manumission).[6]: 96–100
During the first century BC [...] Samnites and at any rate those Gauls inhabiting Italy [...] were part of the process of Italian integration. By the time of Augustus, it had become inappropriate for them to be perceived as outsiders; and theSamnis turns into asecutor, while theGallus becomes amurmillo.
Whereas the Thracian helmet was provided with a crest, that of theMurmillo had a very large three-dimensional dorsal fin, presumably to represent a fish [...]. [...] Another example [...] is more elaborate, [...] decorated with an all-over silver-and-gold two-toned pattern to give the appearance from a distance of shimmering fish scales [...].
Themurmillo acquired his name from the type of helmet he wore: a Gallic helmet with a fish-shaped crest.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)