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Secutor

Мыслевцев А.С.

The secutor, Latin for a pursuer, was a gladiator with a shield and sword, usually paired with the retiarius. He was also called contraretiarius. Unlike the murmillo’s helmet, the secutor’s had a smooth rounded profile and two small eye openings. This shape reduced the opportunities for a net to catch.

Secutores are well attested in the imperial period. Commodus performed in this guise, and Suetonius describes retiarii fighting secutores under Caligula. Such evidence does not establish that the secutor was the most popular class in every period.

Flamma’s epitaph (CIL X 7297; ILS 5113) records a Syrian fighter who lived for 30 years: 34 appearances, 21 victories, nine outcomes described as stans and four as missus. The last term refers to release after a contest, not four awards of the rudis or four manumissions. The inscription does not say that Flamma died in the arena. His comrade Delicatus erected the memorial that preserves this career record.

Bas-relief with secutor. National Museum of Rome,Baths of Dioclekan. 2-3 century ADBas-relief with secutor. National Museum of Rome,Baths of Dioclekan. 2-3 century AD
Bas-relief with secutor. Found in Ephesus. Ephesus Museum. Turkey. 1-3 century ADBas-relief with secutor. Found in Ephesus. Ephesus Museum. Turkey. 1-3 century AD
A secutor on a relief vessel from Colchester. Second half of the 2nd century AD; Colchester Castle Museum. The image shows that spectacle culture formed part of life in the provincial town.A secutor on a relief vessel from Colchester. Second half of the 2nd century AD; Colchester Castle Museum. The image shows that spectacle culture formed part of life in the provincial town.

The tactics of the secutor were diametrically different from those of the retiarius. He copied Murmillo in many ways, but acted more aggressively. During the duel, the secutor tried to get as close to the retiarius as possible in order to take advantage of his equipment and its weight in close combat. Retiarius tried either to wrap the net around the enemy and knock them to the ground, or to stall for time and wait for the secutor to tire under the weight of his armor.

Battle scene between Secutor and retiarius. Ephesus Museum. Selçuk,Turkey. 1-3 century ADBattle scene between Secutor and retiarius. Ephesus Museum. Selçuk,Turkey. 1-3 century AD

Secutor's equipment

Related topics

Literature and sources

Additional views
Bas-relief with secutor. Found in Ephesus. Ephesus Museum. Turkey. 1-3 century ADBas-relief with secutor. Found in Ephesus. Ephesus Museum. Turkey. 1-3 century AD
Statue with gladiators. Sofia,Bulgaria. 1-3 century ADStatue with gladiators. Sofia,Bulgaria. 1-3 century AD
Bronze statuette with a secutor. Roman Grand (Andesina),France. Mid-1st century ADBronze statuette with a secutor. Roman Grand (Andesina),France. Mid-1st century AD
Terracotta statuette of a secutor. 1-2 century ADTerracotta statuette of a secutor. 1-2 century AD
Terracotta statuette of a secutor. 1st century ADTerracotta statuette of a secutor. 1st century AD
Terracotta statuette of a secutor. 1st century ADTerracotta statuette of a secutor. 1st century AD
Bas-relief with secutor. Found in Ephesus. Ephesus Museum. Turkey. 1-3 century ADBas-relief with secutor. Found in Ephesus. Ephesus Museum. Turkey. 1-3 century AD
Bas-relief with secutaries. National Museum of Rome,Baths of Dioclekan. 2-3 century ADBas-relief with secutaries. National Museum of Rome,Baths of Dioclekan. 2-3 century AD
Bas-relief with secutor. Turkey. 1-2 century ADBas-relief with secutor. Turkey. 1-2 century AD
Bronze figure with secutor. Height: 14.5 cm. Private collection. 3rd century ADBronze figure with secutor. Height: 14.5 cm. Private collection. 3rd century AD
Bronze figure with secutor. Height: 14.5 cm. Private collection. 3rd century ADBronze figure with secutor. Height: 14.5 cm. Private collection. 3rd century AD
Secutor,78 mm,1st century AD,bronze.Secutor,78 mm,1st century AD,bronze.
Secutor,1st-3rd century AD,90 mm,bronze,Hixenbaugh Gallery of Ancient Art,New York.Secutor,1st-3rd century AD,90 mm,bronze,Hixenbaugh Gallery of Ancient Art,New York.
Figure of gladiator secutor made of bone. 1-2 century ADFigure of gladiator secutor made of bone. 1-2 century AD
Figure of gladiator secutor made of bone. 1-2 century ADFigure of gladiator secutor made of bone. 1-2 century AD
A statuette of a gladiator,presumably a secutor. Private collection. 1-2 century ADA statuette of a gladiator,presumably a secutor. Private collection. 1-2 century AD
Bas-relief with gladiators. Necropolis in Kiberia. Burdur Museum. 2-3 century ADBas-relief with gladiators. Necropolis in Kiberia. Burdur Museum. 2-3 century AD
Bas-relief with gladiators. Necropolis in Kiberia. Burdur Museum. 2-3 century ADBas-relief with gladiators. Necropolis in Kiberia. Burdur Museum. 2-3 century AD
Bas-relief with gladiators. Necropolis in Kiberia. Burdur Museum. 2-3 century ADBas-relief with gladiators. Necropolis in Kiberia. Burdur Museum. 2-3 century AD
Gladiator fight. Floor mosaic. Nennig on the Moselle. Germany. Roman villa. Mid-3rd century ADGladiator fight. Floor mosaic. Nennig on the Moselle. Germany. Roman villa. Mid-3rd century AD
Gladiator fight. Floor mosaic. Nennig on the Moselle. Germany. Roman villa. Mid-3rd century ADGladiator fight. Floor mosaic. Nennig on the Moselle. Germany. Roman villa. Mid-3rd century AD
Secutor vs. retiarius. Verona,Archaeological Museum. 2-3 century ADSecutor vs. retiarius. Verona,Archaeological Museum. 2-3 century AD
Secutor vs. retiarius. Verona,Archaeological Museum. 2-3 century ADSecutor vs. retiarius. Verona,Archaeological Museum. 2-3 century AD

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