11-02-2008, 04:40 PM
The grave stele of the secutor Bato shows the inside of the scutum, with a horizontal grip near the bottom edge instead of in the center. Whether this was standard with the secutor scutum or a variant is unknown. The secutor is often depicted holding his scutum ouit near-horizontally so this arrangement may be to facilitate that maneuver.
The ties and straps on the limbs are common on many types of gladiator. They seem to have no function except to look good. The dangling fringes would wave with every movement, making the moves more visible to distant spectators. The "spat" footgear is another puzzle. It may have begun as a pad for the bottom rim of the greave, then have become simply customary gladiator garb. The arena was full of obsolete holdovers from earlier times, rather like the many non-functional doodads on modern military dress and ceremonial uniforms - epaulets, aiguillets, bearskin shakos, swords, polished boots and so forth.
The ties and straps on the limbs are common on many types of gladiator. They seem to have no function except to look good. The dangling fringes would wave with every movement, making the moves more visible to distant spectators. The "spat" footgear is another puzzle. It may have begun as a pad for the bottom rim of the greave, then have become simply customary gladiator garb. The arena was full of obsolete holdovers from earlier times, rather like the many non-functional doodads on modern military dress and ceremonial uniforms - epaulets, aiguillets, bearskin shakos, swords, polished boots and so forth.
Pecunia non olet
