Belt Width

[richard robinson]

I think some of the great repros have based their bronze belts on the samnite examples, which makes sense when many samnites found their way to the arena after the wars- so much so that a gladiator type became known as a Samnite. Later mosaics do show wider belts and I believe it was this iconography that influenced nineteenth century artists to portray wider belts, which in turn influenced Hollywood and Italian sword and sandal epics (though they probably also looked at other great wide bronze belts from the "archaic" era in their museums), which in turn influences us.

Reenactment has improved a lot since the 1970s but I think that you can follow your instincts based on which period gladiator you wish to portray and then look at the mosaics and lamps etc and choose how you wish to interpret the evidence.
regards
Richard