Gladiator Fencing

[christopher1]

What kind of sword did you used in gladiator fencing?

[jvrjenivs]

I think that depends on what type of gladiator you portray. Here a picture of a small range of gladiator weapons I use.

In the middle of the swords are my favorite two. A small straight sica, which I use as a secutor, and the curved one for the thraex.

[Olaf]

There were three swords or daggers found in the Pompeian Gladiatorial barracks.
Two have a blade of about 20cm length and the third a blade of 30cm length.
Their handles are made of carved bone but quite unlike the contemporary military Gladii.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40060535@N ... 3798160653
http://www.roman-empire.net/articles/pi ... eapons.jpg
They also do not resemble the military Pugio dagger.
The only similar weapon found in a military context was carried instead of a Pugio by a supposed sailor that died during the Vesuv outbreak, so is contemporary to the Pompejan finds.
Iconography shows longer, Mainz pattern Gladii were used during the Republic and early Empire.

Other weapons without directly corresponding archeological finds are the curved and later bend Sica of the Thraex, the Spear of the Hoplomachus and Eques and the Trident of the Retiarius.
Essedarii also seem to have used Javelins and sometimes fought with short swords were the point was missing, the blade having a rectangular shape.

On the original topic, I am currently researching the mysterious Armatura drill that Vegetius describes being employed during military training in the past, but is only displayed "in the circus" "at festival days". (De Re Militari I, 4 / I, 13 / II, 23)
The excellent article by Murray Dahm in Ancient Warfare III-2 actually started me in this direction.
Actually his description of Palus training is very close to Juvenals desicription of "doing all the prescribed motions". (Satire VI)
Quintilian in his Institutio Oratoria (V, 13. 53) uses the Gladiators fighting techniques as a parralel to defending an argument.
Here he describes rather abstract a set sequence of attacks and parrys and the conditions on which they are employed.