11-11-2002, 04:41 PM
Graham:<br>
Thanks for the affirmation. I've always held that the Thracian had to have a very aggressive fighting style: he had to get in very close to do any damage, and hence his heavier armor. The murmillo could use a stolid and defensive style, letting the Thracian wear himself down with the fury of his attack. A figure on the Zliten mosaic(Junkelmann p. 64, ill. 89) shows a Thracian blocking high, stepping in and cutting his opponent on the thigh, a very adroit move. The cut seems to be on the outer thigh, but the fire-hose volume of blood pouring out suggests a severed femoral artery, which necessitates a cut to the inner thigh. (Junkelmann says it's the right thigh, but the left may be intended, in which case it's the inner thigh being cut.)<br>
And thanks for supporting a gladiator thread, too. We gladiator buffs have been crying out in the wilderness here (a weird metaphor, I admit.) <p></p><i></i>
Thanks for the affirmation. I've always held that the Thracian had to have a very aggressive fighting style: he had to get in very close to do any damage, and hence his heavier armor. The murmillo could use a stolid and defensive style, letting the Thracian wear himself down with the fury of his attack. A figure on the Zliten mosaic(Junkelmann p. 64, ill. 89) shows a Thracian blocking high, stepping in and cutting his opponent on the thigh, a very adroit move. The cut seems to be on the outer thigh, but the fire-hose volume of blood pouring out suggests a severed femoral artery, which necessitates a cut to the inner thigh. (Junkelmann says it's the right thigh, but the left may be intended, in which case it's the inner thigh being cut.)<br>
And thanks for supporting a gladiator thread, too. We gladiator buffs have been crying out in the wilderness here (a weird metaphor, I admit.) <p></p><i></i>