Female gladiators or “gladiatrices” existed in ancient Rome, but were rare because it was considered unwomanly. One gladiatrix of note was a woman who fought wild boars with a spear while topless, and who would squat to urinate in front of a stunned crowd.

Gladiatrix

This article is about female Roman gladiators. For other uses, see Gladiatrix (disambiguation).

The gladiatrix (plural gladiatrices) is the female equivalent of the gladiator of ancient Rome. Like their male counterparts, female gladiators fought each other, or wild animals, to entertain audiences at various games and festivals. Very little is known about them. They were almost certainly considered an exotic rarity by their audiences. Their existence is known only through a few accounts written by members of Rome’s elite, and a very small number of inscriptions.

History

Female gladiators rarely appear in Roman histories. When they do, they are “exotic markers of truly lavish spectacle”. In 66 AD, Nero had Ethiopian women, men an… Continue Reading (6 minute read)