Flamma

Flamma (lit. The Flame), was a famous Syrian gladiator under the Roman Empire during the reign of Hadrian. Considered one of the most famous and successful of his time.

History

The gladiator Flamma is not as well known as popular culture would have you believe. How he ended up as a gladiator is unknown, he may have been a revolutionary Jewish Syrian or a dissatisfied Roman Auxiliary.[1] He was most likely forced into slavery and then into a gladiator school. He fought as a Secutor, a class of Gladiators in Rome. His common opponents were thus Retiarius. Fighters were granted retirement or freedom if they showed great skill and bravery. In doing so they were rewarded with a wooden baton known as rudius, although Flamma refused this freedom 4 times. [2][3] The number of fights Flamma engaged in is higher than most gladiators. Many have lower numbers like Purricina Iuvenus (ILS 5107) who fought 5 times or Glaucus of Modena (ILS 5121) who fought 7 times. Flamma had fought 34 times and won 21 of them. [4] He also achieved old age for a gladiator, dying at age 30 while many died in their early 20s. [5]

Flamma was awarded the rudius four times, but chose to remain a gladiator. His gravestone in Sicily includes his record and reads in English: "Flamma, secutor, lived 30 years, fought 34 times, won 21 times, fought to a draw 9 times, won reprieve 4 times, an Syrian by nationality. Delicatus(a gladiator) made this for his deserving comrade-in-arms."

In Latin: "Flamma s[e]c(utor) vix(it) ann(os) XXX / pugna(vi)t XXXIIII vicit XXI / stans VIIII mis(sus) IIII nat(ione) Syrus / hui(c) Delicatus coarmio merenti fecit."[6]

References
  1. Wagner, B.B. "Flamma the Syrian: The Mysterious Gladiator Who Refused Freedom". Ancient Origins. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  2. Hanel, Rachael (2007). Gladiators. The Creative Company. ISBN 978-1-58341-535-1.
  3. Institute, Bathroom Readers' (2012-08-15). Uncle John's Bathroom Reader History's Lists. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-60710-664-7.
  4. Carter, Michael (2003). "Gladiatorial Ranking and the "SC de Pretiis Gladiatorum Minuendis" (CIL II 6278 = ILS 5163)". Classical Association of Canada. 57 (1/2): 83–114. doi:10.2307/3648490. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  5. Hope, Valerie (2000). "Fighting for Identity: The funerary commemoration of Italian Gladiators". Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies. Supplement, No. 73, THE EPIGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE OF ROMAN ITALY. 73: 93–113. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  6. "Flamma's Gravestone". Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss / Slaby EDCS. Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss / Slaby EDCS. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
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