Trip date: 2023.05.11
In the city center of Rome near the Pantheon, there is a small shop with a variety of relics.
The more observant can notice the basement, where you can take part in a real historical tour - mostly armours, shields, weapons, tools and smaller exhibitions.
You can find the Museum here: Piazza Navona, 90, 00186 Roma RM, Italy.
I have made several pictures and decided to make a small historical information about the exhibited pieces.
Villanoviano Warrior
The Villanovian culture (around 900-700 BC) regarded the earliest phase of the Etruscan civilization, the earliest Iron Age culture of Italy.
The name derives from the locality of Villanova, a fraction of the municipality of Castenaso in the metropolitan city of Bologna.
The Villanovians introduced iron-working to the Italian Peninsula, they practiced cremation and buried the ashes of their dead in pottery urns of distinctive double-cone shape.
The people of the Villanovan period were a society of warrior-farmers living in small hut-villages.
That's why they weren't very trained and their weaponry wasn't high quality.
That's why they weren't very trained and their weaponry wasn't high quality.
Thracian Warrior
They were an Indo-European speaking people who inhabited large parts of Southeast Europe in ancient history.
The exact origin of Thracians is unknown, but it is believed that proto-Thracians descended from a purported mixture of Proto-Indo-Europeans and Early European Farmers, arriving from the rest of Asia and Africa through the Asia Minor.
Thracian culture was described as tribal by the Greeks and Romans - they remained largely disunited, with their first permanent state being the Odrysian Kingdom in the 5th century BC.
Their warfare date back a long time, they were true martials,
known as both horsemen and lightly armed skirmishers with javelins. Thracian peltasts had a notable influence in Ancient Greece.
The history of Thracian warfare spans from c. 10th century BC up to the 1st century AD in the region defined by Ancient Greek and Latin historians as Thrace. It concerns the armed conflicts of the Thracian tribes and their kingdoms in the Balkans and in the Dacian territories.
Emperor Traianus, also known as Trajan, conquered Dacia after two wars in the 2nd century AD.
The wars ended with the occupation of the fortress of Sarmisegetusa and the death of the king Decebalus. Besides conflicts between Thracians and neighboring nations and tribes, numerous wars were recorded among Thracian tribes too.
Celtic Warrior (6th century BC)
The Celts were often in conflict with the Romans, such as in the Roman-Gallic wars, the Celtiberian Wars, the conquest of Gaul (Julius Caesar) and conquest of Britain.
By the 1st century AD, most Celtic territories had become part of the Roman Empire.
This armor may have its origins in tribal warfare - it appears to have been a regular feature of Celtic societies.
While epic literature depicts this as more of a sport focused on raids and hunting rather than organised territorial conquest, the historical record is more of tribes using warfare to exert political control and harass rivals, for economic advantage, and in some instances to conquer territory.
Polybius indicates that the main Celtic weapon was a long bladed sword which was used for hacking edgewise rather than stabbing.
Noric steel, steel produced in Celtic Noricum, was famous in the Roman Empire period and was used to equip the Roman military.
Infantryman (3rd, 4th century BC)
The early Roman army was the armed forces of the Roman Kingdom and of the early Roman Republic. During this period, when warfare chiefly consisted of small-scale plundering raids, it has been suggested that the army followed Etruscan or Greek models of organization and equipment. The early Roman army was based on an annual levy.
At the early Roman History tthe army consisted of 3,000 infantrymen and 300 cavalrymen, all of which were Equites. The Latins, Sabines, and Etruscans under the Roman state would each provide an extra 1,000 soldiers and 100 cavalrymen.
King Servius of Rome would institute the Servian reforms. These would divide the population into five classes:
- First class: could afford to have a cuirass, greaves, a shield, a sword, and a spear (picture)
- Second class: had greaves, a shield, a sword, and a spear.
- Third class: could only afford to have a shield, a sword, and a spear.
- Fourth class: had a shield and a spear.
- Fifth class: would only be a screening force. They would not serve in the army unless it were an emergency.
The infantry ranks were filled with the lower classes while the cavalry was left to the patricians because the wealthier could afford horses. Moreover, the commanding authority during the regal period was the king.
Legionary (3rd century BC)
During this period, the Romans, while maintaining the levy system, adopted the Samnite manipular organisation for their legions and also bound all the other peninsular Italian states into a permanent military alliance.
The latter were required to supply (collectively) roughly the same number of troops to joint forces as the Romans to serve under Roman command.
Legions in this phase were always accompanied on campaign by the same number of allied alae (Roman non-citizen auxiliaries), units of roughly the same size as legions.
Samnite Gladiator
Samnites were quite popular during the period of Roman Republic. Eventually, other gladiator types joined the roster, such as the Murmillo and the Thraex.
The Samnite was named for the people of Samnium, an area in the southern Apennine Mountains of the Italian peninsula that Rome subdued in the 4th century BC.
Rome fought three wars with Samnium from 343 to 290 BC.
Triarius (1st century AD)
They were the oldest and among the wealthiest men in the army and could afford high quality equipment. They wore heavy metal armor and carried large shields, their usual position being the third battle line.
They were equipped with spears and were considered to be elite soldiers among the legion.
During the Camillan era, they fought in a shallow phalanx formation, supported by light troops. In most battles triarii were not used because the lighter troops usually defeated the enemy before the triarii were committed to the battle. They were meant to be used as a decisive force in the battle, thus prompting an old Roman saying: res ad triarios venit, 'it comes down to the triarii', which meant carrying on to the bitter end.
Triarii may have evolved from the old first class of the army under the Etruscan kings.
The first class comprised the richest soldiers in the legion who were equipped with spears, breastplates and large shields, like heavy Greek hoplites. They served as heavy infantry in the early Roman army.
With the formal military reforms of Gaius Marius in 107 BC, implemented to combat a shortage of manpower due to wars against Jugurtha in Africa and Germanic tribes to the north, the different classes of units were scrapped entirely. The wealth and age requirements were removed after which anyone could join as a career, rather than as service to the city, and all would be equipped as milites, with the same, state-purchased equipment. Auxiliaries, local irregular troops, would fulfill other roles, serving as archers, skirmishers and cavalry.
Dacian Warrior of Traian Period
They and the related Getae spoke the Dacian language, which has a debated relationship with the neighbouring Thracian language and may be a subgroup of it. Dacians were somewhat culturally influenced by the neighbouring Scythians and by the Celtic invaders of the 4th century BC.
The history of Dacian warfare spans from c. 10th century BC up to the 2nd century AD in the region defined by Ancient Greek and Latin historians as Dacia, populated by a collection of Thracian, Ionian, and Dorian tribes.
It concerns the armed conflicts of the Dacian tribes and their kingdoms in the Balkans. Apart from conflicts between Dacians and neighboring nations and tribes, numerous wars were recorded among Dacians too.
The Dacian tribes established a highly militarized society and, during the periods when the tribes were united under one king (82 -44 BC, 86-106 AD), posed a major threat to the Roman provinces of Lower Danube.
Dacians that could afford armor wore customised Phrygian type helmets with solid crests (intricately decorated), domed helmets and Sarmatian helmets.
They fought with spears, javelins, falces, and one-sided battle axes, and used "Draco" carnyxes as standards. Most used only shields as a form of defense. Cavalry would be armed with a spear, a long La Tène sword and an oval shield; few in number, they relied heavily on Sarmatian allies for their mounted arm.
Most of the infantry would wield a falx and perhaps a sica and would wear no armor at all, even shunning shields.
Sagittarius
Gladiators were divided into different classes according to their weapons and fighting styles. There were strict rules and protocol surrounding the fights of gladiators.
A gladiatorial fight would usually involve two gladiators but similar types of gladiators such as the Sagittarius, would not normally fight each other. The first Roman Gladiators were prisoners of war and used the weapons and equipment characteristic of their people. The early enemies of Rome included the Samnites, the Thracians and the Gauls (Gallus) and gladiators were named according to their ethnic roots.
Definition: The Sagittarius was a type of Roman gladiator who fought with a bow and arrows on horseback. They were well-payed warriors.
They most likely appeared and billed as great animal hunters.
- Weapons: This type of gladiator used short, curved bows of Parthian origins.
- Body Armor and helmet worn by this type of gladiator: They wore scaled armour and pointed helmets.
- Shield: none.
- Clothing worn: Canvas Loin Cloth (subligaculum) worn in a variety of colors, sandals or barefoot.
Thraex, the Thracian Gladiator
The Thraex was a type of Roman gladiator, armed in the Thracian style with a small rectangular, square or circular shield called a parmula (about 60 x 65 cm) and a very short sword with a slightly curved blade called a sica (like a small version of the Dacian falx), intended to maim an opponent's unarmoured back. His other armour included armoured greaves, a protective belt above a loincloth, and a helmet with a side plume, visor and high crest. Ludia's female gladiators used the same weapons and armour.
The famous warrior and gladiator, originally believed to be Thracian, Spartacus also wore such equipment during his arena fights.
- Helmet: known as a galea, which was defined by its wide brim. Sitting on this crown of the helmet was a tall crest, known as a lophos, that would be slightly bent forward and adorned with a griffin ornament on top representing the head of a griffin. For visibility the thraex was limited to to small eye openings which may either be one or two small holes.
- Right arm armour (called Manica): the right arm of the thraeces gladiator would bear his weapon of offence and therefore was is protected by a sleeve, known as a manica which could protect only the front or the arm or could reach up to the shoulder and beyond.
- Leg armour: at the lower part of his body, the thraex had shin guards for their lower legs and knee high overlapping bands of leather or metal that protected the upper leg, also up towards the groin.
The thraex Gladiators are the oldest type of gladiator, and also often thought to be one of the most common. Of all the gladiator categories, this is one class that did not evolve into a variation of themselves or another gladiator.
They first appeared in 78 BC.
Thracian’s were said to be Emperor Caigula’s favourite so they were allowed to live sometimes even if they lost a fight.
Murmillo
They were a type of gladiator during the Roman Imperial age. The murmillo-class gladiator was adopted in the early Imperial period to replace the earlier Gallus, named after the warriors of Gaul. As the Gauls inhabiting Italy had become well integrated with the Romans by the time of the reign of Augustus, it became undesirable to portray them as enemy outsiders; the Gallus-class gladiator thus had to be retired.
The murmillo's fighting style was suited for men with strong arms and shoulders due to carrying the weight of the shield, sword and heavy helmet. As a result, murmillones were usually tall and always very muscular. The murmillo depended on his strength and endurance to survive the battle against foes who were more suited to attacking.
- Gladius: Roman sword with a length of 64–81 cm and weight of 1.2-1.6 kg with a handle made of bone.
- Scutum: Rectangular shield made of vertically connected wooden boards with a small bronze boss which protects the shield's handle.
- Balteus: Leather belt with metal decorations and supplements. Similar to current boxing belts.
- Manica: Segmented or scaled arm guard made of leather or some metal alloys. Manicae can also be mailed.
- Cassis Crista: A large helmet with plume crest or horsehair, usually made of bronze, with an ornate 'grill' face visor. Usually based on the broad-rimmed Greek Boeotian helmet.
- Ocrea: Shin guard/protector made of bronze, iron or other metals.
- Fasciae: Thick soft padding on legs which are used to wear ocreas in order to prevent calluses and blisters.
The most famous gladiator of this type was Crixus.
Crixus (died 72 BC) was a Gallic gladiator and military leader in the Third Servile War between the Roman Republic and rebel slaves. Born in Gaul, he was enslaved by the Romans under unknown circumstances and trained as a gladiator in Capua.
His name means "one with curly hair" in Gaulish.
Retiarius
They were a Roman gladiator who fought with equipment styled on that of a fisherman - the retiarius was lightly armoured.
The retiarius was routinely pitted against a heavily armed secutor. The net-fighter made up for his lack of protective gear by using his speed and agility to avoid his opponent's attacks and waiting for the opportunity to strike. He first tried to throw his net over his rival. If this succeeded, he attacked with his trident while his adversary was entangled.
Rare gladiator fights were staged over water; these may have given rise to the concept of a gladiator based on a fisherman. Fights between differently-armed gladiators became popular in the Imperial period; the retiarius versus the scaly secutor developed as the conflict of a fisherman with a stylised fish.
Despite the disparity between the nearly nude net-fighter and his heavily armoured adversary, modern re-enactments and experiments show that the retiarius was by no means outmatched.
His lack of heavy equipment meant that he could use speed and evasion to his advantage.
He also fought with three offensive weapons to his opponent's one.[49] The net-fighter had to avoid close combat at all costs, keep his distance, and wait for an opening to stab with his trident or throw his net.
- Weapons:
- Rete: a weighted net.
- Fuscina or Tridens: three-pointed trident.
- Pugio: dagger
- Manica and Galerus: arm and shoulder guard.
- Subligaculum: loincloth, held in place by a wide belt, or of a short tunic with light padding. He wore no head protection or footwear.
Hoplomachus
They were armed to resemble a Greek hoplite - the name hoplomachus means 'armored fighter'.
The oplomachi were a designation or possibly a class of Roman gladiator with relatively little mention in literary sources. They are often identified with the similarly named hoplomachus, but literary mentions do not seem to relate the two, despite the similarity of the names.
- Weapons: Dory spear and a short sword the gladius and a short dagger known as a pugio.
- Armour: bare chest,
- Subligaculum: loincloth, held in place by a wide belt, or of a short tunic with light padding. He wore no head protection or footwear.
- Shield called Parmula: a small round bronze shield, much like the Greek Soldier Hoplite’s shield. The parmula was more commonly known as aspis, and was very distinctive in its shape.
More armours and weapons, tools were available to seen, here is the complete list (the unmentioned):
Click here to watch my TikTok Page for the full exhibition!
- Roman Hoplite
- Pikeman Warrior
- Roman Official of the Republican Period
- Roman Officers (more)
- Infantry Junior Officer
- Gladiators from Republican Period (more)
- Imperial Age Provocator
- Crupellarius
- Weapons and tools
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