Most gladiators were slaves, but some free men joined for the fame and fortune. There were even some female gladiators. They fought in loin cloths without helmets, so people could see they were women. A bestiarus hunted wild animals in the arena. The Romans imported exotic animals from throughout the empire and had them fight each other or be hunted. So many animals were brought in that the hippo disappeared from the Nile and some species went extinct. There were various types of gladiators. The retarius fought with a trident and net. He had little armor and relied on speed. He was often matched up with a secutor who had a helmet, shield, armor, and a sword. A murmillo was a classic gladiator armed with a gladius, scutum, and helmet with a grill. The provacator had a sword, shield, full armor, and a helmet. They usually fought each other. A hoplomachus had a lance, dagger, and small shield. The eques started on a horse, and then fought on foot. An essedarius fought in a chariot with a lance and sword. A dimacherius used two daggers and a saggitarius had a bow. The weirdest was the andabatus who fought on horseback wearing a helmet that prevented them from seeing. Some emperors, including Commodus, Hadrian, Titus, and Caligula, fought as gladiators. They were never in danger as the opponents had blunt weapons or were drugged.
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