Dimachaerus
Encyclopedia
The dimachaeri were a type of Roman gladiator
that fought with two sword
s. The name is the Latin-language borrowing of the Greek word "διμάχαιρος" meaning "bearing two knives" (di- dual + machairi knife).
The dimachaeri were popular during the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, and were probably considered to be "insidious" by many Romans. Both written and pictorial records on dimachaeri are scant and rather indeterminate.
and leather wrappings or none at all, save a subligaculum (loin cloth). Other show a slightly more heavily armored dimachaerus, variously equipped with scale armor, mail
shirts, visored helmets
in the fashion of murmillo
s, greave
s and leg wrappings, both barefoot and in sandals. It is a mistake to suppose that dimachaeri were always identically equipped, or even similarly equipped, apart from wielding two blades. It is also entirely possible that the dimachaerus was not a separate class of gladiator at all, but a sub-discipline within a class, or even a cross-discipline practiced by multiple classes. In the late Roman Empire, when references to dimachaeri first appear, many novelties and new gladiator types were being introduced to the arena, and sub-classes had appeared within many gladiator types.
(curved scimitar) or gladius
and used a fighting style adapted to both attack and defend with his weapons rather than a shield, as he was not equipped with one. Little else is known about this class of gladiator, but due to the difficulty of wielding two swords it can be inferred that dimachaeri were highly skilled and experienced fighters, and were probably relatively exalted as a class of gladiator. Dimachaeri would have been ideally suited to fight heavily armored opponents and they may have fought other dimachaeri, as well. They are known to have been paired against the hoplomachus
and are also referred to as fighting against a gladiator class called an oplomachus, which, according to Justus Lipsius
, was a putative variant of the Samnite
.
Gladiator
A gladiator was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gladiators were volunteers who risked their legal and social standing and their lives by appearing in the...
that fought with two sword
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
s. The name is the Latin-language borrowing of the Greek word "διμάχαιρος" meaning "bearing two knives" (di- dual + machairi knife).
The dimachaeri were popular during the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, and were probably considered to be "insidious" by many Romans. Both written and pictorial records on dimachaeri are scant and rather indeterminate.
Equipment
Depictions of dimachaeri and their equipment vary in pictorial sources, so it is difficult to say exactly how, and how uniformly, they were equipped. Some pictorial sources depict dimachaeri wearing extremely minimal armor such as a balteusBalteus
Balteus is a Latin word, possibly itself from Etruscan, which means "belt", a word derived from it.It has particularly been used as a term for:...
and leather wrappings or none at all, save a subligaculum (loin cloth). Other show a slightly more heavily armored dimachaerus, variously equipped with scale armor, mail
Chain Mail
"Chain Mail" is a single by Mancunian band James, released in March 1986 by Sire Records, the first after the band defected from Factory Records. The record was released in two different versions, as 7" single and 12" EP, with different artworks by John Carroll and, confusingly, under different...
shirts, visored helmets
Combat helmet
A combat helmet or battle helmet is a type of personal armor designed specifically to protect the head during combat. Helmets are among the oldest forms of personal protective equipment and are known to have been worn by the Akkadians/Sumerians in the 23rd century BC, Mycenaean Greeks since 17th...
in the fashion of murmillo
Murmillo
The murmillo was 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...
s, greave
Greave
A greave is a piece of armour that protects the leg.-Description:...
s and leg wrappings, both barefoot and in sandals. It is a mistake to suppose that dimachaeri were always identically equipped, or even similarly equipped, apart from wielding two blades. It is also entirely possible that the dimachaerus was not a separate class of gladiator at all, but a sub-discipline within a class, or even a cross-discipline practiced by multiple classes. In the late Roman Empire, when references to dimachaeri first appear, many novelties and new gladiator types were being introduced to the arena, and sub-classes had appeared within many gladiator types.
Fighting style
The dimachaeri were equipped for close-combat fighting. A dimachaerus used a pair of siccaeSica
The sica was a short sword or large dagger of ancient Thracians/Dacians peoples, used in Ancient Rome too. It was originally depicted as a curved sword, with a blade about 16-18 inches long and many examples have been found in what are today Romania, Bosnia, Bulgaria and Serbia, as well as...
(curved scimitar) or gladius
Gladius
Gladius was the Latin word for sword, and is used to represent the primary sword of Ancient Roman soldiers. Early ancient Roman swords were similar to those used by the Greeks. From the 3rd century BC, the Romans adopted swords similar to those used by the Celtiberians and others during the early...
and used a fighting style adapted to both attack and defend with his weapons rather than a shield, as he was not equipped with one. Little else is known about this class of gladiator, but due to the difficulty of wielding two swords it can be inferred that dimachaeri were highly skilled and experienced fighters, and were probably relatively exalted as a class of gladiator. Dimachaeri would have been ideally suited to fight heavily armored opponents and they may have fought other dimachaeri, as well. They are known to have been paired against the hoplomachus
Hoplomachus
A Hoplomachus was a type of gladiator in ancient Rome, armed to resemble a Greek hoplite...
and are also referred to as fighting against a gladiator class called an oplomachus, which, according to Justus Lipsius
Justus Lipsius
Justus Lipsius was a Southern-Netherlandish philologist and humanist. Lipsius wrote a series of works designed to revive ancient Stoicism in a form that would be compatible with Christianity. The most famous of these is De Constantia...
, was a putative variant of the Samnite
Samnite (gladiator type)
A Samnite was a Roman gladiator who fought with equipment styled on that of a warrior from Samnium: a short sword , a rectangular shield , a greave , and a helmet. Warriors armed in such a way were the earliest gladiators in the Roman games...
.