Samnite warriors, taken as slaves after the Roman conquest, were used as gladiator in the arenas. Originally, these captured soldiers were made to fight with their own weapons and in their particular style of combat. The Samnite wore an elaborate helmet, a wide metal belt, such as this example, a large oblong shield, a sword and probably a greave on the left leg. Wide bronze belts with several clasps, often in the shape of palmettes, have been recovered especially in the regions of Apulia, Lucania, and Daunia, and feature widely on representations in Campanian and Lucanian painting.
Gladiators were professional fighters who battled from 105 BC to AD 404 in purpose-built arenas throughout the Roman Empire, with the Colosseum being the largest one. The origin of gladiator games can be traced back to the Etruscans, who associated a religious significance to the contests. During the Imperial Era, such games presented an opportunity to showcase wealth, commemorate military victories and entertain the populace. Perhaps the most well known gladiator is Spartacus, who led an uprising of gladiators and slaves from Capua in 73 BC.
