{"id":2358,"date":"2025-07-15T08:26:39","date_gmt":"2025-07-15T08:26:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/projects.ieimedia.com\/2025arles\/?p=2358"},"modified":"2025-07-16T14:29:21","modified_gmt":"2025-07-16T14:29:21","slug":"the-gladiators-of-arles-research-their-art","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/projects.ieimedia.com\/2025arles\/the-gladiators-of-arles-research-their-art\/","title":{"rendered":"The gladiators of Arles research their art"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Text by Jack Glagola<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n

Photos by Gwen Murray<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

One sunny afternoon in the south of France, I saw a real gladiator fight. It wasn\u2019t a hack-and-slash \u2014 it was a series of duels between two highly trained athletes crashing into each other with daring footwork and expertly timed attacks and blocks, the ring of metal against metal echoing off the ancient walls. I\u2019d never seen anything quite like it before \u2014 it was not a reenactment, it was more than that. It was a sport.<\/span><\/p>\n

Few cities can boast of having an intact Roman amphitheater in their city center. It\u2019s not only home to bullfights and concerts \u2014 the Arles Amphith\u00e9\u00e2tre also hosts Acta, a troupe of 20 people who painstakingly reconstitute the art of gladiatorial combat, from techniques to weaponry. These fighters are not only athletes \u2014 they do research in the field of experimental archaeology.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gladiators, as a historical group, are misunderstood \u2014 Hollywood films like \u201cGladiator\u201d depict gladiators as slaves or prisoners dragged into amphitheaters and forced to murder their opponents in a sadistic punishment. This could not be further from the truth \u2014 gladiators were professional athletes who had ring names like \u201cHermes\u201d after the god and \u201cAnthrax\u201d meaning poison. They were trained in schools called <\/span>ludi<\/span><\/i>. They appear on funeral carvings, ancient advertisements, bronze figurines and oil lamps.<\/span><\/p>\n

Their fights even had referees who would jump in if things got too dangerous. It is only recently that research on gladiators has attracted much scientific interest, and Acta is one of the first groups to conduct experiments in this form of martial art.<\/span><\/p>\n

Acta is a private company founded in 2006 by Brice Lopez, who directed it before he retired. \u201cIt was my profession, and I created structures that allow others to make it their career,\u201d Lopez said. \u201cThe people you will see in the arena, that is their profession.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

I met Thomas Rankin, one of Acta\u2019s newest gladiators, at Arles\u2019 Antique Theatre. He originally wanted to be a history teacher but was drawn to living history, in which he has a master\u2019s degree. He began working with Acta as an intern in 2022, and in January, he became a salaried member of the group.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI really like the blending of teaching and demonstrating,\u201d Rankin said. \u201cI think it\u2019s something sorely lacking from the usual way that people do things.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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Thomas Rankin, one of Acta’s newest gladiators, demonstrates his fighting moves at the Antique Theatre.<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At the amphitheater, Rankin showed me where the gladiators prepare, in the same smelly hallway that the bulls come out during the bull games. He assured me that the gladiators were not the ones causing the smell.<\/span><\/p>\n

Acta\u2019s gladiators wear modern protective gear underneath their Roman-style equipment; Rankin said they cannot afford it to be \u201cexactly, exactly perfect.\u201d \u201cWe don\u2019t have the pretension of being a reenactment group,\u201d Rankin said. \u201cWe\u2019re more for the movement than having perfect gear.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Acta\u2019s primary concern, Lopez told me, is experimental archaeology: recreating historical sport techniques after extensive research. He first became involved in ancient sports 32 years ago: While competing as a high-level jiu-jitsu athlete in Italy, he met a researcher who was looking for fighters to conduct tests with.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI liked it so much that after that I searched and searched and searched\u201d for other people doing gladiation, Lopez said. \u201cI gave up my sporting career to do that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Lopez said their research begins with the sources: actual archaeological objects like swords and armor; iconography and depictions, like frescoes and jewelry; and texts.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe are not historians,\u201d Lopez said. \u201cHistorians start with the texts; we begin with objects, and from these objects, we make a scientific protocol like medicine or hard science.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hard science it is: The gladiators test movements \u201cas much as possible,\u201d according to Rankin. The first tests involve the weapons, which are mostly short daggers for use at very close range, slashing over the opponent\u2019s shield.<\/span><\/p>\n

Acta\u2019s equipment differs slightly from the real deal \u2014 the spears and daggers are blunted for safety and longevity. Lopez himself is less interested in materials than the gestures and techniques with them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou have a sword; how do you use it? It seems very easy for everyone,\u201d Lopez said. \u201cNo. In reality, the gladiators had very specific gestures which we do not have today.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

I saw all these gestures and equipment at the fight in the amphitheater. Spread around the hallway were spears and helmets. I watched the six men get ready, strapping on knee pads, then sandals, then the armor, and warming up by running up and down the hallway, jumping rope and stretching. They let me watch up close, behind the low red walls of the arena.<\/span><\/p>\n

There were three fights that hour. The final two rounds pitted representatives of two traditional classes of gladiator against each other: a murmillo, who carried a rectangular legionnaire\u2019s shield and a short sword; and a hoplomachus, who wielded a round shield, a dagger and a spear. They fought so hard that I could hear them breathing from where I stood. In the final fight, the hoplomachus\u2019 spear got caught under the murmillo\u2019s arm; the murmillo expertly tossed it away, leaving his opponent with only his dagger and shield. The fight ended in a tie because nobody yielded.<\/span><\/p>\n

Having now seen a real gladiator fight, I thought about how differently they are depicted. I wondered: Why did these stereotypes take hold?<\/span><\/p>\n

Rankin told me they emerged from a desire to see gladiators as victims of a sadistic and exploitative system, as well as a conflation of various traditions across centuries.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe idea of painting Romans out to be so sadistic and decadent justifies the fact that they\u2019re not here and we are,\u201d Rankin said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gladiation did not always take the same form. It was practiced for over six centuries \u2014 most familiar sports like football and boxing have only existed for a fraction of that time. Gladiator fights were big deals, often lasting multiple days. Large advertisements were painted on walls, much like today\u2019s wheat-pasted posters.<\/span><\/p>\n

Athletes were paid very well and in advance, so there was no worry of losing a prize if the fight did not turn out as they hoped. Most deaths, too, were among newer fighters, because of pressure and inexperience.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s where accidents happen, but it is really seen as an accident,\u201d Rankin said.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Gladiators Camille Chubilleau and Floriant Razafi square off during a match at the Arles Amphitheater.<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The objective for gladiators is to \u201cconquer without wounding,\u201d to force their opponent to submit without harming him. One gladiator nicknamed \u201cHermes\u201d is recorded by the poet Martial as one of the greatest fighters because he was able to conquer without wounding.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt takes so much more talent,\u201d Rankin said. \u201cIt\u2019s so much more interesting because it\u2019s very easy to wound someone.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Gladiator fights had rules; two referees (so they could see over the shields) made sure the fights were both real and safe. Rankin cited the Roman poet Martial, who wrote, \u201cthankfully, the military camp has not been infected by the laws of the fight.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

One reason the rules are still a mystery is that they were mundane, and since gladiation was a spectacle for the common people, elite authors like Cicero, Seneca or Pliny did not write much about them. Researchers like Lopez and archaeologist Alain Genot can infer the rules based on the kinds of wounds seen in iconography. Pictures of gladiators show cuts made by shallow slices on the shoulder blades and the sides.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll also, in iconography, virtually never see wounds in truly deadly places, like the inside of the thigh, the throat,\u201d Rankin said.<\/span><\/p>\n

In ancient Rome, making a spectacle of oneself was frowned upon, so gladiators were social pariahs, alongside musicians, actors and athletes. They were seen as unable to fulfill the ideal role in Roman society. That was even more true for Roman women.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Floriant Razafi attacks his opponent, Camille Chubilleau, with his dagger.<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s even more unusual for a woman to fight, so it separates her even more from her idealized view in Roman society,\u201d Rankin said. \u201cBut they did exist, even if they were seen as just a cherry on the cake for particularly lavish games.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Acta is most known for its epic amphitheater duels in summer, but \u201cm\u00e9diation\u201d (interpretation) is the bread and butter of what Acta does. They visit local schools and conduct activities that demonstrate ancient history, such as military demonstrations, Olympic games and theatre.<\/span><\/p>\n

When I visited Thomas Rankin at the Antique Theatre, it was during one of these living history lessons.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe idea is that living the past a little bit gives them some sort of perspective to understand what they see in class a bit better as well,\u201d Rankin said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Acta, Lopez said, works with \u201call the museums that possess an archaeological object linked with the gladiators or ancient athletes,\u201d including the museum in Arles.<\/span><\/p>\n

Genot, an archaeologist at the Mus\u00e9e d\u00e9partemental Arles antique, pointed out that the miniature model of the Arles Amphitheater in the museum is missing any depiction of gladiators.<\/span><\/p>\n

He said this oversight is because Roman elites saw gladiation as a form of entertainment for plebeians and common people, and this dismissive attitude carried over to contemporary academics.<\/span><\/p>\n

Genot himself used to take part in the Acta gladiator fights, not as a fully employed gladiator, but to assist in the research. In this way, he and his colleagues helped rediscover techniques as they were depicted on oil lamps and iconography.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere were lots of moments when we were doing fights, the position was exactly the same as we can see,\u201d Genot said. \u201cIt means that we were touching a kind of reality.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Roman gladiator Thomas Rankin celebrates after a fight.<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Genot said he first became interested in reconstitutions because a very important part of his work as an archaeologist is to share his work with people, and recreating history is an easy and entertaining way to do that.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cArchaeology belongs to everybody, this is our story,\u201d Genot said. \u201cAnd when I say our story, this is humanity\u2019s one.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The first time he saw the gladiators, Genot thought they were \u201ccrazy.\u201d \u201cBut then you speak with them and you see that they are doing these fights because they want to know how they were fighting too.\u201d He proposed to Lopez that they set up a gladiator school at the museum.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gladiation, he found, is a real sport that requires discipline and regular practice. When he trained with Acta, the gestures and reflexes became instinctual.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you think, you lose,\u201d Genot said. \u201cYou have to act, and so you have to practice, practice, practice.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Monica Ronco and Katie Thornton served as interpreters for this story.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Text by Jack Glagola Photos by Gwen Murray One sunny afternoon in the south of France, I saw<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":45,"featured_media":2496,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[94,21],"tags":[135],"class_list":["post-2358","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts","category-traditions","tag-highlight"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/projects.ieimedia.com\/2025arles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Gwen_roman1-scaled.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/projects.ieimedia.com\/2025arles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2358","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/projects.ieimedia.com\/2025arles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/projects.ieimedia.com\/2025arles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projects.ieimedia.com\/2025arles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/45"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projects.ieimedia.com\/2025arles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2358"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/projects.ieimedia.com\/2025arles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2358\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2596,"href":"https:\/\/projects.ieimedia.com\/2025arles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2358\/revisions\/2596"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projects.ieimedia.com\/2025arles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2496"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/projects.ieimedia.com\/2025arles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2358"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projects.ieimedia.com\/2025arles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2358"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projects.ieimedia.com\/2025arles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2358"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}