English Heritage has recently unveiled a fascinating artifact from ancient Rome—a knife handle sculpted to depict the figure of a secutor, a class of gladiator known for their heavy armor and engaging fighting style. This intriguing discovery was made along the River Tyne at Corbridge, close to Hadrian’s Wall, and it highlights the remarkable celebrity culture surrounding gladiators even at the fringes of the Roman Empire.
The copper alloy knife handle, approximately 2,000 years old, adds to the rich history of Corbridge, once a vibrant Roman settlement. Dive exploration of the area over 30 years ago yielded the handle, but it remained part of a private collection until now—loaned to English Heritage for public display. This timing is perfect as excitement builds over the release of the much-anticipated film, Gladiator II.
The figuine carved from the handle stands about three inches tall and portrays the secutor—a warrior equipped with short sword, large shield, and full armor. Interestingly, the gladiator depicted is left-handed, which could carry negative connotations within Roman society, yet left-handed combatants often had advantages due to opponents' unfamiliarity with their style. Historical evidence frequently highlights the ordinary yet individualized experiences of gladiators, leading researchers to believe this handle may represent a specific fighter rather than just being symbolic.
Frances McIntosh, Collections Curator for English Heritage, remarked on the rarity of such finds, noting, "It is rare to find a piece of gladiator memorabilia in Britain, and to find such a well-preserved and interesting piece is particularly remarkable.” Gladiatorial contests, which date back to around the 3rd century BCE, initially served as spectacles for funeral commemorations, eventually morphing over time to become mainstream entertainment, especially within grand amphitheaters across the Roman provinces.
Though the gladiatorial phenomenon was less pronounced in Roman Britain, significant evidence keeps surfacing across the region—from painted pottery depicting combat scenes to glassware hinting at the types of entertainment enjoyed by the populace. Records indicate dedicated arenas were built for these occasions, though much of the focus was on the more widely celebrated games occurring within Rome.
The knife handle is just one of many artifacts unearthed at Corbridge, and its display is timed to coincide with the British Museum’s upcoming exhibition, “Gladiators of Britain,” planned for 2025. This show, which will tour various venues throughout the U.K., aims to provide new insights and artifacts related to the gladiatorial spectacle, emphasizing regional aspects of Roman culture.
Exploring the interplay between gladiators and celebrity, the exhibit sets the stage to acknowledge how these fighters, often enslaved individuals or prisoners of war, attained fame both on and off the arena floor. They could rise to icon status through their physical prowess, riveting skill, and public personas. Dr. McIntosh shared, “Despite being enslaved and socially outcast due to their profession, gladiators could become huge celebrities.” Their allure was potent enough to attract admiration from thematically distant abstract sectors of society, including high-born Romans who found themselves entranced by these fallen figures from the bottom rungs of their social structure.
While it’s easy to dismiss gladiators as mere symbols of brutality, they embodied complex societal narratives—with fans deriving entertainment from their performances and often developing preferences worthy of modern athlete fandom. Notably, this admiration persists millennia later, with modern popular culture continually recycling and reimagining the gladiatorial saga—as evidenced by the new film, which intersects legacy and contemporary spectacle.
Interestingly, our narrative around gladiators has evolved, with contemporary historians often debating the accuracy of their cinematic portrayals. Although movies like Gladiator depict lavish battles to the death, most historians assert there was efficiency behind management practices among gladiatorial trainers and spectators alike. Losing valuable fighters too quickly posed financial risks, as gladiators often had extensive training, and profits depended greatly on their performance longevity.
McIntosh concludes, emphasizing the cultural significance of the knife handle: “This beautifully made knife handle is a testimony to how pervasive this celebrity culture was, reaching all the way to Hadrian's Wall at the very edge of the Roman Empire.” The fascination surrounding gladiators remains as compelling as ever, weaving together history and modern intrigue.
English Heritage plans to exhibit the handle at Corbridge Roman Town near Hadrian’s Wall and hopes it will serve as both educational and entertaining. The exhibition and the film release may just connect the fragments of history to present-day audiences, merging ancient and modern narratives pervaded by intrigue, charisma, and, of course, combat.
