Cestus
The cestus was a fist-fighter or boxer who wore the cestus, a brutal forerunner of the boxing glove. |
Crupellarii
The Roman historian Tacitus describes "crupellarii" as a Gaulish contingent of trainee, slave gladiators equipped "after the national fashion" of Gallia Lugdunensis under Julius Sacrovir, during the Aeduian revolt of AD 21 against Rome. Tacitus has them "encased in the continuous shell of iron usual in the country", labouring under its weight, unable to fight effectively, rapidly tiring and soon dispatched by regular Roman troops. The description is problematic. Most Roman sources assert that "national fashion" in Gaul held body-armour in contempt. Tacitus' source could refer to a heavily armoured Roman "Gallus" type, which by Tacitus' own time had been developed and renamed as the Murmillo |
Dimachaerus
The dimachaerus (Greek διμάχαιρος, "bearing two knives") used a sword in each hand. |