The Samnites were indeed a civilization on the Italian peninsula that was
hostile to Rome; the Romans encountered them in the fourth century B.C.
Whether the historical Samnites actually used the type of armament worn
by the gladiator of that name or the Romans were stereotyping again is un-
known. The Samnite had a large oblong scutum(shield) and was armored
with a metal or boiled leather greave (ocrea) on his left leg. Often he had
an ocrea on his right arm as well. The Samnite protected his head with a
visored helmet (galea) and was armed with a gladius(short thrusting
sword). The secutor was an offspring of the Samnite; his name literally
means “pursuer.” Secutors fought virtually naked; they had no armor and
wore only an ocrea on the left leg and carried a scutum for protection.
Their arms were often protected by leather bands at the elbows and wrists
(manicae). The secutor was armed with a gladius as well, although some-
times he fought with a pugio(dagger) only.
Secutors and Samnites were matched against each other, as well as
against the retiarius and Thracian. Fighting against each other, the secutor
and Samnite would be evenly matched, although the extra protection given
to the Samnite through his ocrea on the arm could prove decisive. The rea-
son for the ocrea was to armor the sword arm to allow for protection
when the sword arm was exposed, that is, when the fighter was striking
with the sword. With fighters who were so evenly matched, the contest
would become more a matter of individual strategy than strategy with dif-
ferent weapons. Their weapons, the short-swords, were used mainly for
thrusting attacks, although they could make cutting attacks when neces-
sary. The greatest advantage for these two gladiators would be the large
shields that they carried; these would protect them well when fighting the
Thracian or retiarius.
Through reconstructions of Western medieval and Renaissance mar-
tial arts, there is enough evidence to demonstrate that large shields are ex-
tremely effective in protecting the body. A trained fighter using a shield
does not have to sacrifice mobility or dexterity while using such a large de-
vice. The Samnite and secutor would have the same mobility as the Thra-
cian and retiarius. Because of the awkward shape of the scutum, however,
it would be difficult to use the vertical edge as a striking tool, although this
could be done. It would be easier to use the horizontal edge for such strik-
ing. However, the shields could easily be used for attacking directly with
the flat. These large objects, when force and momentum are placed behind
them, can be formidable striking weapons. The scuti could at least unbal-
ance an opponent when used as a striking weapon; used against an unar-
mored part of the opponent, they could disable. It would be a mistake to
characterize these unique devices merely as defensive aids; they could eas-
ily be used for offensive maneuvers when needed.
Gladiators 145