History Forum / General / Archaeology / January 2007

AP Jan 24

Ancient Roman marble reliefs recovered

   Italian police have unearthed the hidden cache of a
   group of grave robbers, recovering ancient Roman
   marble reliefs depicting stunningly lifelike gladiators
   locked in mortal combat, officials said Wednesday.

   The 12 panels were found buried in the garden of a
   private home near Fiano Romano, some 25 miles north
   of Rome, and officials hailed the find as a major
   archaeological discovery and a blow to the illegal
   antiquities market.

   Archaeologists said the work offers a glimpse into early
   gladiator fights

   The reliefs date back to the late first century B.C. and
   are believed to have decorated a tomb, yet to be
   located, in the Roman settlement of Lucus Feroniae

   The pieces, made of high-quality Carrara marble, are
   notable for their size and age, and are among the finest
   examples from their period depicting one of Rome's
   favorite blood sports, Moretti said.

   The panels show bare-chested fighters, armed with
   swords and shields, engaged in duels while surrounded
   by trumpet and horn players who accompanied the
   phases of combat in the bloodied arena. In one of the
   most dramatic scenes, a gladiator steps on the wrist of
   a downed opponent who raises a finger in a traditional
   plea for mercy.

   Archaeologists have unearthed many similar
   representations, but interest in the new discovery goes
   beyond its high-quality craftsmanship. The figures in the
   reliefs, equipped only with swords, shields and basic
   armor, offer a detailed image from the earlier days of
   gladiatorial combat. More common representations
   dating to later imperial periods show gladiators sporting
   elaborate protections and wielding a vast array of
   weaponry, including nets, tridents and daggers, she
   said.

   In a pile of rubble found near the buried reliefs, police
   recovered the lower part of a marble statue of man in a
   toga, a piece of a column and a partial inscription, all
   believed to have come from the same tomb.
   Archaeologists believe the reliefs were a frieze
   decorating the midsection of a rectangular tomb,
   surmounted by a colonnade that housed the statue,
   possibly a depiction of the man buried inside.

   The identity of the tomb's owner is likely to remain a
   mystery at least until the burial site is found. The reliefs
   may indicate he was an organizer of public games or
   may depict bouts that were held in his honor, but
   images of gladiators were such a common theme in
   Roman art that they cannot be considered conclusive
   proof.