Roman gladiator's gravestone blames poor refereeing for losing his fight (and life)

Bitter right to the end

You cannot be serious! Roman gladiator's gravestone blames poor refereeing for losing a key battle (and his life)


* Scientist finally decodes epitaph on tombstone

Referees making woeful decisions have long been a thorn in the side of modern athletes and sports fans.

But it's doubtful anyone has ever had more reason to be annoyed with an official than a Roman gladiator whose epitaph has finally been decoded.

The gravestone of Diodorus, who was buried 1,800 years ago in Turkey, blames a referee's bad decision for his death during a coliseum battle.

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The gravestone of Roman gladiator Diodorus, who was buried 1,800 years ago in Turkey. His epitaph blames a referee's bad decision for his death during a coliseum battle


His tomb was unearthed about 100 years ago, but the meaning of the inscription on his gravestone has remained a mystery - until now.

Scientist Michael Carter, of Brock University in Canada, has studied hundreds of inscriptions on gladiator gravestones.

He has now decoded that of Diodorus and claims it is unique in that it actually tells the story of his death.

Written from the gladiator's own perspective, it reads: 'After breaking my opponent Demetrius, I did not kill him immediately. Fate and the cunning treachery of the summa rudis killed me.'

The 'summa rudis' refers to a veteran gladiator who would have refereed the fight during which Diodorus lost his life.

Therefore, when the slain warrior's friends and family composed the inscription for his gravestone, they were clearly in no doubt as to where the blame lay.

The epitaph also includes an engraving that Dr Carter believes explains the circumstances leading up to his death.

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Arena of death: Russell Crowe (right) stars as Maximus in the blockbuster Gladiator


Diodorus can be seen standing over his fallen opponent, called Demetrius, while holding two swords.

Dr Carter suggests this means Diodorus had managed to get hold of Demetrius's sword while he was on the ground.

But the summa rudis ruled that Demetrius had fallen over by accident, meaning he would have been allowed to get up and resume fighting.

'Demetrius signals surrender, but Diodorus doesn't kill him,' Dr Carter said. 'He backs off expecting that he's going to win the fight.

'What the summa rudis has obviously done is stepped in, stopped the fight, allowed Demetrius to get back up again, take back his shield, take back his sword, and then resume the fight.'

It was then that the fatal blow was struck and Diodorus was killed, a turn of events that clearly appalled the gladiator's loved ones.

The epitaph was donated to the Musée du Cinquanternaire in Brussels shortly before the First World War.

Dr Carter's study is published in the Journal for Papyrology and Ancient Epigraphics.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...ing-losing-key-battle-life.html#ixzz1PvwquJgP
 
Re: Roman gladiator's gravestone blames poor refereeing for losing his fight (and lif

goddamn refs. been fuckin up for too damn long!
 

Rey C.

Racing is life... anything else is just waiting.
Re: Roman gladiator's gravestone blames poor refereeing for losing his fight (and lif

I saw this story last night and I bet myself that if I didn't post it that you would, Ulysses31. :thumbsup:

Pretty amazing story, huh?
 
Re: Roman gladiator's gravestone blames poor refereeing for losing his fight (and lif

I saw this story last night and I bet myself that if I didn't post it that you would, Ulysses31. :thumbsup:

Pretty amazing story, huh?

Yeah, guess there has been dodgy refereeing over thousands of years even when a life was at stake. You almost feel for the guy eventhough he died 1800 years ago and we have no idea what he looked like or who he even was.
 

L3ggy

Special Operations FOX-HOUND
Re: Roman gladiator's gravestone blames poor refereeing for losing his fight (and lif

They had refs back then?
 
Re: Roman gladiator's gravestone blames poor refereeing for losing his fight (and lif

You almost feel for the guy eventhough he died 1800 years ago and we have no idea what he looked like or who he even was.

Well, he was awesome if he looked anything like that guy in his gravestone! :D
 
Re: Roman gladiator's gravestone blames poor refereeing for losing his fight (and lif

Did they make sure Ferrari wins? ;)
 
Re: Roman gladiator's gravestone blames poor refereeing for losing his fight (and lif

Hey ref, get off your knees. You're blowing the game.
 

maildude

Postal Paranoiac
Re: Roman gladiator's gravestone blames poor refereeing for losing his fight (and lif

This is the same excuse Christian uses every time he loses to Randy Orton. " Baa-hoo!! The refs screwed up and now my nuts are cut off!" Did they do that in the ring back then? Cut off a guy's nuts if he lost?
 
Re: Roman gladiator's gravestone blames poor refereeing for losing his fight (and lif

This, then, is where the tradition of blaming everyone but the athletes came from. A tradition the Italian football team keeps up to this day.
 
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