I have painted a number of the Foundry gladiators which are pretty historically accurate although the figures, which are by different sculptors, vary in standard quite a bit. I am not sure who is responsible for this murmillo gladatrix, which I finished last week, but she is one of the better figures and certainly one of the better female ones.
She has been on the workbench for some time but two things caused me to finish her: firstly, watching the TV series Spartacus: Blood and Sand, which was good drama but terrible as regards historical accuracy. Secondly, I have just finished the second of Russell Whitfield's novels about female gladiators, Roma Victrix. This, like the first had excellent fight scenes, lesbian sex and a good understanding of gladiatoral combat; although I am not that convinced that there were whole ludi of gladatrixes! The second book also expands on the scope of the original and features scenes set in the Dacian Wars.
I always seem to have one or two gladiators lurking around the workbench and have just started a female retiarus who has a rather unappealling mowhawk haircut and, sadly, doesn't look anything like as attractive as Beyonce in that Pepsi commercial from a few years ago!
I had already painted one gladiatrix so at least they can fight each other now! Over the years I have used a number of rules for gladiators (we used to have games at school with the Paragon Wargames Group rules)including Morituri Te Salutant which are now published by Black Hat Games. I see that Warhammer Historical have a new set out too so will certainly pick those up in the near future too, although the cover is horrible!
The entire Ludus Hedlius watch the girls go at it!
Spartacus: Gods of the Arena is out on DVD next month so expect more gladiators then!
