Pompeii

Pompeii never ceases to amaze me or to disappoint me. I have visited on several occasions and there is always some new discovery to interest me.

In a recent excavation in a previously uncovered part of the city, this fresco was discovered under a stairwell of what was a tavern and graphically shows the end of a gladiatorial contest. The defeated gladiator, most probably a slave, has asked the munerarius (sponsor) of the games to stop the fight by raising his finger in "missus" and to send him alive from the arena. If he hadn't fallen during the bout, the gladiator could be sent from the arena "stans missus" (sent away still standing). Ultimately, it will be for the spectators to decide the loser's fate of life or death as the the game's editor looked to them for guidance. Thus, we learn a little more about the life of a gladiator and catch another glimpse of the brutal existence of a slave in ancient Roman society.

Incidentally, the tavern is thought to have been frequented by Pompeii's gladiators and the rooms in the upper level served as a brothel for their use. No doubt, the prostitutes which could have been either male or female, were also slaves.