I.a swordsman, fighter in the public games, a gladiator (cf.: lanista, mirmillo, secutor, retiarius, bestiarius, pugil, athleta).
I. Lit.: “athletae et gladiatores,” Cic. Or. 68, 228: “gladiatorum spectaculum,” id. Tusc. 2, 17, 41: “ut emat gladiatores,” id. Sull. 19, 55: “ut gladiatoribus imperari solet,” id. Sest. 37, 80: “nobiles,” id. Phil. 3, 14, 35: “tam bonus gladiator rudem tam cito accepisti,” id. ib. 2, 29, 74: “quis tota Italia veneficus, quis gladiator, quis latro, quis sicarius, etc.,” id. Cat. 2, 4, 7.—As a term of reproach: “Gracchorum potentiam majorem fuisse arbitramini quam hujus gladiatoris (i. e. Antonii) futura sit?” Cic. Phil. 5, 12, 32; 7, 6, 17; Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 62, § 146: “vetus proverbium est, gladiatorem in arena capere consilium,” Sen. Ep. 22, 1: “(gladiatorum) emptio et venditio, an locatio et conductio,” Gai. Inst. 3, 146.—
B. Transf., in plur., a combat of gladiators, gladiatorial exhibition: rumor venit datum iri gladiatores; populus convolat, Ter. Hec. prol. alt. 32; Cic. Sest. 64, 133 and 135; Suet. Tit. 7: “edere,” id. Aug. 45; id. Dom. 4: “edendis gladiatoribus praesedit,” Tac. A. 1, 76: “locum gladiatoribus dare,” Cic. Att. 2, 1, 5; id. Phil. 9, 7, 16; abl. absol.: “gladiatoribus,” at a show of gladiators, id. ib. 2, 19, 3; cf.: ut Romam vitet gladiatoribus, Lucil. ap. Non. 165, 14; Asin. Poll. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 32, 3; cf.: “gladiatores, quod spectaculum inter epulas erat, eo ornatu armarunt (Campani), etc.,” Liv. 9, 40, 17.—*
II. A swordcutler: “carpentarii, scandularii, gladiatores, aquilices, tubarii, etc.,” Dig. 50, 6, 6.
