Description
The Retiarius (plural retiarii; literally, "net-man" or "net-fighter" in Latin)
was a Roman gladiator who fought with equipment styled on that of a fisherman: a
weighted net (rete, hence the name), a three-pointed trident (fuscina or
tridens), and a dagger (pugio). The retiarius was lightly armoured, wearing an
arm guard (manica) and a shoulder guard (galerus).
Typically, his clothing consisted only of a loincloth (subligaculum) held in
place by a wide belt, or of a short tunic with light padding. He wore no head
protection or footwear. The retiarius was routinely pitted against a heavily
armed secutor. The net-fighter made up for his lack of protective gear by using
his speed and agility to avoid his opponent's attacks and waiting for the
opportunity to strike. He first tried to throw his net over his rival. If this
succeeded, he attacked with his trident while his adversary was entangled.
Another tactic was to ensnare his enemy's weapon in the net and pull it out of
his grasp, leaving the opponent defenseless.
Should the net miss or the secutor grab hold of it, the retiarius likely
discarded the weapon, although he might try to collect it back for a second
cast. Usually, the retiarius had to rely on his trident and dagger to finish the
fight. The trident, as tall as a human being, permitted the gladiator to jab
quickly and keep his distance. It was a strong weapon, capable of inflicting
piercing wounds on an unprotected skull or limb. The dagger was the retiarius's
final backup should the trident be lost. It was reserved for when close combat
or a straight wrestling match had to settle the bout.
In some battles, a single retiarius faced two secutores simultaneously. For
these situations, the lightly armoured gladiator was placed on a raised platform
and given a supply of stones with which to repel his pursuers.
- Newly developed muscular body, "Realistik Body" KP01A
- "Lifelike" head sculpture with "state of art" paint
- Retiarius shoulder guard "galerus" based on Pompeii (Italy) original model
(Die-cast Metal)
- Retiarius Trident "fusciana or tridens" (Die-cast Metal and Wood)
- Retiarius small dagger "pugio" (Die-cast Metal blade)
- Retiarius special four spikes dagger "quadrens" (Die-cast Metal blade)
- Fabric Cushion gaiter and shoulder armor pad
- Leatherlike Arm guard "manica" and belt
- Retiarius net "rete"
