Murmillo Versus Retiarius Combat

Articles tagged Murmillo Versus Retiarius Combat.

The Truth Behind the Thumbs Down Gladiator Gesture

Thumbs Down: The Gladiator Gesture Rome Never Used

Oct 13, 2025-By Caiden Pannell

Romans probably used thumbs up to kill gladiators, not thumbs down. Jean-Léon Gérôme’s 1872 painting Pollice Verso reversed the gesture’s meaning.

The Truth Behind the Thumbs Down Gladiator Gesture

Thumbs Down: The Gladiator Gesture Rome Never Used

Oct 13, 2025-By Caiden Pannell

Romans probably used thumbs up to kill gladiators, not thumbs down. Jean-Léon Gérôme’s 1872 painting Pollice Verso reversed the gesture’s meaning.

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