The Roman knife that shows gladiators reached Scottish border

A figure of a left-handed combatant found in Northumberland reveals ‘celebrity culture’ made it further north than we thought

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The tiny figure of a mysterious left-handed gladiator has been found near Hadrian’s Wall, proving that celebrity fighters were idolised even in the far reaches of the Roman Empire.
Standing a few inches tall, the little combatant was once attached to a knife – providing its handle – and is believed to be a rare example of a treasured gladiatorial souvenir acquired by an ardent fan.
The gladiator, who is shown wearing a helmet and carrying a shield, was found in the River Tyne at Corbridge in Northumberland.
It is unclear who the figure was, but as it is left-handed, it may depict a specific gladiator, experts believe.
There are only a few left-handed gladiators we know about, including Albanus from Pompeii, Valerius from around Sorrento, Victor from Philippopolis in Thrace (modern-day Bulgaria) and Lyco from Rome.
Dr Frances McIntosh, the curator of English Heritage’s collections for Hadrian’s Wall and the North East, said: “Gladiators and the ‘spectacles’ were an integral part of Roman cultural life, taking place all across the Roman Empire. The phenomenon inspired the creation of sporting memorabilia, such as decorated ceramics and glass cups, lamps and figurines.
“Despite being enslaved and socially outcast due to their profession, gladiators could become huge celebrities.
“It is rare to find a piece of gladiator memorabilia in Britain and to find such a well-preserved and interesting piece is particularly remarkable.”
Roman gladiatorial combat dates back to the 3rd century BC and by the time Emperor Claudius invaded Britain in 43 AD, such fighting was an established sport across the empire.
It is likely that gladiators fought in the amphitheatres of London, Chester, Silchester and Cirencester and during excavations of Richborough Roman Fort in Kent in 2021, archaeologists found holding cells for fighters and wild animals.
A Samian bowl found at Richborough shows various fight scenes including a victorious gladiator standing with arm and shield aloft, whilst his defeated opponent kneels before him.
The most northerly amphitheatre was found so far as in Aldborough, near Harrogate in Yorkshire. Glass vials, which would have contained perfume and saffron-infused water to sprinkle on spectators, were also found at the site.
But the newly-discovered figure shows that the reach of the sport spread far further north.
“This beautifully made knife handle is a testament to how pervasive this celebrity culture was, reaching all the way to Hadrian’s Wall at the very edge of the Roman Empire,” added Dr McIntosh.
“Gladiators had sex appeal and there are cases of high-status Roman women falling ‘in love’ with these lowly fighters, despite the vast social difference.
“Even now, almost two thousand years later, the fascination around gladiators persists and has expanded even further into modern popular culture, as evidenced by the excitement surrounding the new Gladiator film sequel.”
Left-handed gladiators were seen as a rarity because left-handedness was deemed unlucky in the Roman Empire.
However, those who did fight left-handed often had an advantage over their right-handed opponents, and the ability was lauded in graffiti and epitaphs from the Roman period.
Tombstones of gladiators sometimes bear the word “scaeua” in Latin, meaning “left-hander”.
Experts say the knife would likely have been carried by a man, and was probably used, rather than been kept for display purposes.
The knife will be on display in Corbridge from next year alongside other Roman finds from the River Tyne.
A piece of glass with a leopard painted upon it found at Corbridge was also recently re-analysed, and is now thought to be part of a scene of an animal hunt – known as a venatio – which was a key part of a day at the games, alongside gladiatorial fights.
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