Provocator

Author: Graham Ashford

The Provocator generally fought gladiators of their own type. Distinctly armed in comparison to other scutarii they fought with the scutum (occasionally shorter than most but not as short as the thraex parmala), a gladius or other short sword. They wore normal armour on the sword arm and shield leg (manica and greave, although of varying types and sizes). Their helmets and chest armour though is what makes them quite unique among the scutarii contemporary to them.

Originally the helmets they wore took the Gallic style worn by contemporary Roman Soldiers, in time this helmet changed considerably to a large dome shape with heavy neck flares (although this may just be artistic interpretation of the Gallic helm), however for main part of the period the Provocators existed they appear to have fought using the gallic helm with or without a face guard. Covering the top portion of their chest they, wore a piece or armour which sometimes managed to cover the top of the shoulders at least past the clavical called a pectorales. In the best example of these gladiators the frieze shows their front and back allowing us to see a way that the armour would have been fixed, by a leather cross piece or through from the sides of the armour piece and onto an iron ring placed in between the shoulder blades.

In no depictions (I am aware of) do the Provocatores fight anyone but their own type. This may be due to the light chest armour they are depicted wearing which may well have given them too greater advantage over their opponent, but as we have seen in other gladiator types at the absence of one form to fight another is found, it would stand to reason that the other fighter in such cases would have been either a similar type such as a Myrmillo or an opponent found fighting scutarii such as a thraex.

Little else is known of the Provocator other than the fact that they are seen in reliefs as early as 30-10BC and in tombstones as late as the 3rd Century AD, in each case the only pieces that appear to have changed in their equipment is the shape of the helm and the chest plate which started square but ended crescent shaped in the late Imperial Age. It would appear that although there is little known about them as a fighting type they enjoyed longevity in the arena, perhaps because of their closeness to the look of the Roman Soldier?

In our experimentation is would seem that in single combat the strength of the Provocator as with most scutarii, lies in defensive play under the cover of the huge shield, striking into the opponents side and flanks when they over extend themselves in an assault. Should an attack have to be made they are almost usually always lead with either a shield bash or as I prefer (portraying the Provocator) with slashing feints with the gladius hiding behind the scutum for cover until an opening is made for a fatal thrust.