The Roman Gladiator Who Specialized in Fighting Animals

Thanks to Hollywood, and specifically Ridley Scott, a lot of people have a quick mental image of the Roman gladiators. Russell Crowe, wheat fields, that thing where he slices a guy’s head off with two swords at the same time, and so on. 

The fact that the movie isn’t entirely historically accurate shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who hasn’t recently purchased magic beans, but some inaccuracies may be more surprising. For example, the releasing of tigers or other wild animals into the ring. In Gladiator, the animals are mixed in with the rest of the things trying to kill Maximus, just another hazard of the fights. In reality, gladiator fights and fights against animals were two separate events, and involved different types of warriors. Gladiator fights were mano-a-mano, single species violence. The matches between humans and animals were known as venationes, and the humans fighting in them as venators. 

Or at least, that was what they called the ones where the humans had a real chance at winning. There was another, separate spectacle where the result was much more likely to be a very messy lion luncheon. 

The men in these “battles” were criminals and prisoners, and many of them had no combat training and minimal armaments. When they were made to face off against animals like lions or bears, it was less battle scene, more NatGeo snuff film. These sorry souls were known as the bestiarii. Given that they were, for the most part, simply running, crying kibble for the Colosseum’s wildlife, there aren't famous bestiarii the way there are famous gladiators — with one particular exception. A bestiarii who was so adept at fighting animals that he managed to earn mention by the poet Martial for his efforts.

That man’s name was Carpophorus. He was a Roman slave as well as the bane of any beast set against him in what was supposed to be not much more than a fashionable form of execution. Repeatedly, he found himself in the arena with a variety of beasts trying to kill him, and every time, he emerged victorious. It’s no surprise that he earned legendary status as a beast-slayer, and to be honest, it sounds like a movie we need much more than Gladiator 2. 

I said that Martial mentioned Carpophorus by name, but that was an understatement — he was practically the guy's biggest fan, writing about him in a way that sounds pulled from a Colosseum stan Twitter account:

That which was the utmost glory of thy renown, Meleager, a boar put to flight, what is it? A mere portion of that of Carpophorus. He, in addition, planted his hunting-spear in a fierce rushing bear, the monarch in the realm of the northern pole; he also laid low a lion remarkable for its unheard-of size — a lion, which might have become the hands of Hercules; and he then, with a wound from a distance, stretched lifeless a fleet leopard. And when at length he carried off his prizes, he was still in a condition to engage in new combats.

I can’t say Martial was wrong to root for the guy. If I watched someone take out a boar, bear, lion and leopard in short succession, I’d probably ask if he sold T-shirts. That wasn’t Carpophorus’ greatest achievement, though. His most impressive legend is a fight in which he apparently took on 20 animals at the same time and won. Martial was, of course, there for it, and it apparently made enough of an impression that he proclaimed, “Hercules wasn’t shit compared to this guy.” 

I’m obviously paraphrasing, but the real text isn't that far off:

Had the ages of yore, Caesar, given birth to Carpophorus, barbarian lands would not have boasted of their monsters. Marathon would not have feared the bull, the woods of Nemea the lion, Arcadia the Mamalian boar. Had Carpophorus armed his hands, one deadly stroke would hare sufficed for the hydra; by him would the whole of the Chimaera have been stricken down at once. He would have yoked together the fire-breathing bulls without the assistance of the Colchian princess; he could hare conquered either monster of Pasiphae. Could the fable of the marine prodigy be revived, he alone would release Hesione and Andromeda. Let all the glories of the praise bestowed on Hercules be counted up; it is more to have subdued twenty animals at one time.

As for Carpophorus’ life outside of combat? That’s unfortunately, not an area that was extensively covered at the time. Still, to rise from a Roman slave to someone that gets their own YouTube video on the History Channel? Not bad. Not bad at all.