[00tree]

I must confess all that Greek mythology goes over my head, but I've always felt that there must have been warrior women somewhere around there to prompt the writings of the Greek scholars.  Oh to have a time machine and pay them a visit – tribes of heroic warrior buff girls. 😮 8)

They actually found a mass grave that was only for female Gladiaters not to terribly long ago. I don't know the specifics right off the top of my head but I do remember that it was found. I'm sure that most of the women from that grave are where many of the stories that we know and love about amazons has sprung from. 🙂

[cpbell0033944]

They actually found a mass grave that was only for female Gladiaters not to terribly long ago. I don't know the specifics right off the top of my head but I do remember that it was found. I'm sure that most of the women from that grave are where many of the stories that we know and love about amazons has sprung from. 🙂

Can you remember where they said the grave was?

[AlexG]

So at what point in history did this custom fall out of favor?

According to the historical record, they officially ended in 404 AD at the orders of Emperor Honorius, as a consequence of the rise of Christianity.  Basically, such blood sports had gradually been falling out of favor with the increasing christianized public for a century earlier.  Tho for that century or so, rather then pagans throwing the christians to the lions, it was a case of christians throwing the pagans to the lions.

Gives a whole new meaning to convert or die.

Not to mention, they were always a highly expensive proposition to operate (it cost $$$ to import all those exotic animals, maintain highly trained athletes, etc.) and without the revenue from the conquered lands coming in, inevitably they would have ended anyway.

I might add, for a fictional interpretation of the concept of the gladatrix, the author Kirk Mitchell had one as a main character in his 80's novel (later tv movie) Anno Domini.

“I like a good story well told. That is the reason I am sometimes forced to tell them myself.”
~ Mark Twain / Samuel Clemens (1907)

[AlexG]

Can you remember where they said the grave was?

It was on the Discovery channel a few yrs back.

Gladatrix was the title.  The site was in Britain.  I think it was discussed here on the forums, but you'd have to run a site search to find the thread, if its still here.

“I like a good story well told. That is the reason I am sometimes forced to tell them myself.”
~ Mark Twain / Samuel Clemens (1907)

[cpbell0033944]

It was on the Discovery channel a few yrs back.

Gladatrix was the title.  The site was in Britain.  I think it was discussed here on the forums, but you'd have to run a site search to find the thread, if its still here.

Ah, I KNEW us Brits had an underlying tendency towards buff chicks (Bodicea etc.) ;D 😉

[grosum]

Actually it was in the area known as the steps of Russia where they found the grave of woman with a spear.

[cpbell0033944]

Actually it was in the area known as the steps of Russia where they found the grave of woman with a spear.

The Steppes?  Interesting.

[David C. Matthews]

A little pic inspired by the pic 300 which I just saw for the first time (meh)…with a tip of the hat to DC Matthews

Well, I appreciate the "tip of the hat", but I wish you'd asked for permission first before you altered my artwork.

[Author]

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