Fascia
A band of cloth or leather that protected the leg below the knee and provided padding beneath a greave.
Fascina (or tridens)
The long, three-pronged metal trident that was the hallmark of a retiarius.
Galea
The helmet worn by all gladiators except the retiarius. These were domed and often featured decorative crests and visors pierced with eyeholes.
Galerus
The distinctive metal shoulder guard of a retiarius. It curved up strongly from the shoulder, away from the neck, so that neck and head were protected but the fighter’s head movements were not restricted.
Gladius
This was the straight stabbing sword of the gladiator after which he was named.
Ocrea
A metal leg guard that ran from the knee (or above) to the shin and protected mainly the front of the leg.
Parma
A round or square shield that was smaller and lighter than a scutum.
Pugio
A dagger, weapon of last resort of a retiarius.
Rudis
The wooden sword or staff symbolising a gladiator’s liberatio.
Scutum
A large rectangular shield (curving inward so that it formed part of a cylinder) of the sort carried by a murmillo.
Subligaculum
A traditional loincloth worn by gladiators (the chest was almost always bare).