Explanation: A rare bit of OC by me. When noxii (criminals considered especially heinous by the Roman government) were condemned to die in the arena, they were expected to damn well die. So if any were still breathing after the real gladiators and animals had their fun with them, a man would come out with a mallet, dressed as Dis Pater (one of the Roman gods of the underworld), and give them a friendly tap on the head to crush their skulls as they lay dying on the ground. Brutal stuff.
this post was submitted on 26 Sep 2025
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So what about the lesser criminals? If I want to do crime in Rome and just try my luck, what can I get away with by fighting well?
Well, you might end up fined, beaten or enslaved (if a non-citizen), or exiled (if a citizen) for lesser crimes. If you were sent to the arena, it was considered equivalent to the death penalty - the two classifications were noxii and damnati. Noxii were considered those too terrible to live under any circumstances - typically, bandits, pirates, and some murderers and rapists in aggravated circumstances. Those who were condemned as noxii were considered bad enough to be crucified, but more useful as arena fodder. No amount of fighting skill would save them - they'd typically be fed to animals, executed in elaborate displays, faced against each other to the death, or simply set against real gladiators whilst unarmed. A good laugh!
Damnati, a more general term for those condemned to death, had more of a chance. They were criminals worthy of the death penalty, but not crucifixion (which even the Romans regarded as a severe form of the death penalty). As a non-noxii, you'd be sent to a gladiator school, trained (or if you were a real 'dropout', thrown in with the noxii anyway), and then used for gladiator games for as long as you survived. If you were exceptionally good - or at least popular with the crowd (or local notables) - you might survive long enough to be freed, typically by being granted, immediately after a match, a wooden sword from the local magistrate (or the Emperor, if you were in Rome itself).
At that point, you would be an infamis - even if you were a citizen, you could no longer hold office, testify in court, or be immune to corporal punishment. But you would be free, no longer forced to risk death for the cheering crowd! And after years in the arena, that's got to be worth something!
Thanks for the answer!