Type: light armoured net-fighter

Opponent: secutor

Weapon: Trident (tridens), net (rete), dagger (pugio)

Armour: left shoulder-guard (galerus), textile left arm guard (manica),

Total weight of equipment: 5-7 kg

During fight the retiarius tried to catch his opponent, the secutor, with his net by throwing it over his helmet, weapon, or shield. If the secutor was caught, he was

seriously impaired in his

mobility, and could also

loose his balance,

occasionally causing

the secutor´s fall.

Ideally the retiarius would then attack the secutor with his trident. If the retiarius missed with his net, close combat followed, where the retiarius tried to outrun his opponent and win by high mobility against the armour-clad secutor. For very close encounters the retiarius had a dagger.

Five Retiarii, 4 in tunics, fighting in a company, yielded without a struggle to the same number of opponents; and being ordered to be slain, one of them taking up his lance again, killed all the conquerors. This he [Caligula] lamented in a proclamation as a most cruel butchery, and cursed all those who had borne the sight of it.

Sueton, Cal. 30

AER/AS/1505-S Shoulder guard / galerus, bronze

AER/AS/1505-S-TN Shoulder guard / galerus, tinned steel

AER/CL/1501-LB Textile Armour left arm

AER/MISC/1503 Gladiator belt

AER/SWS/1501 Trident London

AER/DG/1501 Gladiator dagger

AER/MISC/1502 Hemp net / rete, with lead weights

AER/CL/1504-STD-WL subligaculum

AER/SH/1501-8/(your EU-size)-N Gladiator gaiters