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Disposal and Remembrance

In most cases, deceased gladiators were discarded without much recognition or procession. The bodies of these gladiators were often stripped of their armor and any valuable possessions. There is evidence that indicates that a gladiator could pay for the right of a humane burial although they were often expensive and the tombs lay relatively unmarked . Although these funeral memorial for gladiators convey limited information, they are useful in presenting a specific impression as well as social status through the images depicted or text etched on their memorials . One reason for the limited amount of evidence in the procedures and cultures surrounding the gladiators may be attributed to the lack of family members the majority of the gladiators did not have. However, Furthermore, gladiators often changed geographical locations which may have contributed to the difficulty of forming close relationships with individuals .

Epitaphs and Symbols

Many of the gladiator epitaphs included numbers. The numbers often represented the longevity of the deceased gladiator. The majority of epitaphs depict gladiators who died at young ages. The three highest ages, 48, 45, and 38 are speculated to be gladiators who have retired from the arena. The numbers also served to represent the number of appearances, victories, and defeats a gladiator experienced during his career. Defeat did not automatically lead to death. The composition and standardization of gladiatorial epitaphs by age and number of victories elevated the commemorators role. The method of gathering information to create an epitaph was considered significant. The content of the epitaph often reflected the experiences of the commemorator or creator of the epitaph as well. The language of the epitaph often commemorated fellow gladiators and in rare cases partners and children. Gladiator stone monuments also included visual elements and symbolism. The presence of wreath represented victory in the arena. Other common symbols include the crown and visual references to the weapon of the gladiator. For instance, the tome stone commemorating a Retiarius at Verona was depicted with the picture of a trident and sword.