The Dimachaerus (plural: Dimachaeri) was a type of Roman gladiator who dual wielded swords. This Latin name derives from the Greek word διμάχαιρος, meaning "bearing two knives" (di- dual + machairi- knife).
Equipment[]
The dimachaerus is lightly armed and equipped with:
- Two matching swords, both either a gladius (Roman short sword), acinaces (curved short sword) or sica.
- Leather leg wrappings.
- galea with visor.
In the show (specifically, the episode The Bitter End), a dhimachaerus is seen wielding two pennis (double-bitted) instead of swords.
Fighting Style[]
The fighting style of the dimachaeri gladiator involved close combat using two swords, either curved scimitars (siccae) or straight bladed short swords (gladius). Both swords were employed for attacking and defending, therefore it was generally understood that these gladiators would have been supremely skilled to wield two blades at once.
Known Dimachaeri[]
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Trivia[]
- Many of the most skilled and famed gladiators in the series fight in the Dimachaeri style. This is ironic as historically, the style of Dimachaerus was a less popular fighting style.
- It is claimed on one of the Blu-ray commentaries that Spartacus was switched gladiator styles from Thraex to Dimachaerus in the show primarily because he would no longer need to wear a helmet when fighting in the arena, thus allowing them to show their star's face in the arena.
- Spartacus switched styles from Thraex to Dimacherus after defeating Theokoles, who was also a Dimachaerus.
- Notably, Gannicus fights with two straight-bladed Roman gladius swords as a Dimacherus, while Spartacus fights using two Greek/Persian acinaces curved swords. Spartacus seems also to use Sicae as a Dimachaerus, one with a point up and one with a point down.