Spartacus fighting in The Pit.
The Pits are a more brutal, lawless and smaller version of the arena where shamed men can fight/be put to their deaths. It is the equivalent of a modern "underground fighting ring", where there are few rules and no honor.
About
"... a place where you needn't follow rules because none exist; the pits of the underworld." - Batiatus
The pit is a place of unrefined brutality and violence. Where there are rules of combat in the arena, there is only one rule in the pit: Only one survives. The only purpose is to kill or be killed, whilst the onlookers place bets on the respective fighters and revel in the bloodshed. There are no restraints between the crowd and the pit.
Before each fight begins, the two fighters are brought forward and they pick a symbol out of a bag, which determines which weapon they will wield. A sword is amongst the weapons, along with an axe, a hammer, knuckle-duster, dagger, and many other things. Some fighters receive no weapon at all.
The fights in the pit are uncontrolled and the fighters can use anything they find as a weapon, including the sand they stand on.
Battles in the Pits
Oenomaus (Pugio) vs. Unnamed Opponent (Caestus) - Oenomaus victor
- As a teenage boy Oenomaus was forced to fight in the pit. His opponent throws him around but Oenomaus finally uses a bone fragment to stab him in the genitals, and then continuously stabs his throat and finally stabs him through the eye. This victory catches the attention of the visiting Titus Lentulus Batiatus, who recruits Oenomaus to his Ludus.
Kerza (Caestus) vs. Ixion (Malleus) - Ixion victor
- Kerza is the first of Batiatus' fighters to be put into the pit. He fights Ixion, who removes and then wears the faces of his former opponents. Ixion fights with a hammer and Kerza with only his bare hands. He is knocked to the ground once but manages to rise again, where he receives multiple heavy hammer blows to the head, which kill him. Ixion cuts off his face once he is dead and raises it as a trophy.
Spartacus (Caestus) vs. Myrmex (Sphairai) - Spartacus victor
- Spartacus' first fight in the pit is against Myrmex, an established and popular fighter in the pit who, like Ixion, wears a mask to hide his face. Spartacus receives brass knuckles and Myrmex fights with spiked knuckles. Although Myrmex initially has the upper hand, Spartacus takes the offensive and beats Myrmex with his own spiked knuckles by grabbing his arm and repeatedly making him punch himself in the face. To finish the job, he grabs a hook that is hanging from the ceiling and forces it up into Myrmex's head through his neck.
Spartacus (Gladius) vs. Unnamed Opponent (Vinculum) - Spartacus victor
- Spartacus manages to stay out of his opponent's range and fights back with a sword. Both eventually lose their weapons and have a fist fight. Spartacus throws sand in the other man's face, gouges his eyes out once he is down and then strangles him to death.
Spartacus (Gladius) vs. Mytilus (unknown, possibly Bipennis or Malleus) - Spartacus victor
- Match held immediately following Spartacus' victory against the opponent with the Vinculum. The fight itself is not shown, only that Spartacus bested his opponent and stabbed him to death with a Gladius.
Spartacus (Sica) vs. Ixion (two Bipennis) - Spartacus victor
- Spartacus enters his battle against Ixion willing to die for Batiatus to gain winnings and save his wife, Sura. However, during the fight Batiatus is attacked and Spartacus is forced to kill Ixion and save Batiatus.
Oenomaus (Vinculum) vs. Liberius (Plumbatae) - Oenomaus victor
- Returning to the pit of his own accord, Oenomaus (under the alias of Oenonexus) faces his first opponent in the form of Liberius. After a hard fight, Oenomaus wrests a Plumbata from his opponent and stabs him to death with it.
Oenomaus vs. Multiple Unnamed Opponents - Oenomaus victor in all battles
- Continuing to fight in the pit, Oenomaus (under the alias of Oenonexus) engages multiple opponents in succession, hoping one will end his life. However, such is Oenomaus's skill that he defeats everyone whom he fights, much to his dismay.