Were gladiators raped in ancient Rome?

[Anonymous]

Were gladiators raped in ancient Rome?

[BCA6010]

Probably. Male on male rape as an assertion of dominance was relatively common practice in Greek and to a lesser extent Roman culture that didn't have anything close to the same stigma it does now until after Roman Catholicism was adopted.

On that note though, the significant majority of gladiator fights were not actually to the death unless the combatant (s) were criminals being sentenced to death by combat. Most of them were basically slave-actors.

[Anonymous]

it could have happened. They were viewed as property by the law, so if they were raped by someone other than the owner, the owners were able to sue for property damage. They apparently did have large female fan bases though (groupies) who they were able to bang quite frequently.

Even the female gladiators don't appear to have been raped. They were wealthy women (not slaves) who volunteered to fight for no money. Most likely seeking attention just as today's women. They fought in a loincloth and wore no helmet, in order to showcase their "feminine features". Again, just like today. But I can't find anything about them being raped.

[Agape93]

Imagine having the balls to rape a man who is trained to kill for sport, and was likely a professional soldier before that.

[EssenceOfLight]

Top gladiators were sport superstars their time and owners sold sometimes sexual services of their gladiators. It was only rape if the customer didn't pay.

[MrTaboo]

Their owners did rent them to wealthy women for sex.

[Anonymous]

The slaves forced to fight or people who fought to pay off debts maybe. The few who stay as a gladiator for a long time probably not they might be the ones doing the raping

[Anonymous]

I’m sure it happened.