spoliarium
9.9
An area under a Roman arena where dead gladiators were taken after fights
- noun
- /spəˈliːəriəm/
- Specialized
:
spoliarium
- In ancient Rome, the spoliarium was the place where defeated gladiators' bodies were taken after battles.
Examples
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After the match, the bodies of the fallen fighters were carried to the spoliarium for the rituals of the dead.
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The grim sight of the spoliarium showcased the harsh realities of gladiatorial combat.
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Because, gentlemen, the Philippines is nothing more than a Spoliarium in reality, with all its horrors.
Academic text (2015) -
Spoliarium from Wikipedia
Blog text (34)
Surface Forms
spoliarium singular
spoliaría plural
Etymology
Spoliarium comes from the Latin spolium ('spoils') and spoliare ('to strip'). In Roman arenas the fallen were taken there and their armor or goods were taken as 'spoils', so spoliarium is the place where dead gladiators and their belongings were carried.
