“Uncovering Secrets: The Colchester Vase’s Mysterious Connection to Blood-Soaked Gladiator Legends”
The Unique History Of The Colchester Vase
Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 2.0Closeup of the gladiator battle depicted on one side of the Colchester Vase.
In 1853, a local antiques expert named John Taylor carried out an excavation at an ancient cemetery in Colchester, England that turned up an elaborately decorated clay vase from the late 2nd century C.E. The vase not only featured intricate designs, but also contained cremated remains. Recognizing its potential historical importance, Taylor donated the vessel to Colchester Castle Museum.
The main decorative carving on the Colchester Vase shows two male figures engaged in combat. Above their heads were inscriptions of several names such as “Valentinus,” “Secundus,” and “Mario.” On the other side of the vase, two gladiators are depicted fighting a bear. The final scene shows a dog chasing deer and hares.
Researchers have long been intrigued by the names on the vase. Mario, likely a gladiator’s stage name inspired by a legendary king from the Trojan War named “Memnon,” was a secutor, a type of gladiator known for battling with nets and tridents. The vase notes that he fought in nine battles and may have had dark skin.
D. Atfield/Colchester MuseumsThe name “Mario” inscribed on the vase.
Valentinus, a name connected with the military legion XXX Ulpia Victrix that was stationed in present-day German, is described as a less-experienced fighter. The absence of a battle record on the vase points to the depicted fight as being his first.
At first, researchers believed that the vase may have been imported to Britannia from Rome. The Romans first arrived in the British Isles in 43 C.E., and the countless relics that tell the story of the centuries they spent there are still being uncovered to this day. In fact, other recently-unearthed artifacts from Britain depicting famous Roman gladiators include a 2,000-year-old knife with a gladiator handle discovered near Hadrian’s Wall in 2024.
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