What happened to the roman gladiator if they won the battle?

Answer 1

The disposal of Gladiators depended mostly on status. For example, if the fallen gladiator was considered 'noxii' (obnoxious to the state) their body may be discarded without honour, ritual or even a burial. If the body was that of a regular gladiator he may be buried with tribute and memorial by his friends, family or his associated union. Gladiators who weren't considered noxii may join these unions who would arrange for a proper funeral and compensation for the gladiators family.

The burial ceremony for gladiators was held outside the town limits and in separate cemeteries to the citizens to avoid spiritual and physical impurity tainting the community.

Today, inscriptions can still be found on the tombs of fallen gladiators by their friends, family and unions.

In some cases, it's believed the remains of gladiators may have been fed to animals, thrown in mass graves or dumped in the River Tiber. Some of these bodies would have been reclaimed for proper burial.

Answer 2

Death..at the hands or weapon of the victor's choosing or whatever he had access to (sword, mallet, rock, bare hands)...in the rare cases where a loser appeared to be dead but recovered minutes later...another guard would finish the job quietly offstage, or if an obvious mistake was made in front of a live coliseum...lions would be released to finish the job; always a crowd-pleaser.

Answer 3

If they lost the battle then they most likely lost because they died, but if they were for some reason not killed while in the fight then they would be finished off afterwards.

Answer 4

It varied by contest, and by local procurator or emperor - anything from a laurel wreath and a pat on the back to being granted his freedom if he was a slave.

Answer 5

Gladiators would be granted back there freedom if they were slaves, they will be free from fighting and living in a cell