![]() The same was not true of many gladiators. As they had already been sentenced to death, their demise was an inevitability and their salute/plea reflects that status. The second issue is that the people saying this phrase were not in fact gladiators: they were katadedikasmenoi or condemned criminals ( Cassius Dio 61.33.3). Tacitus’ details about the battle are in keeping with Suetonius and Cassius Dio generally, but he does not describe any salute to the Emperor. In his Annals, Tacitus describes the combat as such ( 12.56):Ī battle was fought with all the courage of brave men, though it was between condemned criminals. Rather notably, a third source also gives details about the mock naval battle. We do not see it repeated anywhere else, which on its own challenges the idea that this was a commonly used expression. The first is that this is the only time we read of this phrase being used in a combat sport spectacle such as this. There are a few issues with this evidence. Claudius’ refusal is either charaterised as a humorous error on his part – accidently offering pardon – or simply as a cold rejection. Both versions suggest, in their own way, that the expression was not so much one of salutation but rather a plea to save them from imminent death. Cassius Dio does not give as much detail, he just tells us that their salute did not save them from the battle and that they were made to fight all the same. They were of course incorrect, and were forced to fight nontheless. replied, “Or not”, and after that all of them refused to fight, maintaining that they had been pardoned. Suetonius says that Claudius gave a rather ambiguous response that was misinterpreted by the combatants ( Claudius 21): Our two main sources for this expression, Suetonius and Cassius Dio, give slightly different accounts. Before the battle, we are told, they all stood before the Emperor and spoke these immortal words. One side represented the Rhodians, the other side represented the Syracusans. The Emperor Claudius wanted to host a mock naval-battle on Fucine Lake, with 100 ships manned by condemned criminals. The occasion being described here was actually an unusual one. Literally translated this would be, “Those who are going to die salute you.” Cassius Dio records a similar version in Greek, which uses the first person plural for the verb, giving us the more recognisable start to the translation: “We”. The phrase, slightly modified in the modern English quote, does have a clear and direct ancient counterpart given to us in Latin by Suetonius ( Claudius 21): ![]() It has become an iconic phrase that enstills upon the gladiator a sense of honour and of duty, as well as a sense of foreboding but is there any ancient evidence that this is what gladiators would say before combat? The phrase It is now commonplace in film and popular culture to show gladiators lining up in the arena and addressing the Emperor with a salute: “We who are about to die, salute you.”
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