Gladiators at Roman Colchester: Re-Interpreting the Colchester Vase

Davis, Glynn J.C.; Pearce, John; Carroll, Emily; Moore, Joanna; Nowell, Geoff; Montgomery, Janet

Abstract

The locally made colour-coated ware vessel known as the Colchester Vase is argued to be a commissioned piece recording a performance in the town. The inscription on the vessel, cut pre-firing, names individual arena performers depicted en barbotine. One name, Memnon, is argued to be a 'stage name' taken from a protagonist in the Trojan war. The connection of another combatant, Valentinus, to the 30th legion is re-considered as evidence for gladiators linked to the Roman army. The Vase's final use was as a cremation urn. Osteological and isotopic analysis reveals the cremated remains to be those of a non-local male of 40+ years; unlikely to be one of the performers, he may nevertheless have been closely connected to the event.

Citation

Davis, G. J., Pearce, J., Carroll, E., Moore, J., Nowell, G., & Montgomery, J. (2024). Gladiators at Roman Colchester: Re-Interpreting the Colchester Vase. Britannia: A Journal of Romano-British and Kindred Studies, 55, 3-24. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0068113X24000187

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 13, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Feb 20, 2025
• Publication Date: Nov 1, 2024
• Deposit Date: Mar 16, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 17, 2025
• Journal: Britannia
• Print ISSN: 0068-113X
• Electronic ISSN: 1753-5352
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 55
• Pages: 3-24
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0068113X24000187
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/3709461