Flamma

Flamma ("the Flame") was a gladiator from the Roman province of Syria.

History Flamma's gravestone, located in Sicily, is the only known source recording his life and achievements. The gravestone's epitaph reads, in Latin:Flamma sec(utor) vix(it) ann(is) XXX pugna t XXXIIII vicit XXI

stans VIIII mis(sus) IIII nat(ione) Syrus

hui Delicatus coarmio merenti fecit. This translates to: Flamma, secutor. He lived 30 years.

He fought 34 times, won 21 times,

drew 9 times, and was spared 4 times. Syrian by birth.

Delicatus made (this tomb) for a worthy comrade-at-arms. Secutors generally fought retiarii, lightly-armored gladiators whose weapons were the trident and net.

It is a common misconception that Flamma was offered his freedom four times but refused in order to remain a gladiator. Gladiators were occasionally granted the rudis, a wooden sword that symbolized their freedom. Flamma's epitaph, however, does not state that he was ever granted the rudis. Instead, it states that he was granted missus four times. Missus, or missio, was the mercy granted to a gladiator after he surrendered. When missio was denied, the defeated gladiator was executed in the arena by the victor.