Retiarii vs Secutores

Retiarii vs Secutores

This was the most spectacular of the fights: a real hunt. And the crowd gathered in Caerleon's Roman Arena this day in 2006 were treated to, not a singular duel but, a gregatum: two Retiarii against two Secutores.
On the one side the Retiarius, the fisherman Neptune, was eqipped with a net and trident. As a fisherman he needed a bait and his bait was his lack of defence. This attracted the rival to come closer; then the Retiarius could use his net.
The Secutor (meaning 'the one following') was represented by the God of Fire, Vulcanus. He was equipped like the heavy infantry though his armour was more specialised than that of his closest relative, the Murmillo. He trained to fight against the trident, long weapon of the Retiarius. His helmet had a special crest that would let the net slide should his head be captured. For the same reason his shield was rounded on the edges.
This fight was similar to a hunt, or a tauromachia (bull-fight), were the Retiarius was like the bullfighter, the Secutor the bull. But... a bull that was well aware of the techniques and tactics of his opponent and had trained to overcome them.