The two figures at right are Roman athletes and were part of a mosaic in the Baths of Caracalla uncovered in 1824.
The two figures at right are Roman athletes and were part of a mosaic that decorated the Baths of Caracalla and was uncovered in 1824. They are Roman and date to the third century A palaestra was attached to each of the great Roman baths, and this mosaic is decorated in the taste of the Empire with portraits of victorious athletes. Of those remaining, 20 are shown in full figure, 26 in busts. They all wear the curious top-knot (cirrus), which is characteristic of the period and shows them to be professionals. The caestus worn by the boxers is different from that at far left in that it extends above the elbow. The caestus at far right was part of a marble statue dating to the Roman Imperial Period. The thongs of the caestus are weighted with strips of lead across the knuckles. As a consequence of the increased weight, the thongs are bound so as to cover the forearm completely and pads added on which blows can be parried. The book dates to 1895.
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Photo credit: © Ivy Close Images / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
Keywords: ancient, athlete, athletes, baths, boxer, caestus, caracalla, cirrus, games, knot, palaestra, roman, rome, sports, top
