Floor Mosaic of Roman Boxers and a Bull
source: Wikimedia Commons
author: Dave & Margie Hill / Kleerup
Description
A photograph frames a floor mosaic of two nude Roman boxers. They stand with their backs to each other, with blood streaming from the face of the man on the right. In the background, a bull kneels on the ground.
Date
Artifact: c. 175 AD
Photo: 2010
Information
This Roman mosaic depicts two nude boxers. As was standard in ancient Roman boxing, the descendent of Greek pygmachia, the fighters are nude except for their gloves. This is a depiction of a scene from the 1st century BC epic the Aineid, in which Entellus defeats Dares in a boxing match then immediately kills a sacrificial bull with a single strike to the head.
Related Articles
Greek Pygmachia (Boxing) | History of Boxing | History of Combat Sports
Miller, S. G. (2006). Ancient Greek athletics. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Newby, Z. (2006). Athletics in the ancient world. Bristol: Bristol Classical Press.