Title: Review - Roman Gladiator
Description: Verlinden 120mm figure
Description: Verlinden 120mm figure
cptan - August 23, 2006 03:49 AM (GMT)
Guys,
I'm answering Sifu Beachbum call... here is my first "kit review" submission (consider it a "first look" rather than a "review" lar).
It's a Verlinden resin 120mm figure kit "Roman Gladiator" (kit #: 0953)
First some history ref. I've found on the net...
In general, gladiators were condemned criminals, prisoners of war, or slaves bought for the purpose of gladiatorial combat by a lanista, or owner of gladiators. Each gladiator was allowed to fight in the armor and with the weapons that best suited him. They will fight to the death in the Coliseum of ancient Rome.
Some of the various types of gladiator:
* A Thracian - wore ocrea (grieve) on both legs, carried a small square shield, wore either a full visored helmet (galea) or an open faced helmet with a wide brim, and carried a curved Thracian sword with an angled bend in the blade;
* A Secutor - took his name from the term for "pursuer" and fought virtually naked and bald, carrying a large oval or rectangular shield and a sword or dagger, wearing an ocrea on the left leg, leather bands at the elbow and wrists (manicae), and a round or high-visored helmet;
* A Retiarius - symbolised the fisherman and wore only a loin cloth (subligaculum) and a metal shoulder-piece (galerus) on the left arm, and carried a net (iaculum), a dagger, and a trident or tunny-fish harpoon (fascina). One variation on the Retiarius was the Laquearii who carried a lasso instead of a net.
"We Who Are About to Die Salute You!"
Box art from verlinden website.
The kit:
According to the history ref. above, this kit looks more like a "Thracian"... the resin parts includes:
- Head with full visored helmet (galea)
- Naked torso
- Hip and thighs
- A pair of legs wearing grieves (ocrea)
- Left arm
- Right arm with chain mail
- Left hand holding shield's strap
- Right hand holding sword
- Sword (gladius)
- Shield (scutum)
The kits also include 1 small ceramic base.
All detail looks crisp, especially on the engraved helmet and grieves. The chain mail on the right arm looks good too (detail shows "cccc" instead of the traditional "oooo").
Well, that's it folk.
Pls feel free to add more comment and feedback on this item :-)
CPTan
I'm answering Sifu Beachbum call... here is my first "kit review" submission (consider it a "first look" rather than a "review" lar).
It's a Verlinden resin 120mm figure kit "Roman Gladiator" (kit #: 0953)
First some history ref. I've found on the net...
In general, gladiators were condemned criminals, prisoners of war, or slaves bought for the purpose of gladiatorial combat by a lanista, or owner of gladiators. Each gladiator was allowed to fight in the armor and with the weapons that best suited him. They will fight to the death in the Coliseum of ancient Rome.
Some of the various types of gladiator:
* A Thracian - wore ocrea (grieve) on both legs, carried a small square shield, wore either a full visored helmet (galea) or an open faced helmet with a wide brim, and carried a curved Thracian sword with an angled bend in the blade;
* A Secutor - took his name from the term for "pursuer" and fought virtually naked and bald, carrying a large oval or rectangular shield and a sword or dagger, wearing an ocrea on the left leg, leather bands at the elbow and wrists (manicae), and a round or high-visored helmet;
* A Retiarius - symbolised the fisherman and wore only a loin cloth (subligaculum) and a metal shoulder-piece (galerus) on the left arm, and carried a net (iaculum), a dagger, and a trident or tunny-fish harpoon (fascina). One variation on the Retiarius was the Laquearii who carried a lasso instead of a net.
"We Who Are About to Die Salute You!"
Box art from verlinden website.
The kit:
According to the history ref. above, this kit looks more like a "Thracian"... the resin parts includes:
- Head with full visored helmet (galea)
- Naked torso
- Hip and thighs
- A pair of legs wearing grieves (ocrea)
- Left arm
- Right arm with chain mail
- Left hand holding shield's strap
- Right hand holding sword
- Sword (gladius)
- Shield (scutum)
The kits also include 1 small ceramic base.
All detail looks crisp, especially on the engraved helmet and grieves. The chain mail on the right arm looks good too (detail shows "cccc" instead of the traditional "oooo").
Well, that's it folk.
Pls feel free to add more comment and feedback on this item :-)
CPTan
beachbum - August 24, 2006 02:01 AM (GMT)
Many thanks CP for the excellent review plus history. I found the history part very informative as I've always been wondering how the differentiate the lot of them. Pegaso also has a Murmillo but I'm not sure the basis of his classification.
Looks like a nice set. How is the fit?
Nice action pose and the details are very good especially on the visor and greaves. Not much cleaning up involved too. I'm just basing it on some of the Verlinden kits I have and looking at yours but I believe the Ancient/Medieval kits from Verlinden are pretty good while the scale and finishing on some of their WWII kits are quite variable.
The flesh areas should be quite a challenge to paint. Looking forward to see it done up. An excellent piece and considering the bargain price you got it for its a good investment. Thanks again for the review CP.
Looks like a nice set. How is the fit?
Nice action pose and the details are very good especially on the visor and greaves. Not much cleaning up involved too. I'm just basing it on some of the Verlinden kits I have and looking at yours but I believe the Ancient/Medieval kits from Verlinden are pretty good while the scale and finishing on some of their WWII kits are quite variable.
The flesh areas should be quite a challenge to paint. Looking forward to see it done up. An excellent piece and considering the bargain price you got it for its a good investment. Thanks again for the review CP.