101 Amazing Gladiator Tattoos You Have Never Seen Before

In one aspect, that is true, while in another, that is relatively untrue. For one, the gladiators were subject to life-or-death combats without any choice. Hence, they were slaves to the Roman authorities. In contrast, not all gladiators were real slaves. Some were prisoners of war, and others were shameless criminals.

95 Gladiator Tattoos to Reinforce Your Body Art and Impressions on Others

Why do some people indulge in body art? Why are they choosing so many different types of tattoos? As an artist who has experience in visualizing self-thoughts via body art, you know exactly why they do this. You might feel compassionate and humbled by the use of a new type of body tattoo. But why do people opt for body art in the form of tattoos?

Why Tattoos?

Although tattoos are just inked deep inside your skin, the significance behind their meaning may be much deeper. Experts range in disparity and argue over what body art means to different people. It can be a medium of self-expression, thoughts, ideas, accomplishments, or even a form of self-mutilation.

Whatever conclusion the experts draw, one thing is for certain. And what’s that? A tattoo can notably point towards your personal traits and characteristics in flamboyant, as well as dark motifs. You can even guess life incidents and the nature of a person by simply looking at their tat.

For example, multiple barbed wire tattoos can represent that the wearer had stints in jail. Furthermore, a rose tattoo is a symbol of love or romance. On the contrary, there are always different sides to various tattoos that change from person to person. But, let’s talk about one of the most popular designs, i.e., gladiator tattoos.

Brief Background of “Gladiator”

“Gladiator” comes from the Latin word “gladius,” meaning “the sword.” You are getting the idea, right? You might especially know about gladiators if you’ve watched any ancient action movies. Gladiator was the name for slaves, criminals, and captured enemy warriors in ancient times. After learning basic combat skills, including how to wield a blade, they would fight to the death in public arenas.

For the primary reasons of entertainment, the ancient Romans made the gladiators fight in arenas. This tradition remained for over 700 years. However, initially, these sacrificial fights of gladiators were a form of sacrifice to the “entities” of the locals on major religious holidays.

Meaning of the Gladiator Tattoos

For Men

For men, a gladiator tattoo has extensive meanings and varies with their emotions. For example, the feeling of freedom via the roman slave tattoos. And the sword-shield tattoo represents courage and bravery in dire situations.

As the gladiator tattoos are purely masculine, there are traits regardless of your physicality resembling those of the Roman gladiators. Some of the meanings that a gladiator tattoo shows:

• Bravery
• Desires for freedom
• Aggressions
• Courage
• Fearlessness
• Loyalty
• Determination

For Women

As a woman, the tattoo of a roman slave on the arm means your expression of freedom and the love for it. Despite that, you can be showing signs of feeling loneliness and hopelessness. What’s more, is that the gladiator tattoos on women also give a picture of loyalty and trust.

Ideal Placements of Gladiator Tattoos

Gladiator tattoos illustrate a form of sports, athletics, and physical strength. Therefore, it is only prominent that you place it on powerful and strengthened muscles. The incredibly popular locations for gladiator tattoos include the upper arms, lower arms, stomach, chest, entire back, and calves.

Depending on what the gladiator tattoo looks like, your artist will determine the ideal placement for it. For instance, artists normally ink helmet gladiator tattoos on the wearer’s arms.

Top 95 Gladiator Tattoos

Sword and Shield Tattoo

What comes to your mind when you imagine a gladiator? It’s definitely them fighting with the two most common types of weapons that mankind has ever seen; a sword and shield. This gladiator tattoo shows the basic weapons that gladiators would use during their fights. These fights would take place in massive arenas with their life on the line, sometimes against their friends.

However, this tat is symbolizing the significance of gear for battle. Hence, it is valid to assume that a common personality trait among its wearers includes proactive fighting courage. Consequently, it might be a tattoo to depict your defense against the hardships in life. They may even symbolize decisions and sacrifices that you made for a just cause.

The tattoo features numerous colors or a solid palette with relatively low variations in the shades. The tat might contain simple weapons, but more often, it is a gladiator holding them. Overall, courage, bravery, and rage are the common descriptions that arise from the sword and shield gladiator tattoo.

Gladiators Battling Cats

During ancient times when the gladiators came into the fighting arenas, their opponents would change categories. Sometimes, lions or tigers would unleash their strength and cruelty on local/ foreign slaves, enemy warriors, or criminals. The contact of gladiators with these big cats is something that our mind can imagine yet our eyes can never perceive.

On the other hand, this gladiator tattoo depicts a gladiator facing large and strong lion. This suggests that the wearer is illustrating their strength to stay buoyant in drowning situations. Being able to bounce back, rethink, re-acknowledge, and working with what they have are the traits of the wearer’s personality.

This gladiator tattoo idea also features colors including vivid red, gloomy green, blue, gray, and black. Normally, this tattoo shows the contact between the gladiator and the big cat. That, essentially, portrays the great strength of a man against a hungry, pitted beast.

Gladiator Helmet Tattoo

The symbol of courage and strength, the gladiator helmet tattoo has various meanings bound to the wearer. A helmet, like the ones Spartans would wear in battles and while training, is the real image of this gladiator tat. Moreover, this gladiator tattoo design features intricate tether details that the Celtic art was popular for through its helmet—for instance, the helmet of a Murmillo.

The illustration of power and violence from the big cat vs. man fight was obvious. Nevertheless, when there was the victory of a beast against a gladiator, it was the helmet left behind in the center of that fighting arena. Thus, it is a clear demonstration of losing while trying their best.

Therefore, whether you’re a man or woman, you can represent strength, determination, passion, and the idea of stubbornness through this gladiator tattoo. Additionally, there are several variants of this gladiator tat. One, for example, is of the 2000-year-old helmet (currently at a museum in Melbourne).

So, what are you waiting for? Don’t you want to keep fighting, not give in, and become the better version of yourself?

Roman Coliseum Gladiator Tattoo

Revive the exemplary and classical ancient Roman Coliseum with the help of an excellent tattoo. If your artist is a huge fan of gladiators, then they will surely have a great time recreating this masterpiece.

For such people, this idea of a gladiator tattoo is extremely realistic. There are different colors to depict different expressions like a home, shelter, and the power to defend. More importantly, colors can represent the strength to face fears.

The famous Roman coliseum had more than a few uses throughout its time. These include mock battles, extensive naval exercises, and animal hunts besides gladiator combat. Therefore, this gladiator tattoo idea also represents your achievements, accomplishments, hardships, and every significant moment of change in your life.

You can go for a colorful or strictly monochromic and extremely complex inking of this gladiator tattoo. You can get it on your arm, chest, or entire back.

What do you think about the very popular gladiator tattoos above? If you think they are amazing, then you will certainly love the ones that will follow below.

Armor Gladiator Tattoo

Who wouldn’t love to apply ink on their body to show the ancient body armor of gladiators? These warriors have fought so valiantly against multiple enemies facing death at every turn. After all, the armor is what made them so memorable in the eyes of the audience. On the other hand, their combat techniques left their mark on history!

Consequently, you can try to get one or both chests inked with the ancient armor design. Bear in mind that you require an extremely skillful and dexterous tattoo artist. Afterward, you can take a look at some of the types of famous body armor artifacts present in museums. These museums offer a lot of insight into ancient histories (especially in Melbourne).

The ideas for armor gladiator tattoos range from shoulder straps to chest plates. They even include overall back-to-front armor that moves over the shoulder blades. Moreover, it is totally up to you whether you go for vibrant and vivid colors or not. Though, you will bear more resemblance to the gladiators if you go for an image of the armor covered in drops of blood.

Arena Gladiator Tattoo

An arena gladiator tattoo is a drawing that represents the art of fight. What’s more, if you were looking for something that pumps adrenaline at the first sight, this is it! This gladiator tattoo is what you need to resemble the real-life situations that require you to not go down. Rather, keep fighting!

Usually, an arena gladiator tattoo shows an empty coliseum. Nevertheless, there are depictions of mass fights showing dozens of gladiators (miniature drawings) engaging in deadly battles. Go for an arm-length arena gladiator tattoo, stomach, or even back body illustration. These create the impressions of force and rage that you want others to see in your personality.

Sleeve Armor Gladiator Tattoo

A sleeve armor gladiator tattoo is unbelievably popular among the fans of such theme tattoos. Why wouldn’t they be? It’s not like all the symbols, images, and visual descriptions relate to ancient times. In addition to the above list of gladiator tattoo ideas, a sleeve gladiator tattoo can be more than armor. It can be an arena, gladiator figures facing each other, or a big cat devouring a gladiator slave. It can also be a helmet or even the chains and ruins of the public arena (i.e. coliseum).

The idea behind this gladiator tattoo is to demonstrate your thoughts and extent of self-expression via body art. For instance, wearing gladiator theme ink on your entire arm refers to a robust personality and a fearsome mindset.

With the entire range of gladiator tattoos, you can opt for full sleeve tattoos. You might also like tattoos that go from the neck to shoulder to chest and down to your abdomen. Or, you can simply go for a minimal yet powerful visualization that goes from your elbow to your wrist. To your knowledge, these gigantic tattoos covering the major parts of the body do not hurt as much. The sleeve armor gladiator tattoo is a major eye-catcher among the other tattoos.

FAQs

What is the one word meaning behind gladiator tattoos?

The simple answer to the meaning behind the gladiator tattoos is courage. Moreover, they symbolize the strength to stand and face adversity, both unexpected and the ones that we prepare for.

Were all gladiators slaves?

In one aspect, that is true, while in another, that is relatively untrue. For one, the gladiators were subject to life-or-death combats without any choice. Hence, they were slaves to the Roman authorities. In contrast, not all gladiators were real slaves. Some were prisoners of war, and others were shameless criminals.

Conclusion

Whatever gladiator tattoo you go for, you are sure to gain some attention. In these times of global pandemic and political uncertainties, there is no telling about what could happen. As a matter of fact, you inspire others via your body art.

101 Amazing Gladiator Tattoos You Have Never Seen Before!

A gladiator tattoo is a perfect choice for men who like manly, masculine, as well as warrior tattoo ideas. Do you like this meaning, and you want to explore a little? Choose between 13 different gladiator tattoos in the text below!

What Does A Gladiator Symbolize?

A gladiator stands for bravery, courage, strength, as well as defeat and struggles. If you have some battles that you are trying to conquer, you will enjoy similar tattoos.

When Were The Last Gladiator Games Held?

The last-known Gladiator games were held in the city of Rome in 404 AD. Throughout history, there have been many ancient Rome movies, tattoo designs, as well as amazing books regarding the Gladiators.

Top 13 Gladiator Tattoo Designs

1. Black Ink Gladiator Tattoo

A giant piece over your entire leg is bold and brave. Roman tattoos such as this one will suit men who like bigger and bolder designs.

2. Roman Soldier Tattoos On Chest

This gladiator is fighting and looks perfect if you like sleeve tattoos, or chest tattoo designs. Make sure you are willing to spend 5-6 hours in the chair before you commit to this tattoo.

3. Roman Helmet Tattoo

The gladiator tattoo can look amazing, even once you embrace his eyes. Men who don’t like larger tattoo designs will settle for this forearm and popular art.

4. Gladiator Helmet Tattoo

Are you a fan of brighter and more colorful ink? Some guys like Greek mythology, as well as bright body pieces. Are you one of them? If so, place this red and black tattoo on your forearm.

5. Ancient Roman Tattoo Colosseum Tattoo

People who like ancient Rome or Colosseum tattoos will like this art. Make sure you trust your tattoo artist and you like their work before they tattoo something similar on your body.

6. Spartan Giant Gladiator Tattoo

Shoulder tattoos don’t hurt a lot, and they look amazing on men who work out. If you want to get inked, rather go for amazing and detailed work such as this one. It will suit anyone who is into fight-inspired tattoos.

7. Roman Gladiator Tattoo On Shoulder

Gladiator armor tattoo, as well as these helmet designs, suit guys who are into details. You can also go for a sword tattoo, especially if you like details and gladiator designs in general.

8. Gladiator Sleeve Armor Tattoo Designs

A shoulder gladiator tattoo can be turned into a sleeve. If you have a mind of patience and you like bigger tattoo designs in general, this may suit you. Shoulder or sleeve tattoos don’t hurt a lot, yet look amazing.

9. Gladiator Tattoo Designs Sleeve Tattoos

Gladiator tattoos on your leg should be bigger. Explain to your tattoo artist that you are into real-life like tattoo designs, especially if you like realistic prints and clean lines.

10. Gladiator Tattoo Sleeve

Black ink will fade, but it will still look amazing. A gladiator tattoo on your shoulder looks amazing, especially if you go for armor that is precise and well-detailed.

11. Roman Warrior Tattoos On Chest

Chest tattoos do hurt, but this gladiator is worth the pain! Amphitheaters and armor designs look great, especially if you find a trustworthy tattoo artist.

12. Roman Empire Tattoos Spartan Tattoo

Everyone watched the ‘’300’’, haven’t you? If so and you are a fan, a gladiator tattoo forearm will suit you! Stick to bright ink and embrace this body image!

13. Gladiator Tattoo Warrior Realistic Art

Calf tattoos do hurt. However, they are great if you are out of space, especially if you want to seek attention with your gladiator tattoos.

On That Note

Now you know the gladiator tattoo meaning, and you’ve browsed through 13 different tattoos. Which inspirational gladiator tattoo is your favorite? Guys who are into fierce tattoos will love any of these options!

Need More Inspiration

Feature image from Pinterest

Jamie Wilson

Jamie Wilson (BA) is a professional tattooist, blogger and passionate photographer! After graduating with a BTEC Level 4 in tattoo design he has gone on to work for both private clients in tattoo parlours across the UK, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. He is also the editor in chief at Outsons. The brains behind the brand: a veteran of the industry working for some of the biggest fashion and grooming brands in the UK. Jamie has been writing for Outsons tattoo section since the beginning of 2017, providing informed and passionate content about the fascinating world of inked body art. If you would like to know more about Jamie or further details on our editorial policy then just click the links in the footer.