{{Short description|Roman British vase}} {{Infobox Artefact | name = Colchester Vase | image = File:Colchester vase.jpg | created = Romano-British, 175 AD | discovered = Colchester, Essex, England | discovered_date = 1853 | place = West Lodge Roman Cemetery }}
The '''Colchester Vase''' is an ancient Roman British vase made from local clay from Colchester, England, dating to 175{{nbsp}}AD, depicting a gladiator battle between two individuals: Memnon and Valentinus, which are believed to be stage names.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Alberge |first=Dalya |date=2023-03-04 |title='Startling' new evidence reveals gladiators fought in Roman Britain |language=en-GB |work=The Observer |url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/mar/04/evidence-reveals-gladiators-fought-in-roman-britain |access-date=2023-03-16 |issn=0029-7712}}</ref>
It was discovered in a Roman-era grave in 1853, which held the deceased's cremated remains.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Killgrove |first=Kristina |date=2023-03-09 |title=Gladiators fought in Roman Britain, action-packed cremation urn carvings reveal |url=https://www.livescience.com/gladiators-fought-in-roman-britain-action-packed-cremation-urn-carvings-reveal |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=livescience.com |language=en}}</ref>
It is currently held in the Colchester Castle Museum collection, and is renowned as one of the finest pieces of Roman-British pottery in existence.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Colchester + Ipswich Museums - Colchester Vase |url=https://cim-web.adlibhosting.com/ais6/Details/collect/182096 |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=Colchester + Ipswich Museums}}</ref>
== Description == The vase is 17.5 cm in diameter and 22.5 cm high, weighs 1 kilogram and is made of coarse local clay.<ref name=":2" /> It is a variant of Ancient Roman pottery, called black ware, which was used primarily for storage or cooking.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Curle: Chapter 12, Unglazed Pottery, Glass Vessels of Bronze |url=http://www.curlesnewstead.org.uk/243.htm |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=www.curlesnewstead.org.uk}}</ref> The vase derives either from Durobrivian or Castor Ware.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> It was discovered in 1853 in West Lodge Road by local antiquarian John Taylor, who donated it to the Colchester Castle Museum.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=MCC1360 - Roman cemetery, West Lodge, Colchester - Colchester Heritage Explorer |url=https://colchesterheritage.co.uk/monument/mcc1360 |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=colchesterheritage.co.uk}}</ref> The vase contained the cremated remains of a 40+ year old, non-local resident.<ref name=":2" />
Initially presumed to be an imported object, thanks to the sophistication of the figures on the vase, a 2023 analysis of the vase indicates a local origin. The vase demonstrates the extent of gladiatorial combat on the outskirts of the Roman Empire. The text on the vase was etched in while the clay was soft before the vase was baked in a kiln.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |title=Vase is first evidence of a real gladiator fight in Roman Britain |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/03/07/roman-vase-gladiator-fight-uk/ |access-date=2023-03-16 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>
Roman Colchester (Colonia Claudia Victricensis), or Camulodunum, is famous as a center of pottery production during the 3rd century, with 40 documented kilns in the town.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Crummy |first=Philip |title=Excavations at Lion Walk, Balkerne Lane, and Middleborough, Colchester, Essex |date=1984 |publisher=Colchester Archaeological Trust |others=Howard Brooks |isbn=0-9503727-4-9 |location=Colchester, Essex |oclc=12511745}}</ref>
== Imagery == {{multiple image | direction = vertical | align = right | width = 250 | image_style = border:none; | image1 = The Colchester Vase, around 175 AD, Colchester Castle Museum, Camulodunum (Roman Colchester) (23175635162).jpg | alt1 = | caption1 = The names of the four gladiators—Secundus against Marius, Memnon, and Valentinus—are inscribed around the top of the vase | image2 = The Colchester Vase, around 175 AD, Colchester Castle Museum, Camulodunum (Roman Colchester) (22656807893).jpg | alt2 = | caption2 = The ''venator'' | image3 = The Colchester Vase, around 175 AD, Colchester Castle Museum, Camulodunum (Roman Colchester) (22915997279).jpg | alt3 = | caption3 = The chase | footer = }}
Camulodunum was a major hub of Roman Britain, boasting public recreational structures including two Roman theatres in which the gladiator battle could have taken place.<ref name=":0" /> A similar jar, now housed in the British Museum, attests to such recreational activities in the city.<ref>{{Cite web |title=jar {{!}} British Museum |url=https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/H_1857-0806-1 |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=The British Museum |language=en}}</ref>
The jar is decorated with three different scenes, relating to the different recreational activities common at the time.<ref name=":2" /> The inscription on the vase reads:<blockquote>'Secundus (and) Mario'/'Memnon the secutor (victor) nine (times)'/'Valentinu(s) of the Thirtieth Legion'<ref name=":2" /></blockquote>The first scene depicts animal-animal fighting, with a dog chasing two deer and a hare.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=School |first=Ipswich High |date=2017-10-11 |title=Classics - Rethinking the Colchester Vase |url=https://www.ipswichhighschool.co.uk/classics-rethinking-the-colchester-vase/ |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=Ipswich High School |language=en}}</ref>
The second scene depicts the bestiarius, the animal hunting spectacle, with venators named Secundus and Mario fighting a bear.<ref name=":2" /> Mario is a dative of "Marius"; the location of the names do not specifically tag or identify the beast-fighting figures.<ref name=":5" />
The second scene depicts the gladiator battle of two men: Memnon, a secutor and Valentinus, a retiarius.<ref name=":1" /> The text identifies Valentinus as a member of the Legio XXX Ulpia Victrix, though it is noted that the Legio XXX was not based in Britain, but rather in Germania Inferior, in present-day Xanten.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":5" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Mrozewicz |first=Leszek |date=2016-12-15 |title=Pod skrzydłami legionu; rec. książki: Marcus Reuter, Legio XXX Ulpia victrix. Ihre Geschichte, ihre Soldaten, ihre Denkmaler |journal=Studia Europaea Gnesnensia |issue=14 |pages=265–269 |doi=10.14746/seg.2016.14.17 |issn=2082-5951|doi-access=free }}</ref> Memnon is labelled as the victor of the match, with "VIIII" indicating this is his ninth victory, with Valentinus depicted as raising his finger in defeat.<ref name=":1" /> Memnon, a reference to the mythical Ethiopian king in the Trojan War, is believed to be a stage name for the winning fighter, and also extant evidence of Roman residents of African descent in the area.<ref name=":4" />
== References == {{Commons Category|Colchester Vase}} {{reflist}}
Category:Gladiatorial combat Category:Romano-British pottery Category:Roman Colchester Category:1853 archaeological discoveries