Page "Gladiator" Paragraph 28

Death and disposal therefore perpetuated the divisions and judgements of society.

In the pre-Christian era, the highest status funerals involved expensive, prolonged cremation ceremonies, sometimes complete with a munus offering.

At the opposite extreme, the noxii ( and possibly other damnati ) could be thrown into rivers or dumped unburied.

This extended their damnatio beyond death into perpetual oblivion and their shade ( manes ) to restless wandering upon the earth as dreadful larvae or lemures.

All others – citizens, slaves or free – were usually buried beyond the town or city limits to avoid the ritual and physical pollution of their community.

Gladiators were segregated in separate cemeteries.

Even for those whose death had brought honourable release, the taint of infamia was perpetual.