Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Hoplomachus

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rich, Anthony (1849). The illustrated companion to the Latin dictionary, and Greek lexicon. p. vi. OCLC 894670115. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcompa00rich. 

HOPLOM'ACHUS (ὁπλομάχος). Generally, one who fights in a complete suit of heavy armour, or, as we say, armed cap-à-pie; but specially used to designate a gladiator who wore such armour (Suet. Cal. 35. Mart. viii. 74.); and as that was a characteristic of the Samnite, it is believed that the present term was only a new name brought into vogue under the empire for a gladiator of that description. See SAMNITIS.