Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Lanista

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. 

LANIS'TA (μονομαχοτρόφος). A person whose occupation consisted in training gladiators to fight, and teaching them their art. He was sometimes the proprietor of a band of these men, whom he let out upon hire to any person desirous of exhibiting a gladiatorial show; but more commonly merely the trainer and fencing master appointed to instruct the companies belonging to the state. (Cic. Rosc. Am. 40. Id. Att. i. 16. Juv. vi. 215. Serv. ad Virg. Aen. iv. 242.) He is always represented on works of art in a tunic, and unarmed, but with a wand (virga), which he used as a token of authority; as shown by the annexed example (Lanista/1.1), which represents a lanista giving directions to a pair of gladiators, from a mosaic of the Villa Albani.

2. Avium Lanista. One who trained and backed game cocks, quails, and other pugnacious birds to fight; a favourite amusement both of the Greeks and Romans. (Columell. viii. 2. 5.) The illustration (Lanista/2.1) represents a pair of cocks, with their backers, under the usual form of genii from a terra-cotta lamp in the collection at Mostyn Hall.

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  Lanista/1.1
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  Lanista/2.1