The Arena (1973)

The earlier film starts with the capture of Boadicia and Mamawi by Roman soldiers and moves swiftly to the slave market in Brundisium. On arrival at Timarchus’ residence they are stripped and washed forcibly in the courtyard where geese are being plucked for dinner - two gladiators offer and help in ‘plucking’ the new arrivals. The audience next hears of Timarchus’ worries and after a short introduction to the realities of the arena, the new slave girls are shown entertaining the Romans at dinner, in an orgy scene in which Mamawi dances clad mostly in peacock feathers, and Boadicea slaps a Roman who molests her and is raped for her reaction. The next scene brings news of the following day’s fight, and this is followed by the double sex scenes in which Boadicia and Mamawi are paired with the two gladiators who are to fight Septimus on the next day. The fight follows and on the evening after the fight the brawl breaks out in the kitchen, providing the inspiration for training the girls to be gladiators. Boadicia and the drunk Deirdre are the first to fight, a duel which ends without bloodshed, but Mamawi and Livia are chosen for the next day’s entertainment. The scene in which Lusinia dreams of her own death follows, and this comes true when Livia is withdrawn from the fight after an angry mob discover that she is Roman born. After the death of Lusinia, Boadicia prevails on Septimus to kill Timarchus, but he is caught and sentenced by a terrified Timarchus to crucifixion. The following morning, while Septimus prevails upon the centurion assigned to carry out his death sentence to allow him to fall on his sword with dignity instead, Bodicia and Mamawi prepare for their climactic fight. At last, the two heroines face each other, but instead of killing Bodicea when she wins, Mamawi demands her freedom and when she is refused, the female slaves appear with bows and begin attacking. In the ensuing melee, Timarchus is killed, Livia gang-raped, and Boadicea, Mamawi and Deirdre escape through the town to to the catacombs through which they are chased by the Roman soldiers. After a protracted episode in which Deirdre is killed, the two heroines emerge onto a deserted sea shore and freedom.