There was bloodshed in front of Dallas Hall Tuesday afternoon, but it was only a flesh wound.

The victim was Neil Hargove, a junior history major with minors in medieval studies and archeology. He sustained a scratch while fighting in a gladiatorial combat competition to celebrate the traditional founding date of Rome.

“I was blocking with the shield and I pushed it [the shield] into my knee,” he said. “But fortunately I also got a killing strike out of that.”

The fighting competition was part of a larger celebration that included other games and food, including a birthday cake.

Hargrove and Megan Earls, a junior art history major and classical studies minor, were declared the overall winners of the competition. Both received a wooden sword – Hargrove’s with a plate that read “Victor” and Earls with a plate reading “Victrix.”

Earls, a Resident Assistant in Mary Hay, later joked that she would use it to keep students behaving properly. In reality, she said she will probably put it against the wall or hang it up in her room.

“I’m going to keep it,” she said with a laugh. “It’s awesome. I actually really wanted to win it.”

Participants in the fighting competition were required to sign a waiver. Weapons, including mock swords, spears, tridents, scythes and a net, were made out of plastic pipes covered with foam and held together by duct tape. Many of the weapons broke during the fighting, but the competition continued.

Each participant competed against another participant one-on-one during each round of play. Points were gained by striking the other fighter’s arms, legs or torso. The first fighter to get five points won the round.

For preparation, Hargrove said he “came properly dressed and that’s about it.”

“I was actually kind of worried because I tore my ACL almost exactly six months ago, and I have a hurt back,” he said. “I wanted to see if I could still do it while having these problems.”

Earls said she entered the competition so that her friend would do it, but that it was fun. She fought without the use of her glasses during the competition, so she couldn’t see very well. “I got really tired so I just kept charging at the end,” she said.

Hargrove agreed that the competition was lots of fun.

“It was just kind of being a guy and letting loose and just whacking at somebody in a somewhat safe manner,” he said. “I may have hurt the guy I hit; I’m not sure.”