 As usual , the tone of the epigram is somewhat fawning toward his patron , Titus , but it gives more detail than any other account of the games . It seems to imply that a draw was uncommon in gladiatorial combat at this level , but that Titus eventually yielded to the wishes of the crowd , declared the match equal , and granted both men their freedom ( with the traditional presentation of the wooden sword ) . The traditional way of acknowledging defeat was for the yielding gladiator to raise a finger ( ad <unk> ) , and it is possible that in this case both men raised their fingers , but Martial 's emphasis here is on Titus ' even @-@ handedness and generosity in granting a reprieve ( <unk> ) to the crowd 's two favourites . His reference to this only happening under Titus probably alludes to the declaration of both as victors , as there is evidence that neither ties nor the survival of both gladiators in a contest were uncommon : it was expensive to train and keep a gladiator and they were not despatched lightly . There is some evidence for the existence of both Priscus and Verus , at least as names of gladiators , outside of Martial 's account . A first @-@ century graveyard in Smyrna contains the grave of a gladiator named Priscus , and Verus ' name is etched on a marble slab from <unk> , recording a gladiatorial contest . The details of Verus ' fights are unfortunately not legible . While neither of these may be the Priscus and Verus mentioned by Martial they do attest to the use of these names by gladiators . 
