Those condemned ad ludum were probably branded or marked with a tattoo (stigma, plural stigmata) on the face, legs and/or hands. These stigmata may have been text—slaves were sometimes thus marked on the forehead until Constantine banned the use of facial stigmata in 325 AD. Soldiers were routinely marked on the hand.. Facial stigmata represented extreme social degradation.
Those condemned ad ludum were probably branded or marke?d with. a tattoo (stigma, plural stigmata) on the face, legs and/or hands. These stigmata may have been text—slaves were sometimes thus marked on the fo,rehead until Constantine banned the use of fac,ial stigmata in 325 AD. Soldiers were routinely marked on the hand.. Facial stigmata represented extreme social degra.dation.