If you have seen Roman gladiators depicted on TV or in movies, you probably saw them in an arena with lions. Gladiators have also been immortalized in artwork that has shown them fighting big cats. But how realistic are these depictions? Did gladiators really fight giant cats with massive teeth as crowds of spectators looked on? And how would archaeologists answer that question?
A new research study has suggested that there is actual evidence of human-lion or human-leopard combat in the gladiator arena. This work, which was reported in PLoS ONE, has identified the marking from animal teeth on human skeletal remains, and the scientists have suggested that their find shows that gladiators and large cats actually fought one another.
In this effort, the researchers focused on a cemetery outside York, England, which hold remains from Roman times. The remains of gladiators are thought to be interred in this cemetery. One skeleton found in this cemetery had lesions on the pelvis, and when they were examined closely and compared to zoological samples from modern times, the investigators determined that the lesions on the skeleton had been made by a bite from a giant feline species such as a lion in one case, and a leaopard in another.
The bite marks on these ancient skeletons appear to be the first confirmed, bone-based evidence of interactions between humans and animals during Roman times.
"For years, our understanding of Roman gladiatorial combat and animal spectacles has relied heavily on historical texts and artistic depictions. This discovery provides the first direct, physical evidence that such events took place in this period, reshaping our perception of Roman entertainment culture in the region," said corresponding study author Tim Thompson, a Professor of Anthropology at Maynooth University, among other appointments.
Professor Thompson is also featured in the video above discussing the findings.
The study has also highlighted the links between Roman culture and Britain, demonstrating that the region has strong ties to traditional Roman entertainment.
Sources: Maynooth University, PLoS ONE
