‘Are you not entertained?’ Kildare academic proves gladiators fought lions
Russell Crowe as gladiator Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, father to a murdered son and husband to a murdered wife. Whether he ever had his vengeance, in this life or the next, is debatable
WE may have watched it in the movies since our childhood, but a Maynooth University-led study has found the first physical evidence of human-animal gladiatorial combat during the Ancient Roman period. The groundbreaking study has uncovered for the first time skeletal evidence of a gladiator who was bitten by a lion in combat.
The research presents compelling skeletal evidence of a human victim attacked by a large carnivorous animal, likely within the context of Roman-era spectacle combat. It was conducted by an international team of archaeologists and osteologists, led by Tim Thompson, professor of anthropology and vice-president for students and learning at Maynooth University.
While images of gladiators being bitten by lions have appeared in ancient mosaics and pottery, this is the only convincing skeletal evidence using forensic experiments anywhere in the world of bite marks produced by the teeth of a large cat, such as a lion.
The findings centre on a single skeleton discovered in a Roman-period cemetery outside York in England, a site believed to contain the remains of gladiators. The individual’s bones exhibited distinct lesions that, upon close examination and comparison with modern zoological specimens, were identified as bite marks from a large feline species.
The bite marks on the pelvis of the skeleton represent the first osteological confirmation of human interaction with large carnivores in a combat or entertainment setting in the Roman world.
Lead author Prof Thompson outlined the significance of the discovery: “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.”
The research, published in the international journal of science and medical research PLOS One, is a collaboration between leading institutions including Maynooth University, Cranfield University, Durham University, the University of York, King’s College London, York Archaeological Trust, now known as York Archaeology, and York Osteoarchaeology.
It highlights the brutality of these spectacles and their reach beyond Ancient Rome’s core territories.
The study contributes a vital new dimension to our knowledge of Roman Britain, reinforcing the region’s deep connection to the empire’s entertainment traditions. These findings offer new avenues for research into the presence of exotic animals in Roman-period Britain and the lives of those involved in gladiatorial combat.
Despite this archaeological breakthrough, academics have yet to find any evidence of battle rhinos, as fought by Maynooth man Paul Mescal in – but surely this can only be a matter of time!
