A groundbreaking study involving our Department of Archaeology has uncovered the first physical evidence of human-animal gladiatorial combat in the Roman period.
The study conducted by an international team of archaeologists and osteologists centres on a skeleton discovered in a Roman-period cemetery outside York, UK. The site is believed to contain the remains of gladiators.
This new research, led by Maynooth University, presents compelling skeletal evidence of a human victim attacked by a large carnivorous animal, likely within a combat or entertainment setting in the Roman world.
Images of gladiators being bitten by lions have appeared in ancient mosaics and pottery for hundreds of years.
However, this is the first convincing skeletal evidence from the Roman Empire of bite marks produced by the teeth of a large cat, such as a lion.
Caption: Image as part of the study shows a lesion on the left iliac spine of 6DT19.
As part of the study, our experts in forensic anthropology and Roman bioarchaeology examined the bite mark, providing biological context.
They also compared the injuries on the skeleton, and at the site more broadly, to injuries at other Roman sites.
Caption: Image shows the Gladiator's skeleton laid out, courtesy of York Archaeology.
This new analysis draws upon a new study using forensic experiments of bite marks by large cats in collaboration with London Zoo and applies it using 3D scanning to provide greater detail.
The study provides a vital new dimension to our knowledge of Roman Britain, reinforcing 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.
Top header image caption: Marble relief showing a fight between a beast fighter and a lion, Ephesus,1st–2nd century AD. ©The Trustees of the British Museum.
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