A gruesome but fascinating discovery in an ancient cemetery near York has brought fresh light to the brutal world of Roman ...

The idea of a Roman gladiator taking on a lion might sound like something from the recent blockbuster, Gladiator II. But it was a reality for one brave fighter 1,800 years ago - and we're not ...

Archaeologists Reveal Gladiator Attacked by Lion in Roman 'Spectacle' Published Apr 23, 2025 at 2:00 PM EDT Updated Apr 24, 2025 at 3:54 AM EDT. By .

A Roman Gladiator and a Lion Met in Combat. Only One Walked Away. A discovery in an English garden led to the first direct evidence that man fought beast to entertain the subjects of the Roman Empire.

The best evidence yet that Roman gladiators fought lions: a bite mark. For the first time, bite marks made by a large cat, possibly an African lion, have been identified on the bones of what is ...

Bite marks on the thigh bone of a man who lived in Roman Britain, including those shown here, were likely made by a lion during a gladiator show or public execution, a new study finds. T.J.U ...

Lion bites on skeleton provide first evidence of gladiator’s combat with wild beasts Skeleton of young gladiator dug out from York cemetery in 2004 Shweta Sharma ...

First evidence of gladiator fight with lion seen in Roman-era skeleton. A man who lived in Roman-occupied Britain was bitten by a big cat, probably in a gladiator arena, ...

The brooch, which is just under 2in in diameter, incorporates the figure of Mars, the Roman god of war, wearing body armour and sandals, standing alongside two wide shields. These shields could mean ...

The likely culprit of the latter: a lion. Marble artifacts from Roman Britain depict lions mauling gladiators, Thompson says, but no confirmed archaeological evidence had been found.

For the first time, bite marks made by a large cat, possibly an African lion, have been identified on the bones of what is believed to be an ancient Roman gladiator.