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BBC News, Yorkshire
Victoria Gill
Science correspondent, BBC News
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Bite marks found on the skeleton of a Roman gladiator are the first archaeological evidence of combat between a human and a lion, experts say.
The remains were discovered during a 2004 dig at Driffield Terrace, in York, a site now thought to be the world’s only well-preserved Roman gladiator cemetery.
Forensic examination of the skeleton of one young man has revealed that holes and bite marks on his pelvis were most likely caused by a lion.
Prof Tim Thompson, the forensic expert who led the study, said this was the first “physical evidence” of gladiators fighting big cats.
“For years our understanding of Roman gladiatorial combat and animal spectacles has relied heavily on historical texts and artistic depictions,” he said.
“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.”
Experts used new forensic techniques to analyse the wounds, including 3D scans which showed the animal had grabbed the man by the pelvis.
Prof Thompson, from Maynooth University, in Ireland, said: “We could tell that the bites happened at around the time of death.
“So this wasn’t an animal scavenging after the individual died – it was associated with his death.”
As well as scanning the wound, scientists compared its size and shape to sample bites from large cats at London Zoo.
“The bite marks in this particular individual match those of a
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