Gladiator bones show first-ever evidence of lion mauling

A Roman gladiator uncovered in York, England, shows physical evidence of bite marks, indicating he may have been killed by a lion. The paper’s lead author, Tim Thompson, discusses the findings in this video.

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• Scientists found bite marks, likely from a lion, on the pelvis of a Roman gladiator in England.
• The skeleton was from a known gladiator cemetery in York, confirming that human versus wild animal fights occurred far beyond Rome.
• The bite marks had not healed, suggesting that the gladiator died not long after the attack.

First physical evidence of a gladiator attacked by a lion

Gladiators were armed men who fought each other, and sometimes wild animals, to entertain audiences in the Roman Empire. Images of gladiators bitten by wild animals have appeared in ancient artwork and in written accounts. On April 23, 2025, scientists from the University of York said they had discovered, for the first time, physical evidence of bite marks on the skeleton of a gladiator. They said the bite marks came from a big cat, most likely a lion. The skeleton was from Driffield Terrace, a well-preserved gladiator cemetery outside York, England.

The researchers announced their findings in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS One on April 23, 2025.

Tim Thompson of Maynooth University, Ireland, is the paper’s lead author. He said:

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.

Analyzing bite marks on the gladiator’s pelvic bone

The bite marks on the pelvis had not healed, indicating the gladiator died not long after the attack. What kind of carnivore attacked him? To find out, the scientists obtained detailed images of the marks. Next, they acquired sample bite marks from several big carnivorous animals, such as lions, tigers and wolves. Then, they compared the shape and size of those sample bite marks to those found on the gladiator. The closest bite mark match was from big cats, most likely a lion.

Co-author Malin Holst of the University of York said:

The bite marks were likely made by a lion, which confirms that the skeletons buried at the cemetery were gladiators rather than soldiers or slaves, as initially thought, and represent the first osteological [research based on the study of bones] confirmation of human interaction with large carnivores in a combat or entertainment setting in the Roman world.

Using the evidence to tell a story

There are accounts of human-animal fights in the Roman Empire in historical writings, as well as in artwork such as mosaics, pottery and carvings. And now, there is physical evidence of it on a gladiator’s skeleton.

Holst added:

This is a hugely exciting find because we can now start to build a better image of what these gladiators were like in life, and it also confirms the presence of large cats, and potentially other exotic animals, in arenas in cities such as York, and how they too had to defend themselves from the threat of death.

We often have a mental image of these combats occurring at the grand surroundings of the Colosseum in Rome, but these latest findings show that these sporting events had a far reach, well beyond the center of core Roman territories. An amphitheater probably existed in Roman York, but this has not yet been discovered.

This evidence has also opened up new questions. For instance, how did the Romans transport a lion all the way from Africa to England?

What scientists have learned about the gladiator

The researchers learned a lot about this gladiator from an examination of his skeleton. He was a young male, about 5 feet 8 inches (171.9 cm) tall. At the time of death, he was between 26 and 35 years old. He was buried between 200 to 300 CE (1,825 to 1,725 years ago) near York.

A study of his bones revealed several ailments. He had spinal issues, possibly due to carrying too much on his back. There were signs of inflammation in his lungs and one thigh. And as a child, he suffered from malnutrition but later recovered from it.

This gladiator was one of 82 skeletons, mostly young, strongly built men, who were buried at the 1,800-year-old Driffield Terrace site. The other skeletons also showed signs of trauma, suggesting it was a gladiator graveyard.

The lion bite marks had not healed, indicating he died as a result of, or shortly after, the attack. In addition, he had been decapitated, as were a large number of other skeletons at Driffield Terrace. The researchers suggested two possibilities for the decapitation. It may have been done to put him out of his misery following the lion attack. Or it may have been a post-death ritual.

This gladiator was then buried with two others in a grave. Excavators found bones from a horse on top of them.

York in Roman times

The ancient Roman Empire once ruled much of Europe, western Asia and North Africa from 27 BCE to 476 CE (2,052 to 1,549 years ago). It cast a great cultural influence over this vast region. As a result, gladiator events became widespread throughout the Roman Empire. England, in particular, was occupied by Romans from the first to fifth centuries.

York, then known as Eboracum, had many high-ranking generals and politicians as late as the fourth century CE. They included Constantine, who appointed himself emperor of the Roman Empire in 306 CE. The presence of so many senior leaders in Eboracum suggests they probably led a lavish lifestyle, which would have included gladiator events.

Bottom line: Scientists have found, for the first time, physical evidence of bite marks from a big cat, likely a lion, on the skeleton of a gladiator.

Source: Unique osteological evidence for human-animal gladiatorial combat in Roman Britain

Via University of York

Via Maynooth University