Lion illustration by Kirk DouPonce

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Man Versus Lion

A centuries-old skeleton is helping scientists uncover the truth about ancient Rome's fiercest fighters.

November 3, 2025
By Alicia Green and Cailin Loesch

As You Read, Think About: Why are gladiators compared to today's star athletes?

It’s a common scene in a lot of movies. A Roman gladiator steps into the center of a massive arena. His shield is raised high. Suddenly, a ferocious animal lunges, and the crowd roars in excitement.

For centuries, people weren’t sure if these beastly battles really took place. They’re shown in artwork and written about in stories passed down through time. But experts had no concrete proof that men fought animals. That changed in April. After years of research, scientists announced that bite marks found on an ancient fighter’s bones probably came from a lion.

“It’s the only physical evidence that gladiators fought animals,” says Tim Thompson. He’s an anthropologist who studied the skeleton.

The Roman Empire

Jim McMahon/Mapman®

Fierce Fighters

Almost 2,000 years ago, gladiators were the star athletes of the Roman Empire (see map). They fought one another using spears, swords, and other weapons. Some were prisoners or enslaved men who were forced to fight. Others volunteered for the job, hoping to become rich and famous. 

Gladiator matches were the Roman Empire’s most popular shows. There were more than 200 gladiator stadiums scattered across the Roman Empire. The most famous was the Colosseum, in Rome, the capital city of Italy (see “Ancient Arena”). Tens of thousands of people would pack into these amphitheaters, cheering as the fighters squared off.

The matches were exciting—and dangerous. The best gladiators didn’t spar every day. They usually fought only a few times a year, like famous boxers today. Most survived the vicious battles. But if a fighter was badly injured, the emperor or host of the games could choose to have him killed.

Historians have longed believed that some gladiators battled lions, tigers, and even crocodiles. But until now, experts didn’t have the proof.

Uncovering the Truth

In 2004, archaeologists uncovered a gladiator cemetery in York, England. One skeleton stood out. There were strange marks on its hip bone. Some experts thought the marks could have come from a large animal.

Thompson and his team wanted to find out if that was true. They turned to zoos in England for help. Zookeepers gave them bones that lions, tigers, cheetahs, and other animals had chewed on. The scientists compared the bite marks on the chewed-up bones with the ones on the gladiator’s skeleton. The team concluded that the gladiator had likely been bitten by a lion. 

The discovery gives scientists the first solid evidence that gladiators faced wild animals. But it also leaves some mysteries unsolved. For example, scientists have never found a gladiator arena in York. Could one still be hidden underground, just waiting to be uncovered?

Ancient Arena

The Colosseum opened in Rome in the year 80 a.d. It was the largest amphitheater in the Roman Empire. Here’s a look at the most famous sports arena in history.

Colosseum illustration by Jeff Mangiat

1. Take a Seat 

Seating was based on social class. The emperor sat in a box near the floor. Women, enslaved people, and the poor sat at the highest level, farthest from the action.

2. Backstage Pass 

Under the arena were hidden passageways called hypogea (high-poh-gee-uh). That’s where gladiators and animals waited before battles.

Shutterstock.com

Still Standing 

The Colosseum was built over eight years. Experts consider it one of the finest examples of Roman architecture. Over the centuries, about two-thirds of the arena crumbled. The rest was restored. More than 7 million people visit the ruins each year.

1. Based on the article, what were some of the reasons people became gladiators?
2. How did the researchers investigate whether the marks on the skeleton could have come from a large animal?
3. According to the sidebar, “Ancient Arena,” could people sit wherever they wanted in the Colosseum? Explain.

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