What were the kinds of animals used in Roman gladiatorial fights?

No less than the gladiator fights, the Romans loved the spectacle of their battle with wild animals, as, indeed, the battle between the beasts. A dictator Sulla in 93 BC put 100 lions into the arena, then Julius Caesar - 400, Pompey - 600, and another 400 leopards and 20 elephants. In the future, the number of animals in the arenas grew at an unbelievable pace: at the games given by Marcus Ulpius Nerva Traianus in honor of his victory over the Dacians, about 11 thousand different animals were killed.

Another example, at the millennium anniversary of Rome in 246, 32 elephants, 60 lions, 40 wild horses, and many other animals were killed in the Coliseum: moose, zebras, tigers, giraffes, hippos.

In fact, for the sake of entertainment, a vast number of animals were killed, their catchers worked tirelessly, devastating the Roman provinces in Africa and Asia, as well as adjacent territories. Thousands of professionals have been involved in this extremely dangerous but equally profitable business. In addition to fighting people, hundreds and thousands of lions, tigers, wolves, leopards, bears, panthers, wild boars, wild bulls, bison, elephants, hippos, rhinos, antelopes, deer, giraffes, monkeys died in the arenas. Once, the catchers managed to bring even polar bears to Rome! Apparently, impossible tasks for them simply did not exist.

All of these animals were victims of bestiary gladiators. Their training was much longer than classical gladiators. Pupils of the famous Morning School, which received this name due to the fact that animal persecution took place in the mornings, were trained not only in the handling of weapons, but also in animal training, as well as acquainted with the characteristics and habits of different animals.

When the crowd demanded blood, fearless venators (Latin word for hunter) appeared in the arena, who knew how to kill animals not only with various weapons but also with their bare hands. The highest level was to throw a cloak on the head of a lion or leopard, wind it up, and then kill the beast with one blow of a sword or spear.

Interesting fact: According to the famed Roman philosopher Cicero, one lion in the arena killed an astounding 200 men before it was finally slain.

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