Archaeologists have recently discovered an amazingly preserved skeleton of a Roman gladiator. It features the oldest known bite marks from a large cat, probably a lion or leopard. This discovery, made at a site near York, England, sheds light on the life and death of gladiators during the Roman Empire. The skeleton is one of over 80 others excavated from the ancient site, which was discovered in 2004.
Dating back to between AD 200 and 300, the gladiator skeleton is a fascinating look into early history. York was the most important military garrison in this period. Its importance as an urban center makes it a key location to study Roman history and culture. Big cat bite marks on the skeleton present new and urgent questions about how the gladiator died. More importantly, they immortalize the extreme struggles that these fighters endured in the heat of combat.
Discovery and Excavation
The archaeological site — now called the York skeletons — was first discovered under Driffield Terrace in York back in 2004. Since then, paleontologists have dug up over 80 fossils. The majority of these skeletons are male and aged 18-45 at the time of death. These remains exhibit an extensive array of traumatic wounds. Some healed, while others had been made at death, an indication of the short, brutal life led by gladiators.
Among these remains, one skeleton is a particular sensation for its distinctive features. With laser surface scanning and microCT, researchers used high-resolution CT imaging technology to analyze these bones in amazing detail. The right hip bone of this specimen skeleton showed cut marks that were specifically indicative of large cat bites. A prehistoric discovery documented in the journal PLOS One tells a very different tale—one with clear signs of a fateful predator encounter. This is an interesting and important finding.
“We believe this to be the first example that a bite mark has been identified on such remains.” – Tim Thompson
Implications for Archaeological Research
If anything, the discoveries made from this skeleton will inspire other archaeologists to take a second look at specimens already in their collections. Professor Laurence, a Roman historian at Macquarie University, said the latest information could kickstart more discoveries.
“The publication may lead to more going: ‘I saw that and we never got around to publishing it, and we put it in a storeroom,’” said Laurence.
He further illustrated why this discovery is important for understanding the role of big cats in ancient Roman environments.
“It’s a great detective story in terms of working out that a big cat was present,” Laurence added.
These implications extend far beyond one skeleton. Beyond this, they demonstrate an opportunity to find out more about the lives gladiators led and how they interacted with wild animals.
Injury Analysis and Interpretations
We were very lucky to have Professor Thompson join us to explain the different types of injuries that we see on this gladiator’s skeleton. He explained that there were deep bite marks found on the hip bone. As far as he knows, they most likely do not connect to a fatal injury.
“If a fatal injury involved the soft tissues, this wouldn’t be seen on the skeleton,” he explained.
Our gladiator lost his life to the saber toothed feline, but that fight almost certainly wouldn’t have been fatal. Perhaps other factors were much larger drivers. The story that the healed and unhealed injuries on these skeletons tell is a mighty one. Together, they paint a portrait of the perilous existence of gladiators as treacherous and sanguinary both in their combat and daily experiences.
