From York To Maynooth: Lion Bite Confirms Ancient Roman Arena Combat In UK

Thursday, 24 April 2025 08:55

By Martin Osborne

After detailed forensic analysis and comparison with modern zoo animal bite marks, researchers from Maynooth University concluded that these were peri-mortem lion bites.

Archaeologists have uncovered the first direct physical evidence of human-animal combat in the Roman Empire, thanks to a remarkable discovery in York, England - and there's a Maynooth connection.

During excavations at Driffield Terrace in York, researchers found the skeletal remains of dozens of Roman-era men, most of whom were aged between 18 and 45.

Strikingly, nearly 70% had been decapitated - far beyond the norm for Roman Britain - and many bore injuries consistent with violent combat.

One skeleton stood out: it had deep, curved puncture wounds on the pelvis.

After detailed forensic analysis and comparison with modern zoo animal bite marks, researchers from Maynooth University concluded that these were peri-mortem lion bites. This suggests the individual was killed during a gladiatorial spectacle involving a large predatory animal - a real-life example of Roman "beast fights", long known from texts and artwork but never before confirmed through physical remains.

Although depictions of gladiators being attacked by lions are found in ancient mosaics and pottery, this is the first compelling skeletal proof - backed by forensic experiments - of bite marks made by a large cat like a lion anywhere in the world.

Maynooth University Professor Timothy Thompson said "the success of our work, which took several years, is down to the innovative multi-disciplinary and collaborative approach we have taken."

The findings came from a multidisciplinary collaboration using cutting-edge imaging and zoo comparisons, with ties to Irish academic circles. Maynooth has emerged as an unexpected hub of gladiator research, not just for its scholarly contributions but also for hometown hero Paul Mescal — star of Gladiator 2.

While Mescal's battles are CGI, the gladiator from York likely faced a real lion.