Researchers Stunned to Find First Compelling Skeletal Evidence of a Gladiator Bitten by a Lion In the past, experts have found evidence of individuals participating as gladiators during the Roman Empire.

Bite marks discovered on the skeleton of a gladiator in Roman-era England suggest the man faced off with a lion in the arena, according to a new study.

Bite marks from a large cat, likely a lion, found in a ancient skeleton are the “first physical evidence” that gladiators fought animals in Roman amphitheaters, new research shows.