The first physical evidence of Roman gladiators fighting animals has been found in skeletal remains from England

Skeletal remains in a Roman burial ground in northern England were found to have lesions that looked suspiciously like bite marks. Modern forensic techniques found that the teeth behind the marks probably belonged to a large feline, and the part of the skeleton that had been in the creature’s mouth further indicated it must have been a lion.

Gladiator combat is a well-documented aspect of ancient Roman society, but the physical remains of fighters have remained elusive. Due to this lack of bodily evidence, experts have instead long relied on historical accounts,