Archaeologists uncover proof of brutal gladiator-lion clash in shocking tourist destination

Archaeologists recently discovered proof of a gladiatorial fight with a lion in an unexpected tourist destination.York, a city in northern England known for its breathtaking medieval architecture, welcomes millions of visitors annually – but its history goes much further back than the Middle Ages.The area was inhabited by the ancient Romans, who founded the city in 71 A.D.and named it Eboracum.Until now, archaeologists weren’t sure that gladiatorial fights with lions took place outside of Italy – and didn’t have much evidence of these battles, other than Roman art depicting the fights.The recent findings, publicized in the journal PLOS One, analyze a puncture wound that was found on the pelvis of a gladiator buried in a York cemetery.The gladiator lived during the 3rd century A.D.

and was between 26 and 35 years old at the time of his death.Analyzing the man’s wound, researchers found that the bite mark was made by a big cat, most likely a lion.“Skeletal evidence associated with gladiatorial combat is rare, with most evidence deriving from written or visual sources,” the article states. “A single skeleton from a Roman cemetery outside of York where gladiators arguably were buried presented with unusual lesions.”The piece noted, “Investigation, including comparative work from modern zoological institutions, has demonstrated that these marks originate from large cat scavenging.”The discovery is the “first physical evidence for human-animal gladiatorial combat from the Roman period seen anywhere in Europe,” according to the study’s authors.Although researchers believe that the gladiator died in battle, they don’t believe the pelvic puncture was the fatal blow.“We don’t think that this was the killing wound, as it would be possible to survive this injury, and it is in an unusual location for such a large cat,” forensic anthropologist Tim Thompson of Maynooth University said in a statement to Reuters. “We think it indicates th...