Archeologists in Britain believe they have found the world’s best-preserved gladiator cemetery, unearthing skeletons with the kind of violent injuries usually sustained in a Roman amphitheatre.
The York Archaeological Trust dug up 80 skeletons in York, northern England, that date from between the first and fourth centuries AD.
Forensic tests found that the majority were male, very robust and mostly above average height.
Most of the skeletons were violently decapitated and appeared to have been buried with some respect.
Gladiators — depicted in Hollywood films by actors Kirk Douglas and Russell Crowe — were trained fighters who entertained Roman crowds in savage clashes against other warriors and ferocious animals.
One of the biggest clues that the deceased might have been gladiators came through bite marks found on one of the skeletons.
“One of the most significant items of evidence is a large carnivore bite mark — probably inflicted by a lion, tiger or bear — an injury which must have been sustained in an arena context,” said Kurt Hunter-Mann, who is leading the investigation.
Many of the skeletons also had one arm that was stronger than the other, consistent with the frequent handling of a weapon.
“The arm asymmetry would also be consistent with weapons training that had already started in teenage years,” Hunter-Mann said. “And we know from Roman accounts that some gladiators entered their profession at a very young age.”
However, he warned that the evidence was not conclusive.
“At present our lead theory is that many of these skeletons are those of Roman gladiators,” he said. “So far there are a number of pieces of evidence which point towards that interpretation or are consistent with it. But the research is continuing and we must therefore keep an open mind.”
The skeletons were found at the Driffield Terrace site in York, where excavation work started in 2004. The Romans founded York as Eboracum in 71AD.
Amphitheatres have been discovered at several Roman settlements across England, although archeologists have yet to find evidence of a gladiator arena in York.
The researchers have also considered that the remains might belong to soldiers, but believe this theory is undermined by the large number of decapitations.
Another potential theory is that the dead were all criminals, but Hunter-Mann reckons that is inconsistent with the respect shown in the way they were buried.
Additional research into the skeletons was carried out by forensic anthropologists at the University of Central Lancashire.
“These are internationally important discoveries,” said Michael Wysocki, a senior lecturer in forensic anthropology and archeology at the university. “We don’t have any other potential gladiator cemeteries with this level of preservation anywhere else in the world.”
BACKLASH: The National Party quit its decades-long partnership with the Liberal Party after their election loss to center-left Labor, which won a historic third term Australia’s National Party has split from its conservative coalition partner of more than 60 years, the Liberal Party, citing policy differences over renewable energy and after a resounding loss at a national election this month. “Its time to have a break,” Nationals leader David Littleproud told reporters yesterday. The split shows the pressure on Australia’s conservative parties after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s center-left Labor party won a historic second term in the May 3 election, powered by a voter backlash against US President Donald Trump’s policies. Under the long-standing partnership in state and federal politics, the Liberal and National coalition had shared power
CONTROVERSY: During the performance of Israel’s entrant Yuval Raphael’s song ‘New Day Will Rise,’ loud whistles were heard and two people tried to get on stage Austria’s JJ yesterday won the Eurovision Song Contest, with his operatic song Wasted Love triumphing at the world’s biggest live music television event. After votes from national juries around Europe and viewers from across the continent and beyond, JJ gave Austria its first victory since bearded drag performer Conchita Wurst’s 2014 triumph. After the nail-biting drama as the votes were revealed running into yesterday morning, Austria finished with 436 points, ahead of Israel — whose participation drew protests — on 357 and Estonia on 356. “Thank you to you, Europe, for making my dreams come true,” 24-year-old countertenor JJ, whose
A documentary whose main subject, 25-year-old photojournalist Fatima Hassouna, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza weeks before it premiered at Cannes stunned viewers into silence at the festival on Thursday. As the cinema lights came back on, filmmaker Sepideh Farsi held up an image of the young Palestinian woman killed with younger siblings on April 16, and encouraged the audience to stand up and clap to pay tribute. “To kill a child, to kill a photographer is unacceptable,” Farsi said. “There are still children to save. It must be done fast,” the exiled Iranian filmmaker added. With Israel
NO EXCUSES: Marcos said his administration was acting on voters’ demands, but an academic said the move was emotionally motivated after a poor midterm showing Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr yesterday sought the resignation of all his Cabinet secretaries, in a move seen as an attempt to reset the political agenda and assert his authority over the second half of his single six-year term. The order came after the president’s allies failed to win a majority of Senate seats contested in the 12 polls on Monday last week, leaving Marcos facing a divided political and legislative landscape that could thwart his attempts to have an ally succeed him in 2028. “He’s talking to the people, trying to salvage whatever political capital he has left. I think it’s
RSS