Animals that Gladiators fought
The Wild animals that were shown at the Colosseum were displayed as either clever circus acts where animals had been trained to do tricks or they were destined for death in the arena. Animals such as zebras and ostriches were trained to pull chariots. Ultimately their own death when the wild animals were fought by the gladiators, or used as targets in staged animal hunts, but they were also put in the Colosseum to attack and kill defenseless prisoners. The more exotic the animal, the better the fight and the better the quality of the 'games'. Here is a list of some of the animals:
Wild boar
Bulls
Bears
Deer
Stags
Dogs
Wolves
Goats
Antelopes
Buffaloes
Snakes
Camels
Donkeys
Jaguars
Lions
Tigers
Leopards
Cheetahs
Panthers
The Romans loved a spectacle and they loved to be surprised. Showing exotic and strange wild animals provided Romans with novelty and also demonstrated the power and extent of the Roman world. These wild animals originated in all parts of the Roman Empire and conveyed the extent of the lands that had been conquered by the Romans.
Wild boar
Bulls
Bears
Deer
Stags
Dogs
Wolves
Goats
Antelopes
Buffaloes
Snakes
Camels
Donkeys
Jaguars
Lions
Tigers
Leopards
Cheetahs
Panthers
The Romans loved a spectacle and they loved to be surprised. Showing exotic and strange wild animals provided Romans with novelty and also demonstrated the power and extent of the Roman world. These wild animals originated in all parts of the Roman Empire and conveyed the extent of the lands that had been conquered by the Romans.