The Roman Gladiator
The Venatio: Hunting
Animals
Another form of gladiatorial combat involved
the "hunting" and slaying of wild animals, call the
venatio, or hunt. Exotic wild beasts from the far reaches
of the Roman empire were brought to Rome and hunts were held
in the morning prior to the afternoon main event of gladiatorial
duels. The hunts were held in the Forum, the Saepta, and
in the Circus Maximus, though none of these venues offered protection
to the crowd from the wild animals on display. Special precautions
were taken to prevent the animals from escaping these venues,
such as the erection of barriers and the digging of ditches.
Very few animals survived these hunts though they did sometimes
defeat the bestiarius, or hunters of wild beast. Thousands
of wild animals would be slaughtered in one day. For instance,
at the games Trajan held when he became emperor, over 9,000 animals
were killed.
Not all the animals were ferocious though
most were. Animals that appeared in the venatio included
lions, elephants, bears, deer, wild goats, dogs, and camels.
Some of these animals were trained and instead of fighting performed
tricks. Those that did battle with the animals, the bestiarii,
were usually criminals and would have to fight the animals without
weapons or armor. These were the lowest class of participants
in the games.
Following the venatio in the order
of daily events were the humiliores, the execution of
Roman citizens of lower status. Usual forms of execution included
burning at the stake, crucifixion, or ad bestias (when
the prisoner is left alone in the ring with one or more wild
animals). Ancient writers suggest that during the humiliores,
most respectable men and women went for lunch instead of staying
to watch.
For a further discussion of the Venatio,
see Prof. Roger Dunkle's The Cultural Meaning of the Venatio: Part 1
and Part 2.
