First Physical Evidence of Roman Gladiators Fighting Bears Unearthed in Serbia!
Archaeologists working in Serbia have uncovered chilling new evidence of the violent entertainments that once captivated crowds in the Roman Empire. At Viminacium, a former military stronghold and provincial capital on the Danube, excavations have revealed the fractured skull of a brown bear that was forced into combat in the local amphitheatre around 1,700 years ago.
This discovery, published in Antiquity, is the first physical proof that brown bears were used in Roman arena games. Historians have long known from ancient texts and mosaics that bears were pitted against gladiators, hunters, and even other animals, but until now, no skeletal remains had confirmed it.
The skull, belonging to a six-year-old male brown bear (Ursus arctos), was unearthed near the amphitheatre’s entrance during a 2016 dig. Analysis revealed a grim story: the bear had endured prolonged captivity, repeated fights, and ultimately died from a serious head injury that became infected.
Photo Credit: Carole Raddato / CC BY-SA 2.0
Radiological scans showed a deep wound to its forehead, probably caused by a spear or similar weapon wielded by a bestiarius, a fighter trained to take on animals. Although the wound had begun to heal, infection eventually killed the animal.
Other signs of suffering were also visible. Its teeth were badly worn, with evidence of cage-chewing, a behaviour linked to stress and confinement. Researchers believe the bear was used in multiple spectacles before succumbing to its injuries. The site also produced remains of a leopard, further confirming the amphitheatre as a venue for animal combat and slaughter.
The amphitheatre at Viminacium, built in the 2nd century CE, could hold between 7,000 and 12,000 people. Its schedule was typical of Roman arenas: mornings filled with venationes (animal hunts and combats), midday executions, and gladiatorial battles in the afternoon.
Bears were especially popular in the venationes. Sometimes they were set against professional hunters, sometimes against other beasts, and sometimes against condemned prisoners. For the Romans, these spectacles were both entertainment and a show of imperial power.
Ancient records describe the Romans’ insatiable demand for exotic creatures. Across the empire, animals were captured and transported from as far afield as Britain, North Africa, and the Middle East. Lions, leopards, elephants, and bears were among the most sought-after.
Brown bears, native to Europe, were especially prized for their size and strength. The bear found at Viminacium was almost certainly captured in the Balkans, evidence that provincial arenas often relied on local wildlife rather than costly imports.
The infected skull, combined with signs of years spent in captivity, provides a sobering glimpse into the systemic cruelty of Roman entertainment. What was once a brief thrill for thousands of spectators came at the cost of prolonged suffering and early death for animals like this bear.
Viminacium, once home to nearly 40,000 people, now stands as a reminder not just of Rome’s military and cultural reach, but also of the darker realities of life and death on its frontiers.