This illustration dates to 1897 and shows the method of raising wild beasts in the amphitheatre in ancient Rome. Excavations in 1874-1875 offer evidence that the arena in the Colosseum had an actual flooring of boards, covered with sand, and movable. There must have been a souterrian or vaults at intervals, at least, if not throughout, beneath the arean as sometimes animals suddenly issued from beneath the ground and machinery of different kinds was raised up from below, and afterwards disappeared in the same manner.

---

Size: 4920px × 3467px
Photo credit: © Ivy Close Images / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

Keywords: ancient, animal, animals, beast, beasts, bread, brread, cages, circenses, circus, circuses, colosseum, combats, fights, gladiator, gladiatorial, gladiators, lions, panem, roman, rome, sport, sports, times, underground, wild