Leicester discovery suggests use of lions during executions in Roman Britain

Available for over a year

Lions fighting prisoners to the death is typically associated with the Colosseum in Rome during the gladiator games - made famous by the film Gladiator starring Russel Crowe. Well now archaeologists in Leicester have made an exciting discovery that would suggest that lions were used to fight humans in Britain too. A carved bronze key handle has been unearthed during an excavation in the city around the site of the Novotel between Vaughn Way and Great Central Street. BBC Radio Leicester’s Ben Jackson spoke to Nick Cooper from the University of Leicester’s Archaeology Team that made the discovery.