Venatio

Venatio was first introduced by Marcus Fulvius Nobilior, who celebrated his Greek campaign by hosting games where gladiators would fight lions and panthers.

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 Roman Forum, the Saepta, and in the Circus Maximus, though none of these venues offered protection to the crowd from the wild animals on display.

Animals that appeared in the venatio included lions, elephants, bears, tigers,[2] deer, cows, wolverines, zebras, ostriches, vultures, weasels, polecats, minks, giraffes, eagles, wild goats, parrots, dogs, camels, monkeys, wolves, jackals, foxes, leopards, crocodiles, boars, hippos,[3] and rabbits.

Thus the dictator Caesar used 400 lions (imported primarily from North Africa and Syria) in the Circus, where the inclusion of the foreign animal lent his shows extra panache.