Thysdrus

Today, a visit to the Roman amphitheatre at Thysdrus, now known as El Djem. Just as impressive as the Colosseum in Rome, and we were the only people there!

The spectacles held in Roman amphitheatres were, of course, extremely bloody affairs. Gladiator fights to the death were popular and wild animals were much used in the arena, set against each other, against gladiators or against human prisoners. The martyrdom of Christians in this way appears to have been a speciality.

This mosaic, from a villa in Thysdrus shows a prisoner being thrust into the claws and jaws of a big cat.