A new dig at the sewers of the
Colosseum has yielded half-chewed morsels of the snacks eaten by
spectators watching gladiators fight to the death and animals
including dachsunds being hunted down in the ancient arena.
Among the tidbits found are pieces of barbecued meat, pizza,
vegetables and fruit, said archaeologist Federica Rinaldi, who
led the dig.
Among the animal bones unearthed are those of lions, leopards,
bears, and dogs including even tiny dachsunds which were forced
to fight each other or killed by hunters in the terrible
'venationes' which delighted the Roman people for so many
centuries.
Coins have also been found, including a sesterce with the head
of Marcus Aurelius issued, according to archaeologist and
numismatics expert Francesca Ceci, on the 10th anniversary of
the philosopher emperor to augur 10 more years of happy rule in
170-171 AD.
"With a flight of fancy," Ceci told reporters, "we can imagine
the shiny coins thrown onto the crowd, and one of these, our
sesterce, which then fell onto the sand of the arena and was
swept away along with the blood of men and animals".
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