Overview

• Serbian archaeologists analyzed a skull recovered in 2016 near the Viminacium amphitheatre entrance and dated it to A.D. 240–350.
• The six-year-old male had an impact fracture to the frontal bone with infection that researchers say likely contributed to its death.
• Heavy canine wear indicates cage-gnawing consistent with prolonged captivity and repeated appearances in arena spectacles.
• A leopard bone found with the remains supports the site's use for animal hunts and post-fight butchery nearby.
• Lesion patterns are consistent with a spear strike during staged fights, according to the Antiquity study.