How did the Romans Capture Animals for the Colosseum?

Polar bears from the Arctic. Tigers from India. Giraffes from the Serengeti. The Romans brought animals thousands of miles for the beast hunts and shows staged in the Colosseum. Find out how they did it in this video.
For much more on the Colosseum and the Roman games, check out my book “Naked Statues, Fat Gladiators, and War Elephants: Frequently Asked Questions about the Ancient Greeks and Romans." You can preview the book on Amazon:
www.amazon.com...
If you're so inclined, you can follow me elsewhere on the web:
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Thanks for watching!

[@politicalphilosophy-thegre3894]

Thanks for being one of the few posters on KZbin who makes documentaries without loud background noise. Very good videos.

[@toldinstone]

Glad you enjoyed the video! I've always thought that, when it comes to background music, less is more.

[@EternalShadow1667]

@@toldinstone so true!

[@feywerfolevado6286]

I actually really enjoy the relaxed, slowed pace - especially without background music.

[@bobjenkins8015]

@@toldinstone Amen! Very interesting subject and excellent video!

[@GamingCentral80]

Shits like NPR 🔥

[@censusgary]

Transporting all those animals all that distance, and having them arrive alive and reasonably healthy, is difficult even now. To think of the Romans doing it in ancient times is kind of mind-boggling.

[@OutnBacker]

I suspect the high losses were due to that transport process even more than the wanton slaughter in the Coluseum.

[@trharrington22]

The Roman's were able to do almost all the modern things that don't require computers or "electricity". They were masters of mechanical and architectural feats

[@doggodoggo3000]

YES. and no its not impressive its disturbing. i have worked with most of these exotic animals and the trade of these animals is ugly even today. I also worked in dog sled racing recently and looking at ancient horse racing is another reason to show how barbaric and messed up the animal racing industry is today.

[@censusgary]

@@doggodoggo3000 My sister-in-law worked with a well-known dogsled racer for a while, and she ended up disillusioned with the whole enterprise. She loves dogs, and has strong convictions about their ethical treatment.

[@doggodoggo3000]

@@censusgary I worked at the winning level in racing for about three years and met the winningest teams and owners of the fastest sled dogs in the world. Its a stupid little club of animal abusers and the idiots who buy dogs from them. Its puppy milling with extra steps and it truly has alot in common with dog fighting. Michael Vick would pick it right up. Id worked with animals for most of my adult life, i know its not always pretty. But racing crosses the line. I just never gave it much though until i was actually DOING it. I was at the top of racing and looked around like "oh sh^^. This is bad." Its not that many people in dog sled racing, if you say they are well know that narrows it down quite a bit i can only imagine lol. yea dude its really ugly. performance culling is still a thing, the dogs get traded around like pokemon, they are treated like parts of a machine and over worked and they spend their life on a chain its freaking awful. It doesnt fit our societies expectations for the humane treatment of animals. Mushing is okay but racing is another thing entirely. Its needs to be outlawed. The animal welfare act banned "animal fighting." all forms were banned at once. We need to do the same thing with "animal racing." I also think we need to ban certain types of hunting with dogs and some other stuff but thats a different conversation. My hill to die on is racing.

[@Totek6]

To be fed to a leopard whilst tied to a stake is now one of my new fears

[@SuperVolsung]

google Scaphism

[@OscarHernandez-il8tv]

Don’t look at cartel executions.

[@themacedonian188]

It won’t happen

[@creampielover69]

@Bobb Grimley Your bait is expired, go get a new one.

[@boglurker2043]

Bobb Grimley time to grow up then bud

[@Rayza82]

Always thought this would make a great movie or even Netflix series or something. Following a group of Romans wild animal capturers for the games. Deep into the heart of Africa showing any perils, interesting cultures, and animal encounters they might have had. Plus some colosseum cgi assisted animal fights would be bad ass too. I'd watch that!

[@jar6154]

Someone get Netflix on the phone

[@awesomesauce512]

Pitch it

[@cindland]

Yes, I wild love it…Unfortunately it would draw a small audience.. Not enough car chases or kung fu fighting!

[@PrinceJes]

Would look unethical so they would change it and add political aspects about saving and freeing the animals, which is fine too I guess.

[@Charles-ve2yy]

Amazing

[@travishilt4978]

I've always wondered how they got tigers into the coliseum! Your videos are super informative and super interesting! Keep up the good work!

[@toldinstone]

Thank you!

[@DavidDiaz-nh3vh]

Probably how we domesticated dogs lol

[@r0ky_M]

The logistics of running Empire: from moving armies, grain supplies, trade goods, animals for games, etc,etc, was insane....and thanks for showing so many great mosaics..👍

[@roblangada4516]

All of it done with nothing more than horseback messengers. No electricity, no long distance communication, and records keeping that amounted to a bunch of scrolls. Sure, geopolitics and global economics wasn't near as complex as it is today and didn't require as much "logistical throughput" if you will, but it's still very impressive.

[@erikm8372]

And yet this was the same society that shared pumice stones on sticks, for wiping their asses, in public bathrooms. Incredible.

[@erikm8372]

I’d actually think that the geopolitical climate, the global economics and “logistical throughput” of ancient times would’ve been FAR more complex without electricity or modern communications. You don’t think so? Imagine all the regional and tribal negotiations that would’ve had to occur during a Roman (or any historical) expedition, just to ensure safe passage across borders and through territories, to make sure no spies are watching with negative intentions, or simply protection against bandits or thieves. Then there were the native peoples they likely encountered, who may or may not have been hostile. At the very least, the tribes would have wanted to know what’s going on. Everything back then had to be learned by experience and taught. Or just “knowing” what’s going on and where ahead of time. It was all word of mouth back then. Who’s at war and who’s not, who’s hostile and who’s not, etc.

[@speederscout]

My gosh, Professor Garrett, lunch and a beer with you would be one of the most entertaining and engaging experiences ever.

[@bobfrog4836]

It would be interesting to know more about Roman explorations in sub-Saharan Africa.

[@joebombero1]

The snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro is described in Herodotus - 500BC.

[@Byronic19134]

@@joebombero1 He was Greek. Also Carthage got as far as Senegal and Niger on West Africa. Not too much is known about Rome in subsaharan Africa except they inherited Egypt's trade routes

[@BigFishLittleLake]

I highly recommend you read “The land of foam” it’s about an artist from Europe who travels to Africa to learn about art but ends up enslaved and has to capture a rhino or a elephant I can’t remember lol

[@Ravishrex1]

As a nature guide from South Africa with over 10 years experience. I really enjoy your work. That said. White Rhinos dont get as heavey as 5 tons, 2.5 tons max but not 5

[@alessandroforti6544]

Lbs/kilo?

[@localmilfchaser6938]

clash Royale

[@benadams5557]

@@alessandroforti6544 it's pretty close to the same

[@Overlord99762]

@@alessandroforti6544 a ton is 1000 kilograms, so, 2500 kilos of anger

[@BigFishLittleLake]

I highly recommend you read “The Land Of Foam” it’s about a guy that travels to Africa to learn about art but ends up enslaved and is sent to capture a rhino and an elephant and it’s super detailed about how they did it really interesting

[@douglasturner6153]

This is something I've occasionally wondered about when reading Roman History. Thanks for giving this excellent information on the matter.

[@gunnermatthey847]

"Leopards prefer puppies" *Sheds single tear

[@fugazishoegazey648]

"..a Rambo like centurion captured 50 bears in 6 months"

[@Lanarkish]

Caledonian Brown Bears were highly prized by Rome. These fierce Scottish creatures featured in the opening spectacle of the Coliseum in 80 AD.

[@sanjoaquinvalleytransparency1]

Very educational. Thank you for the video

[@lebronjames4705]

shout out san joaquin valley

[@ronaldreagan5535]

The ancient Romans never cease to amaze and impress. The post Roman Vikings, Saxons, Slavs, etc. can’t scratch the surface.

[@Frenchylikeshikes]

I've always known about those wild animals in the circus, but I truly never realised what it took to bring them to Rome given the means of the time.

[@brunovilela3619]

I'd love a video with you talking about the proposed restoration of the lower levels of the Colosseum. They aim to offer a true gladiator experience of exploring the dark maze beneath the arena, and it personally sounds like a great idea, given how careful and sensible are modern conservators

[@toldinstone]

That's a very interesting idea. I learned about the proposed restoration yesterday, and agree with you: it sounds like a good way to make the Colosseum more engaging for visitors. Stay tuned...

[@trikepilot101]

I just found your channel. I'm about three videos in and I really appreciate your sense of humor along with your knowledge. Exactly the sort of thing I need for my RPG campaign.

[@ripzoh169]

Great video mate! I have always been interested in the Colosseum in Rome and the battles that took place there. You got a new subcriber 😊

[@toldinstone]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it (and sorry for the belated reply).

[@ee214verilogtutorial2]

1:21 maybe they took a juvenile rhino? That would make more sense considering his proportions & appetite & the fact that romans made trading connections with some of the local tribes, who were more than likely breeding or possessing one of them

[@livingdeadgirl5691]

Most likley, and besides a trip from Africa to Rome probably took at least 8 months, maybe a year so when that rhino got to Rome he was a full grown rhino...

[@wrobinnes]

Your channel just recently came into my feed and I’ve been really enjoying your videos. Thanks!

[@RickLowrance]

I wasn't afraid to ask these questions. I just didn't know anyone could possibly answer them. Great job.

[@toldinstone]

Much appreciated

[@realCliffordJones]

Still waiting to hear how they caught that rhino...

[@MaximusBacon]

Me too!

[@pedromq7807]

id guess they brought him as a babie rhino🦏

[@22Owls]

@@pedromq7807 that makes sense

[@lilbank2521]

they killed the grown rhinos and stole they kids....... simple

[@jdtheman87]

Really. Freaking. Interesting. Something I hadn’t ever taken the time to think about but a very interesting topic

[@dominicjohnson8427]

The deer pictured in the first set of paintings was in fact a fallow deer not an elk. Fallow are the most traveled deer in the world

[@kathryncarter6143]

Good one. Appreciated learning some of the lesser known facts on this subject

[@dukadarodear2176]

I'm so lucky to have found this blog. It answers an arena of questions and some. Now I know that thousands of people both Roman and Foreigner made life-long careers out of animal capture and transportation over a few hundred years. This industry not alone rendered many European animals extinct but must also have impacted on the wild animal numbers of Africa as well! I'm hooked!

[@ladymaiden2308]

Easy listening, captivating information.

[@dinerodinero7486]

I know I'm stoned when I'm on KZbin random side I enjoy learning information while I'm zooted 😂

[@rustysmith540]

You're alright man. Thanks for the good content

[@pawpatina]

btw, I was never too afraid to ask any of this... did quite often and got in TONS of trouble for drawing attention to the fact our teachers not only didn't think critically but also didn't have a clue about anything other than what the class book said. Pulling back the curtain since 1979

[@richardglady3009]

That was an amazing video. You do such a great job discussing unusual, but informative topics. Thank you.

[@raavhollywood]

Thank you this was really good you sir have a new subscriber

[@10z20]

These are great videos, I'm sorry you don't have more viewers. Is it possible to get sources in the description (or maybe during the video itself) on those mosaics?

[@toldinstone]

Thank you...and I can only hope that in time, more viewers will come (tell your friends!). As for the mosaic sources, I refer you to the photo gallery that appears on the page for this question at my website, toldinstone.com. Almost all of the images used in the video are featured in the gallery, and are captioned with their current locations. If you are curious about the whereabouts of any image not in the gallery, feel free to message me.

[@10z20]

@@toldinstone Thank you!

[@breezii5806]

@@toldinstone congrats 2 years later! these videos are so interesting to watch about history

[@deefence72]

Comedian Andrew Shultz saw your video and takes about it on his podcast!

[@toldinstone]

Really? I'll have to check that out...

[@chrissypoo69]

Imagine walking through that beautiful part of the world before we decimated it

[@bezahltersystemtroll5055]

the hyrcanian forests must have been amazing ._.

[@delt19]

"aggravated rhinoceros" New Starbucks drink just in time for fall.

[@H3LLS3NT4SS4SS1N]

Lovw Dr. Ryan's sense of humor!!

[@alfonzo9389]

0:18 Rocksteady just gored the shit out of Bebop

[@UkraineJames2000]

The weak should fear the strong

[@rustysmith540]

Best content of the video

[@mcminn94]

Holy crap !!! Flagrant 2 spoke about this last week and now it's in my feed 😂😂

[@summermcfly8407]

Fax

[@mowvu5380]

what a brilliant subject to cover. amazing channel as always.

[@alexanderjentes]

One of my favorite channels!

[@johnathancraig14]

I am enjoying this video so much. Just had to pause midway to wish you success in the future

[@lilith4961]

Fascinating but poor animals! Imagine how scary and confusing the experience was for them

[@asbestosfibers1325]

And the people being eaten by them.... ya know.

[@sleepygrumpy]

Absolutely outstanding as always

[@cindland]

Ahhhh the excesses of the rich and powerful, at the expense of the meek and lowly! This living history buff is just loving your channel!

[@graffProdigy]

The richer they are the less morals they have...

[@nickleary1982]

Lol of course I get this after watching Flagrant 2

[@christinelee4079]

I love the humour you inject into your docos, keep that stuff up. I really enjoy them. After the animals were murdered in the colliseum, were they eaten? Or just thrown away? Also, what happened to the bodies of the gladiators after they died?

[@toldinstone]

Thank you! Usually, the animals were eaten. Sometimes, they were fed to captive carnivores. On other occasions, the meat was distributed to the Roman people, often by a sort of lottery system. A few delicacies, like elephant heart, even made it to the Emperor’s table. Gladiators were buried, often in special cemeteries.

[@christinelee4079]

@@toldinstone thanks for that, I was wondering because I know the early Romans (the poor) didn't have a great diet and it would be a terrible waste not to at least eat the poor animals. As long as they didn't eat the gladiators too. 😬 Such a waste of life, animal and human. Thank God we have at least progressed in humanity that this isn't sport anymore. Thank you for replying 🙏

[@kawaiilotus]

@@christinelee4079 it unfortunately it is though, bull fights, dog bating and cock fights, it's all so unnecessarily cruel.

[@warrenfourie511]

I went out to a bar with friends near the coliseum on a trip a few years ago. After one or two too many my partner and I walked around the building. I had been reading a book on the plane that described the coliseum as a scene of mass murder where tens if not hundreds of thousands of people and beasts had been slaughtered. This knowledge and too much to drink sent me into a drunken depression the likes of which I’ve never experienced. That said, I no longer look at the building solely with a sense of awe.

[@EternalShadow1667]

@@warrenfourie511 yikes man, if you got that depressed from the Colosseum, perhaps there’s something else going on. Take care of yourself :)

[@marloneverington]

Wow I was thinking this very question yesterday. Thanks

[@dannyc8876]

Sir, you've earned a great thumbs up. What an entertaining and well narrated video. Keep it up

[@cherylsmith4826]

Truly enjoy your humor- great videos

[@chicinthewoods]

Great video, very informative!

[@BHARGAV_GAJJAR]

Humans have definitely risen in the process of civilization and improved their condition by their ability to recognize their own inner compassion to other species

[@nightrunner3701]

Inner compassion? Other species? What rock were you raised under?

[@jdawg1548]

I have the same reaction every time I see these.. ‘what a great question, whatever needed doing can wait 10min. I need the answer’

[@johnsaunders2109]

There must have been an enormous number of accidents in transporting these animals! And how safe were these zoos in Rome ?!?

[@raskolnikov9067]

Slaves are cheap

[@johnsaunders2109]

@@raskolnikov9067 Thats true. But surely these zoos were a danger to the city as a whole?!?

[@jandrews6254]

The animals would have been held in dreadful, but reasonably safe for humans, conditions. Think back only a couple of decades to the conditions in modern zoos, before they became a more park like and natural environment. As for the safety of those required to tend them, meh! Whatevs.

[@GrxyWzrd]

Great first vid man 👌

[@AnonYmous-lk9qy]

Powerful message at the end there. This question came to mind watching some b-rated film on KZbin featuring the coliseum. Very educational, so thanks, loved the presentation. To be honest this really makes me lose faith in humanity; at least a large amount of people today can see how sick this was.

[@SuperHorseSense]

Wow that baby tiger strategy sounds terrifying. To have to deal with a tiger chasing you not once but twice...

[@nola504creole5]

dude this channel is bussin 🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@alexsantillan8685]

This must have been what Andrew Shulz was talking about 🤣😂

[@RESMITHcarpentry]

What an undertaking. And a reminder that humans have been terrible to other species since forever lol. Those poor mother tigers...

[@2degucitas]

Fortunately for the warthog they also have a very thick skin, so hopefully poor phacouchere in this video might not have been punctured. However warthogs are not known for their flying and landing ability.

[@sekutard5157]

the real question is : was the baby rhino okay?

[@miguel9070]

Your videos are amazing, I would like to suggest adding subtitles to your videos though. Thank you.

[@chasbodaniels1744]

Very informative and like other commenters, I enjoy this low-key production style. Engaging graphics too. It requires mental effort to screen out the annoying music and sound effects used in most other videos.

[@Devast8r34]

Fantastic work thank you

[@johnnyaverage9694]

Glad you touched on the “arena bbq” hearing about the bison and elk had me wondering.

[@Montezuma03]

I'd love to watch a bear and a bull chained together fight. I mean, I think I would, in theory it sounds fascinating, but it might be a bit much to see in reality.

[@SPZ909]

How does this have 3 likes? Lots of sick people in this comment section I’ve noticed.

[@Montezuma03]

@@SPZ909 Is that too many? I'm really conflicted on wanting to see these crazy things they did with animals. I don't like it for ethical and moral reasons, and its also just plain wasteful, but there's still that primitive part of me that just wants to see big animals fight to the death!

[@milin7120]

Think bear wins I imagine d bear crushing d bulls back a bear vs a gorilla would be epic tho or lion vs gorilla

[@FuckGoogle2]

I'm sure many of these exotic animals existed in places much closer to Rome than they do today.

[@gregoryspatisserie9858]

Lions could be found in Spain and the balkans in Roman times I believe, don’t quote me though

[@jmwes12]

@@gregoryspatisserie9858 though

[@Mikiepage]

Yeah, the games basically wiped out the beasts of europe

[@knowitall3892]

I agree 100% or they just traded for them

[@professor_kaosdrama3993]

Nubians were the best archers back in the day for 1000's of years they been independant cause they could litterly yell at invading soldiers and ask where would you like to be shot and hit any target and were the biggest trader in region

[@thompsonshop2953]

Love your content

[@shiningstaer]

Great video.

[@williamreid7388]

Can a tiger really not only keep pace with a rider burdened horse, but exceed its speed so greatly it can take a detour and then catch up again? Jesus Christ those things are the absolute most terrifying thing in nature I do not care

[@noahlogue3807]

I absolutely love your channel!

[@kevinmerlos409]

2:08 holy shit the romans predicted the plot of fallout:new Vegas. Truly awe inspiring

[@Sercer25]

Ave, true to Caesar.

[@frencebrand9905]

If you notice closely you'll see Legate Lanius flying, been blown off the map with a bunch of c4 and nukes strategically placed on the floor..

[@socrates_the_great6209]

World Class video. Please make more.

[@abnercotto2368]

Awesome video. Thank you.

[@AnshumanKumar007]

Why do I feel sad for the many tigresses who lost their children and the many who still do ?

[@mrbodacios]

YOUR VIDEOS ROCK BRO

[@SoreThumbSociety]

Great video. So the majority of the animals killed in the colosseum where then cooked and eaten? Feed to the plebs, or do we know how that happened? Thanks!

[@toldinstone]

As far as we can tell, yes - it was customary for the meat to be given to the people of Rome, either by raffle-like distributions or via free-for-all hunts.

[@SoreThumbSociety]

@@toldinstone Makes sense. Thanks for the quick reply, I appreciate that!

[@vitoriohenrique]

Thanks a lot for all ur work, I've been watching ur videos and enjoying all of them. That's the way to make more people interested in history. Thanks again. What do u think of the younger dryas impact theory? And that supposedly most of the pleistocene extinctions happened in the end of this era, just before the holocene? ✌🏽

[@thehermitman822]

Glad to see the first vid.

[@cosmo3665]

Not all victims of Roman imperialism were human…

[@AntillaTheHung]

I’m trying to decode the swastika on the top right at 06:20, did someone draw that or did the Romans use any variation of the symbol?

[@olin777]

That symbol is found across many ancient cultures including Greece, Roman, Germanic, Native American, Buddhist, Tibetan and even in Jewish Synagogues. It is still displayed and used in Buddhist cultivation practices, particularly Falun Gong.

[@robbabcock_]

Great stuff!

[@AiCallingChannel]

Great videos. Nice work!

[@poobum9857]

very interesting - thanks

[@franciscomejia7610]

"And when it gets angry, it does this" LMAO!! thats so funny!!

[@pratyushkothiyal459]

The idea of spiking wine in leopard watering holes is hilarious to me. 😆

[@MostEnvious]

I'm sure the ancient romans knew the answer to the question who'd win in a fight between a bear and a gorilla.

[@milin7120]

Gorilla wins

[@mizrahiwithattitude2733]

they didnt have apes in the roman games only monkeys

[@vidvukovic3564]

u missed a small detail ..they got their lions from the balkans as well. In the roman time a smaller lion lived in the balkans later went extint becouse of the romans using them in the games

[@williamrockwell9001]

This is a question I never even thought of to ask. Actually one of many many.

[@nowhereman6019]

Man, the Romans and their contractors must have absolutely devastated every ecosystem around them.

[@gerardjacquemier5137]

Superbement informé! Chapeau!

[@toldinstone]

merci beaucoup

[@crawfordsmith3700]

2 Aug 21 I was listening while multi-tasking. I gotta sit down and watch again soon.

[@Clariselol]

What a time! Romans had a way to be ahead of their time by thousands of years.

[@jamessmythe1891]

Without them we still be living in caves

[@johnhoney5089]

Aurochs are very fascinating. They are seen in cave paintings from the ice age, and are also the ancestors of today's domestic cow. It's a shame they went extinct after Rome.

[@jandrews6254]

I think they were also the bulls depicted in Knossos in the frescoes of bull jumping/dancing

[@clairejohnston2461]

Aurochs survived into the 17th century in what is now Lithuania.

[@mattheweraci5502]

Doc. What was the Tom Brady vs Peyton Manning matchup amongst the animals?

[@toldinstone]

The iconic one was probably lion v. tiger, but it was staged very rarely (tigers were hard to find). Another candidate would be bull v. bear, probably the most common one-on-one pairing.

[@ryanramel604]

Really enjoying picturing the guy leading the rhino (an herbivore) to Rome by a rope🤣

[@SacredDreamer]

Me too 😆 - (imagine making Rhino upset

[@WolfGrrl1]

2:27 of Dacia* , not Romania. But I'm not mad, it's pretty much the same thing :)