Venatio ("hunt") was a form of entertainment in
Roman amphitheaters involving the
hunting and slaying of
wild animals. 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. Special precautions were taken to prevent the animals from these venues, such as the erection of barriers and the digging of
ditches. Very few animals survived these hunts though they did sometimes defeat the "bestiarius", or hunters of wild beast. Thousands of wild animals would be slaughtered in one day. For instance, at the games
Trajan held when he became
emperor, over 9,000 animals were killed.
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