ANIMALS AS PRIZE-FIGHTERS 37 



being matched against a tiger, and so suddenly did 

 the sheep rush upon its foe that it managed to deliver 

 the first blow, which so seriously discomforted its feline 

 antagonist as to result in the death of the latter. 



For the earliest records of animal prize-fights we 

 must go back to the days of the Romans, who were 

 known to indulge in the practice as far back as 

 186 B.C. In the Life of the Greeks and Romans we 

 read that Pompeius arranged a fight during which 

 500 lions, 18 elephants, and 410 other wild animals 

 brought from Africa were employed ; while Augus- 

 tus, in the year 5, A.D. gave an exhibition at the 

 Flaminian Circus, which had been specially flooded 

 with water, when 36 crocodiles were introduced into 

 the arena and ultimately killed. Caligula was 

 responsible also for arranging a fight in which 400 

 bears and a similar number of African animals were 

 engaged in combat. It was not always, however, 

 that animals were pitted against one another, for 

 criminals and captives were frequently forced into- 

 the arena to give battle with wild beasts ; while, 

 moreover, hirelings, and gladiators who had received 

 special instruction at schools devoted to the purpose 

 of training them to fight against animals, were also 

 employed. In the Coliseum at Rome, fights between 

 bulls and men (the latter being on foot, and armed 

 with a single weapon in the form of a spear) were 

 organised from time to time, the combats proving 

 of a dangerous nature, and the bulls often getting 

 the best of the encounters. 



Cock -fighting, although having its origin in Greece, 

 was another pastime which found much favour with 



