Animals used in gladiator fights

[Medusa Gladiatrix]

As far as I know, but I'm pretty new to the gladiatoral subject. There were fights of gladiators against animals, animals vs animals, animals vs prisoners.

Gladiators fought only against other gladiators that is human being against human being and if to take the term more precise professional fighter against professional fighter. That is a person who received a training at a ludus.

The men and women who fought against animals are called venatores (hunters), the bestiarius would be an animal handler only, letting the animal out of the cage etc. while the venator is the one fighting the animal with either a spear or bow and arrow.

The venationes (beast hunts) took place in the morning while the executions of criminals etc. took place around noon time. These could have been indeed that they had to fight animals without weapons of course, or that they were tied to poles and the animals had to attack them.

There also were trained animals, if I'm right. I can remember seeing gladiator with a lion.

There were tame animals which received some training but the majority was wild animals which added to the thrill of course.

In Rome, where there was lots of money for the games, most exclusive animals were used. Elephants, Lion, etc.

You are right in Rome they tried to get the most exotic animals, some kinds got even extinct because of that such as the Berber lion in North Africa. Besides the big cats they used also elephants, rhinozeroses, hippos, ostriches, stags, bears, lynxes etc. Bear hunters are attested to be attached to the Rhine legions.