Arena Victim Disposal

I read most of the chapter dealing with the disposal of arena victims and once again have quoted the parts that I found to be the most useful:

GLADIATOR BURIAL (pg160)

"True gladiators (began slave or free, trained under a lanista or at an imperial school to a level of skill and specialization, and bound by oath to fight until dead, freed, or the fulfillment of their contract) were generally allowed and sometimes provided with decent burial. Corpses could be claimed by owners, editors, relatives, burial clubs, or fellow gladiators. Many individual burials arranged by relatives and friends are known from epitaphs which listed the gladiator’s name, style of fighting, and number of combats, as well as the name of the person who arranged the burial. Most of the gladiators recorded in epitaphs tend to be successful ones who had lived long enough with enough success to become free, develop friendships and marry or cohabit, save money, and make funeral arrangements."  (Kyle 160)

Former elites may find themselves left unburied if they shame themselves by attempting suicide or begging for mercy in the arena. (Kyle 161)

THE DISPOSAL OF NOXII-OR LESSERS, CAPTIVES, ARENA SLAVES, ETC:

"Not all of these mean were heartless criminals, some were condemned for political reasons, innocent victims of reigns of terror, or pious followers of illegal cults.  Most went straight to the beasts unless they showed signs of special training or potential. Noxii, whose lives and deaths suggested neither virtue nor skill, were abused and damned. Purchasers of condemned convicts were contractually bound to have them killed by a deadline, but there was no clause concerning provision of burial."(Kyle 162)

There is an official undertaker in charge of those who are denied a proper burial. Those using other methods are fined. 

Image from Wikipedia of Rodolfo Lanciani

“In many cases contents of each vault were reduced to a uniform mass of black, viscid, pestilent, unctuous matter; in a few cases the bones could in a measure be singled out and identified. The reader will hardly believe me when I say that men, beasts, bodies, and carcasses, and any kind of unmentionable refuse of the town were heaped up in those dens.” (Kyle 164)

Quoting Lanciani (pictured above) whom in 1870s found several hundred man-made pits (of 4 by 5 m by 10m deep) near the northwest corner of the Piazza Vittorio Emanuele. He excavated 75 of these.

These pits were left open to elements until full, then minimally covered.

Lanciani uncovered another mass grave in part of a moat that was 160 feet long, 100 wide, and 30 deep that contained about 24,000 remains of both humans and animals- it could be from the plague. (Kyle 165)

Going back to crucifixion, bodies were guarded until dead and probably longer. They were sometimes taken down and buried t night or if an order was specifically given to do so. Otherwise it is unlikely that most corpses were taken down, let alone buried after crucifixion. (169) Usually left to the animals and elements. 

Discussion: As the arenas grew in popularity Rome was left to deal with thousands of the dead. The majority would not receive a proper burial. Mass burial sites moved as needs arose because of sanitation or lack of space. The author mentioned that it is not even certain that these mass graves were used for arena victims but could also contain victims of the plague. Please feel free to ask questions in the comment section.