2. Among Ancient Romans, those who went into combat with beasts, or were exposed to them with the purpose of being killed.
There were two types of bestiarii
There were two categories of bestiarii: the first were those condemned to death by the beasts and the second were those who faced them voluntarily as fighters for entertainment purposes.
Although bestiarii (beast fighters) and venatores (hunters) both fought wild animals, there were differences. The bestiarii often were condemned criminals, or prisoners of war; who had little chance against the animals they fought (Seneca, De Beneficiis, II.19).
With no real training and often no defense, they were thrown to the beasts as punishment and for the spectacle of the Romans. Seneca (Epistles, LXX.20) wrote about a German prisoner, who rather than participate in such a show of bestiarii, killed himself by forcing a sponge used in the lavatory down his throat.
Another man who was taken to the morning show for punishment, nodded as if asleep and, lowering his head, thrust it between the spokes of the cart wheel, breaking his neck Seneca (Epistles, LXX.23).
Symmachus (Letters, II.46) also wrote about twenty-nine Saxon prisoners strangling one another in their cells the night before they were to appear in the arena.
Bestiarii was also the name given to those assistants who took care of the animals and goaded them into fighting or attempted to separate them from their victims. After awhile, they became more trained specialists in the handling and control of animals which were used in the circuses.
In the Satyricon (XLV), Echion complains about a particularly disappointing gladiatorial show and disparagingly remarks that he has seen bestiarii fight better.
Martial (Spectacles, XVII, XXVI) noted that Carpophorus, who was renown as a bestiarius, as having killed a bear, a lion, and a leopard. In fact, Carpophorus is said to have killed twenty wild animals in one show.