The scent of damp earth and ancient secrets hangs heavy in the air on the slopes of Croix-Rousse. Here, where the modern bustle of Lyon meets the echoes of a Roman past, archaeologists are meticulously peeling back layers of time. What began on January 19, 2026, as a preventive excavation around the majestic but often overlooked Amphitheatre of the Three Gauls, has quickly transformed into a captivating journey into Lugdunum’s hidden depths, revealing not only the remnants of grand spectacles but also intimate tales of life and death.
The Amphitheatre: A Stage for the Wild and the Grand
Imagine a colossal amphitheatre, its stands soaring almost 40 meters high, an ochre sand arena at its heart, packed with up to 20,000 cheering spectators. This was Lyon in 19 AD, a city resonating with the roar of gladiatorial games, public executions, and spectacular hunting scenes. Every August 1st, representatives from 60 Gaulish cities would gather nearby at the Federal Sanctuary, pledging allegiance to Rome and the imperial cult. But time, as it always does, marched on. The site witnessed the martyrdom of 48 early Christians in 177 AD, including the future Saint Blandine, before succumbing to centuries of pillaging, destruction, and urban development, including a modern road tunnel. Though partially cleared in the 1960s and 70s, the amphitheatre was restored but largely forgotten, its immediate surroundings remaining a mystery.
“We are in an emblematic place of Lugdunum,” explains Tony Silvino, an archaeologist for the city of Lyon, his voice filled with a quiet reverence. “The Amphitheatre of the Three Gauls is a quite exceptional monument, comparable to those in Arles or Nîmes, but it has been ravaged by time. The stands rose up to 40 meters high; you couldn’t see the buildings behind.” For Silvino, these current excavations are a crucial opportunity: “These soundings are an opportunity to learn about the history of Lugdunum and Lyon.”
Unusual Finds: Wild Beasts Near the Arena
In the initial trenches of this new excavation campaign, a layer dating from 150-200 AD has been uncovered, teeming with an astonishing array of wild animal bones, just a few meters from the arena. Aurélien Creuzieux, an archaeozoologist, can barely contain his excitement in the lab. “We are facing something unusual. Normally, on urban sites, we mainly find food remains: sheep, pork, beef. Here, it’s totally different. We have wild boar, roe deer, hare, something that looks like a marten or a polecat. We also found a very large bull… and 14 bear bones… One bone could even belong to a panther… This discovery, we obviously associate it with the spectacle that took place in the amphitheatre, which were hunting scenes.” The video (2 minutes 11 seconds) accompanying the original report shows the team’s meticulous work, highlighting the significance of these finds.
The spectacles of the Roman amphitheatre were highly codified: mornings were dedicated to ‘venationes,’ grand staged hunts and confrontations between animals; at noon, condemned prisoners were delivered to the beasts; and afternoons were reserved for gladiatorial combat. These newly discovered bones paint a vivid picture of the sheer scale and variety of wildlife involved in these brutal, yet captivating, displays.
A Touching Discovery: A Dog’s Final Rest
Yet, the excavation has also yielded more intimate, even unexpected, discoveries. Just 30 meters from the theatre, a flat tile was found carefully protecting the remains of a small dog, only 23 cm tall at the shoulder. Aurélien Creuzieux elaborates: “It perfectly illustrates the other side of the relationship between Romans and animals. You have the games of the amphitheatre where they were killed, and you have domestic animals, like this little dog that was actually a cherished pet… Not a modern chihuahua, but a small, slender dog, similar to a spitz.” A small dog whose coat color or ear shape will forever remain a mystery. While ancient sources already mention the presence of companion dogs in the Roman Empire, these archaeological vestiges provide tangible confirmation, adding a poignant human touch to the violence of the arena.
Life Beyond the Spectacles: A Thriving Roman Quarter
The investigations are not limited to bones. In the Jardin des Plantes, an area relatively untouched by construction for two centuries, the teams are digging deeper and deeper, unearthing ancient masonry: walls, mortars, and demolition debris. Dylan Archier, another archaeologist for the city of Lyon, explains from within a protective metal-plated trench: “We are gradually descending up to 4 meters deep because we don’t know where the ancient levels are located. It’s possible that some structures are still well preserved underneath.”
For Tony Silvino, the significance extends beyond the monuments themselves. “The bones were found outside, probably in residential areas. When thousands of people came to attend the festivities, they had to be housed and fed. There was an entire activity district around it, much like today with stadiums.” As the excavations are set to continue for several more weeks, archaeologists hope to reconstruct more of the daily life of this forgotten neighborhood, long overshadowed by the grandeur of Fourvière.
This ongoing work, based on the report by Yaëlle Marie and Amandine Poncet, and first published on February 3, 2026, promises to further illuminate the rich and complex history of Lyon, revealing stories of both brutal spectacles and tender companionship from its Roman past.
Source: https://france3-regions.franceinfo.fr/auvergne-rhone-alpes/rhone/lyon/les-fouilles-archeologiques-en-plein-c-ur-de-lyon-mettent-au-jour-des-ossements-d-ours-et-de-pantheres-3374035.html
