beastiarii

"Please be sure, to stick together in the Arena! The last group were pick apart by the lions!" the lanista told his Gladiators. "Now when you get to the gate, Bestiarii go in first, Sagittarius go in second. You Bestiarii push the hunt with your spears. Sagittarius hang back near the walls with your bows. Do not! Get caught in the open by yourself! I have spent too much money training you to go out there and have all of you die."

"Yes, Sir!" the Gladiators shouted together.

Hearing the trumpets sounding, the Gladiators knew it was their time fight. Moving up the ramp to the gate, they could hear the roar of the wild beasts, hungry to dine on their flesh. They could smell the sweat and gore, seeping from every pore and from every inch of sand in the arena.
The gates were pulled open and the Bestiarii rushed into the arena amid cheers from the crowd. As they entered, they could see the beasts pouring out of three other gates in the arena. Tigers, Lions, bears chained to bulls, elephants, and gazelle. At first, the beasts started tearing at each other, the predators quickly bringing down the weaker animals. When the Bestiarii pressed the hunt, the deadly combat quickly turned from Animal versus animal, to animal preying on man.