123 days of games sponsored by the Roman Emperor Trajan

The 123 days of games sponsored by the Roman Emperor Trajan were among the most extraordinary—and bloodiest—public spectacles in the history of the Roman Empire.

They took place around AD 107–109, during the same general period in which Christianity was spreading throughout the Roman world and Ignatius of Antioch was serving as a bishop.

1. Why did Trajan hold 123 days of games?

Trajan ruled Rome from AD 98 to 117. He was one of Rome’s most successful military emperors.

He had conquered Dacia, a wealthy kingdom located largely in modern-day Romania.

After defeating the Dacian king Decebalus in AD 106, Trajan returned to Rome with enormous riches and thousands of captives.

To celebrate his victory, he sponsored 123 days of public entertainment.

This was not simply entertainment. It was a demonstration of Roman military power, imperial wealth, and the emperor’s generosity.

2. The staggering numbers

The Roman historian Cassius Dio recorded the following figures:

123

Days of spectacles

10,000

Gladiators who fought

11,000

Animals slaughtered

Ancient figures reported by Cassius Dio, Roman History, Book 68, chapter 15.

These numbers are astonishing, although historians cannot independently verify their exact accuracy.

Importantly, 10,000 gladiators participating does not mean 10,000 gladiators died.

3. What happened during the games?

The spectacles included several forms of entertainment.

  • Gladiatorial combat: Trained fighters battled one another with swords, shields, spears, and other weapons.
  • Wild animal hunts: Lions, leopards, bears, and other animals were brought into arenas to fight hunters or be killed.
  • Public executions: Condemned criminals could be put to death before spectators, sometimes by wild animals.
  • Imperial celebrations: Processions and public ceremonies emphasized Rome’s conquest and the emperor’s glory.

The Colosseum was a principal venue for such spectacles, although we do not have a complete daily schedule of Trajan’s games.

4. What did the Roman people think?

Imagine being a Roman citizen during this period.

For months, the city was celebrating. Crowds gathered for public spectacles, cheering for their favorite fighters and marveling at exotic animals brought from distant provinces.

Some gladiators became celebrities. Successful fighters could gain considerable popularity.

But behind the excitement was a terrible reality: enslaved people, prisoners of war, and condemned criminals could be forced into deadly spectacles for the amusement of others.

The games helped strengthen the emperor’s popularity and demonstrated the power of Rome over conquered peoples.

5. The connection to Ignatius of Antioch

This is where the history becomes particularly interesting from a Christian perspective.

Ignatius of Antioch was an early Christian bishop traditionally believed to have been martyred in Rome during Trajan’s reign.

According to early Christian tradition, Ignatius was condemned to be thrown to wild beasts.

In his letter to the Romans, Ignatius wrote:

“I am the wheat of God, and am ground by the teeth of the wild beasts, that I may be found the pure bread of Christ.”

— Ignatius, Epistle to the Romans, chapter 4 (traditional English translation)

There is an important historical distinction:

We cannot establish that Ignatius was executed during Trajan’s particular 123-day celebration. His traditional martyrdom date is approximately AD 107, but the precise date and circumstances remain uncertain.

Nevertheless, Ignatius lived in the same Roman world in which such spectacles were celebrated.

6. What does this reveal about Christianity in the Roman Empire?

Consider the contrast.

Rome celebrated military conquest, public violence, and the power of the emperor.

Christians such as Ignatius proclaimed a crucified and risen Jesus Christ and were willing to suffer rather than renounce their faith.

The Colosseum became a powerful symbol of that contrast, although many later stories associating particular Christian martyrs with the Colosseum cannot be historically verified.

One further historical point is worth remembering: Trajan was also the emperor who instructed Pliny the Younger on how to handle accusations against Christians, around AD 112. Christians were not to be actively hunted down, but those formally accused who refused to recant could be punished.

That correspondence gives us unusually direct evidence of the dangerous position Christians occupied during Trajan’s reign.

I think you would find one particular subject fascinating: the correspondence between Emperor Trajan and Pliny the Younger concerning Christians around AD 112.

It reveals how Roman authorities questioned Christians, demanded that they worship the Roman gods, and punished those who refused. It is one of the most important surviving documents about Christianity outside the New Testament during the early second century.