Briton Rivière - A Roman Holiday (National Gallery of Victoria)

Damnatio ad bestias is a Latin phrase that translates into English as 'condemnation to the beasts'. It refers to a form of capital punishment in ancient Rome where criminals, prisoners or slaves were condemned to be killed by wild animals, typically in public spectacles held in arenas such as the Colosseum. The condemned person would be forced to face dangerous and predatory animals such as lions, bears or leopards in an often brutal and gruesome manner. The practice was used as a form of entertainment and punishment, both to entertain the spectators and to act as a deterrent to potential criminals.

Briton Riviere (August 14, 1840 – April 20, 1920) was an English painter who specialized in animal and genre paintings. He was born in London and studied at the Royal Academy Schools. His early works were mainly genre scenes and portraits, but he later turned to animal painting and became one of the most popular painters of his time. He was a member of the Royal Academy and exhibited there regularly from 1863 until his death in 1920. Some of his most famous works include "Sympathy," "Requiescat," and "Daniel in the Lion's Den."