Considering the expense and massive casualties involved in Naumachia (thousands of deaths were common, in contrast to even the largest gladiator games rarely exceeding a hundred deaths), they were almost always performed after large-scale wars or bandit-suppression campaigns, after which there was a glut of dangerous men who could be ‘safely’ condemned to death. Event of a generation - don’t miss it!
Considering the expense and massive casualties involved in Naumachia (thousands of deaths were common, in contrast to even the largest gladiator games rarely exceeding a hundred deaths), they were almost always performed after large-scale wars or bandit-suppression campaigns, after which there was a glut of dangerous men who could be ‘safely’ condemned to death. Event of a generation - don’t miss it!
Health and safety’s gone mad these days, I tell ya. A little mass killing never hurt anyone.