Yes, there were lions. There were also tigers, bears, elephants, cows, zebras, ostriches, gazelles, leopards, wild goats, eagles, giraffes, falcons, hyenas, rabbits, hippos, and boars. All these animals were kept in cages under the arena floor, the hypogeum. These exotic animals were brought from the far reaches of the world into the city not only for entertainment but also as a display of Rome’s imperial reach.