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The point is to create a spectacle, something that wows the crowd. Exotic wildlife is better for that just by reason of being exotic. But a secondary point is to show the people the awesome power of the Roman state, with its immense continent-spanning logistics capabilities.

> with its immense continent-spanning logistics capabilities.

So, a bit like Amazon? Ave Jeff!

Must see if they have a lion at good price.

This is an attempt at a joke, BTW.

FYI hn generally downvotes jokes, as it doesn't want to be like Reddit where there is often a flood of jokes and no discussion

"Are you not impressed?"

Empires should spend part of their budget on impressing. The English lad who spent whole days schlepping a few bushels of turnips to the market would be thinking, "I should join the Empire and transport lions".

Why ship a lion to the zoo when you can fill it with local animals like rats and pigeons?

Some zoo in China got caught doing that.

https://edition.cnn.com/2013/08/16/world/asia/china-zoo-dog-...

Isn't that the point? To create a rare and exotic spectacle?