[brent13a]

Now, about those Christians and lions....

Unbiased historical records show that some christians were executed by large wild beasts, including lions…… probably. More were executed by fire and crucifixion than anything else though. It is also historical record that the christians of the time that were executed went out of their way to welcome such deaths as martyrs, so the practice of targeting christians in that way was stopped. Also, when christianity became the main religion of the empire, the executions of criminals by lions and other beasts wasn't stopped, and in fact continued.

[Verginius Rufus]

Constantine ended crucifixion.

Tertullian refers to the popular demand, "The Christians to the lion." This may have contributed to the idea that most of the martyrs were killed by lions.