[Antoninus]

The "Christians in the Arenas" was largely myth.

Prove it. Or are you just arguing from "lack of evidence." Of course, in order to make that argument, you have to discount all the original contemporary Christian sources as biased which, no doubt, you have done.

Christians were persecuted in the arenas. To say otherwise is a lie.

[TheAngryClam]

I'm not saying that there weren't Christians sent into the arenas, simply that the number is far lower than contemporary imagination would have one believe.

Furthermore, it wasn't a specifically Christian thing. Criminals of all stripes, including Christians, beggars, thieves, etc. were often used early in the day as fodder before the big event, although most areas outside of Rome probably couldn't afford lions.

Also, don't forget that the eastern half of the Empire, where the Hellenic influence was stronger than the Roman, tended to look down upon the arena in general as barbaric. It was also here where Christianity was strongest during the persecutions.

However, allow me to quote a portion of the Oxford Classical Dictionary entry on Christianity:

While thus strengthening its self-definition against Judaism, Christianity faced the task of relating to other cults. It presented itself from an early stage as a universal religion. It did not merely invite adherence but demanded it: all men and women were thought able to achieve their destiny only within its embrace. One possible response to so aggressive an invitation was resentment; and here we touch upon the so-called 'persecution' of Christianity by the Roman state. Legal proceedings against the Church were intermittent and often moderate; violent demonstrations outside the law were unusual. The heroism revered in the Acts of the Martyrs seems to have been invited as often as it was imposed. Nevertheless, we find occasional confrontation. The famous attack by Nero on Christians in Rome in 64 had no lasting impact or significance. The traditionally accepted oppression by Domitian in the 90s has gained its notoriety mostly from the misleading obscurity of Melito (Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 4.26.9f.).

There's more, but I don't want to type it all out- any larger library should have a copy in the reference section.

Generally, from the sporadic suppressions, which featured large amounts of clemency, a myth of system, Holocaust-like oppression for centuries has grown.