"These skeletons may be part of the world's only well-preserved Roman gladiator cemetery," an archaeologist said yesterday.
Researchers discovered the remains, some of which feature marks that could reflect the violent manner in which some individuals died, during a continuing archaeological and forensic investigation in York.
Kurt Hunter-Mann, a field officer at York Archaeological Trust who is leading the investigation, said bite marks on one of the skeletons helped steer the team to their preliminary theory.
He said: "One of the most significant items of evidence is a large carnivore bite mark - probably inflicted by a lion, tiger or bear - an injury which must have been sustained in an arena context.
"Other important pieces of evidence include a high incidence of substantial arm asymmetry - a feature mentioned in ancient Roman literature in connection with a gladiator; some healed and unhealed weapon injuries; possible hammer blows to the head - a feature attested as a probable gladiatorial coup de grace at another gladiator cemetery, Ephesus, in Turkey."
The research, which features in a Channel 4 documentary, Gladiators: Back From The Dead has involved the investigation of 80 skeletons unearthed at the site in Driffield Terrace, just west of the centre of York, over the past decade.
Mr Hunter-Mann said nearly all the skeletons had features consistent with gladiators - the majority were male, very robust and mostly above average height. He also said the team found clues in the arms of the skeletons.
"The arm asymmetry would also be consistent with weapons training that had already started in teenage years," he said, "and we know from Roman accounts that some gladiators entered their profession at a very young age."
The skeletons date from the late first century AD to the 4th century AD.
All the individuals were buried with some respect - and 14 of them were interred together with grave goods to accompany them to the next world.
The team said the most impressive grave was that of a tall man aged between 18 and 23, buried in a large oval grave sometime in the 3rd century.
Interred with him were what appear to have been the remains of substantial joints of meat from at least four horses possibly consumed at the funeral - plus some cow and pig remains.
He had been decapitated by several sword blows to the neck.
After burial, a low mound of earth, up to a metre high, appears to have been placed over his grave.
Mr Hunter-Mann added many individuals found in York came from different parts of the empire, which is consistent with a gladiatorial interpretation, but it was necessary to keep an "open mind" about the skeletons. He said: "At present our lead theory is that many of these skeletons are those of Roman gladiators. So far there are a number of pieces of evidence which point towards that interpretation or are consistent with it.
"But the research is continuing and we must therefore keep an open mind."
Additional research has also been carried out by forensic anthropologists at the University of Central Lancashire.
Michael Wysocki, senior lecturer in forensic anthropology and archaeology at the University, said: "These are internationally important discoveries. We don't have any other potential gladiator cemeteries with this level of preservation anywhere else in the world."