 You shall rather sentence them to serve in the mines so that they may acknowledge the penalties of their crimes with blood

This has been interpreted as a ban on gladiatorial combat.Yet, in the last year of his life, Constantine wrote a letter to the citizens of Hispellum, granting its people the right to celebrate his rule with gladiatorial games.In 365, Valentinian I (r. 364–375) threatened to fine a judge who sentenced Christians to the arena and in 384 attempted, like most of his predecessors, to limit the expenses of "munera".