tɜːtˈʌliən, ɐlˈɛdʒᵻz ɪn hɪz tɹˈiːɾɪz ɐtˈækɪŋ ˈeɪntʃənt ɹˈoʊmən ɹᵻlˈɪdʒən ɪn fˈeɪvɚɹ ʌv kɹˌɪstɪˈænᵻɾi ˌɔn spˈɛktəkəlz ðætðɪ ˈɔːɹɪdʒˌɪn ʌv ɡlˌædɪɐtˈoːɹɪəl ɡˈeɪmz wʌz ðiːz fjˈuːnɚɹˌɛɹi ɹˈɪtʃuːəlz.
Tertullian, alleges in his treatise attacking ancient Roman religion in favour of Christianity – On Spectacles – that the origin of gladiatorial games was these funerary rituals.