In 248 AD, The Romans celebrated the 1000 year anniversary of their city. The motto was SAECULARES AUGUSTORUM, the Secular Games of the Emperor.
According to Roman belief, a saeculum marked the end of an old and the beginning of a new era. It was a celebration to rid Rome and the Roman citizens of all sins, where every Roman housefather cleaned his home, to enter the new saeculum free of guilt. The celebration of the year 248, however, was mainly a great spectacle. Thousands of animals were killed in the arena. Many of them were depicted on coins, to demonstrate to the Roman people that Rome’s power really comprised the entire known world.