By the Gods!

Anthony Quinn, as Barabbas, in a gladiatorial event in BARABBAS (1961)

Now I won't state my opinion about this film now, something which I've stated many times at the blog (search the blog). What I'll mention is this is how you direct a crowd scene: include the main actor, or any actor attached to the movie, so those scenes cannot be re-used in other movies. This is a great shot and makes the event even more compelling than the usual isolating the crowd shots from the actor stranded in the middle of the arena. They clearly spent a lot of money on this production.