t Drawing of the Colosseum showing how it looked at the time of its opening in AD 80
Rome’s greatest amphitheatre was commissioned by Emperor Vespasian in AD 72. This magnificent structure was where the Imperial passion for bloody spectacle reached its peak of excess.
Experience Forum and Palatine
t Drawing of the Colosseum showing how it looked at the time of its opening in AD 80
Built by Jewish slaves on the marshy site of a lake in the grounds of Nero’s palace, the Domus Aurea, the Colosseum was the arena where deadly gladiatorial combats and wild animal fights were staged by the emperor and wealthy citizens for public viewing, free of charge. The Colosseum was built to a practical design, with its 80 arched entrances allowing easy access to 55,000 spectators, but it is also a building of great beauty. It was one of several similar amphitheatres built in the Roman Empire – other surviving examples are at El Djem in North Africa, Nîmes and Arles in France, and Verona in northern Italy. Despite being damaged over the years by neglect and theft, the Roman Colosseum remains a majestic sight.
The emperors held shows here, which often began with animals performing circus tricks. Then on came the gladiators, who fought each other to the death. When one was killed, attendants dressed as Charon, the mythical ferryman of the dead, carried his body off on a stretcher, and sand was raked over the blood ready for the next bout. A badly wounded gladiator would surrender his fate to the crowd. The “thumbs up” sign from the emperor meant he could live, “thumbs down” that he die, and the victor became an instant hero. Roman gladiators were usually slaves, prisoners of war or condemned criminals. Most were men, but there were a few female gladiators.
Animals were brought here from as far away as North Africa and the Middle East. The games held in AD 248 to mark the 1,000th anniversary of Rome’s founding saw the death of a host of lions, elephants, hippos, zebras and elks in wild-animal hunting spectacles.
A complex of rooms, passages and lifts over several floors lies underneath the arena. Metal fencing kept animals penned in, while archers stood by just in case any escaped. A winch brought the animal cages up to arena level when they were due to fight. A ramp and trap door enabled the animal to reach the arena.
t The Colosseum at sunset
Experience Forum and Palatine
Timeline |
72Emperor Vespasian begins work on the Colosseum |
80Vespasian’s son, Titus, stages inaugural festival in the amphitheatre lasting 100 days |
81–96Amphitheatre completed in reign of Domitian |
404Gladiatorial combats banned |
442Building damaged in an earthquake |
523Wild animal fights banned |
1200sFrangipane family turns Colosseum into a fortress |
1312Emperor Henry VII gives Colosseum to the Senate and people of Rome |
15th–16th centuriesRuins used as quarry; travertine blocks recycled by popes |
1870All vegetation removed |
1893–6Structure below arena revealed |
Historian Cassius Dio, writing in the 3rd century AD, relates how, 150 years earlier, the Colosseum’s arena was flooded on one occasion to stage a mock sea battle. This type of spectacle took place regularly in the Naumachia of Augustus, a water-filled arena across the Tiber in Trastevere.
The founder of the Colosseum, Vespasian, was a professional soldier.
Insider tip
Holders of a Roma Pass and those with timed tickets purchased in advance online gain preferential access. The quietest times to visit are 30 minutes before the scheduled opening time early in the morning or shortly before closing.