Colosseum - Ancient History - HISTORY.com Google Origins of the Colosseum Even after the decadent Roman emperor Nero took his own life in A.D. 68, his misrule and excesses fueled a series of civil wars. No fewer than four emperors took the throne in the tumultuous year after Nero’s death; the fourth, Vespasian, would end up ruling for 10 years (A.D. 69-79). The Flavian emperors, as Vespasian and his sons Titus (79-81) and Domitian (81-96) were known, attempted to tone down the excesses of the Roman court, restore Senate authority and promote public welfare. Around 70-72, Vespasian returned to the Roman people the lush land near the center of the city, where Nero had built an enormous palace for himself after a great fire ripped through Rome in A.D. 64. On the site of that Golden Palace, he decreed, would be built a new amphitheater where the public could enjoy gladiatorial combats and other forms of entertainment. Did You Know?

Archaeologists believe that the Colosseum contained both drinking fountains and latrines. After nearly a decade of construction–a relatively quick time period for a project of such a grand scale–Titus officially dedicated the Colosseum in A.D. 80 with a festival including 100 days of games. A well-loved ruler, Titus had earned his people’s devotion with his handling of recovery efforts after the infamous eruption of Vesuvius in A.D. 79, which destroyed the towns of Herculaneum and Pompeii . The final stages of construction of the Colosseum were completed under the reign of Titus’ brother and successor, Domitian. The Colosseum: A Grand Amphitheater Measuring some 620 by 513 feet (190 by 155 meters), the Colosseum was the largest amphitheater in the Roman world. Unlike many earlier amphitheaters, which had been dug into hillsides to provide adequate support, the Colosseum was a freestanding structure made of stone and concrete. The distinctive exterior had three stories of arched entrances–a total of around 80–supported by semi-circular columns.

Each story contained columns of a different order (or style): At the bottom were columns of the relatively simple Doric order, followed by Ionic and topped by the ornate Corinthian order. Located just near the main entrance to the Colosseum was the Arch of Constantine, built in A.D. 315 in honor of Constantine I’s victory over Maxentius at Pons Milvius. Inside, the Colosseum had seating for more than 50,000 spectators, who may have been arranged according to social ranking but were most likely packed into the space like sardines in a can (judging by evidence from the seating at other Roman amphitheaters). Awnings were unfurled from the top story in order to protect the audience from the hot Roman sun as they watched gladiatorial combats, hunts, wild animal fights and larger combats such as mock naval engagements (for which the arena was flooded with water) put on at great expense. The vast majority of the combatants who fought in front of Colosseum audiences in Ancient Rome were men (though there were some female gladiators). Gladiators were generally slaves, condemned criminals or prisoners of war.

The Colosseum Over the Centuries The Colosseum saw some four centuries of active use, until the struggles of the Western Roman Empire and the gradual change in public tastes put an end to gladiatorial combats and other large public entertainments by the 6th century A.D. Even by that time, the arena had suffered damaged due to natural phenomena such as lightning and earthquakes. In the centuries to come, the Colosseum was abandoned completely, and used as a quarry for numerous building projects, including the cathedrals of St. Peter and St. John Lateran, the Palazzo Venezia and defense fortifications along the Tiber River. Beginning in the 18th century, however, various popes sought to conserve the arena as a sacred Christian site, though it is in fact uncertain whether early Christian martyrs met their fate in the Colosseum, as has been speculated. By the 20th century, a combination of weather, natural disasters, neglect and vandalism had destroyed nearly two-thirds of the original Colosseum, including all of the arena’s marble seats and its decorative elements.

Restoration efforts began in the 1990s, and have proceeded over the years, as the Colosseum continues to be a leading attraction for tourists from all over the world. Tags Rome.info > Roman Colosseum, Coliseum of Rome Roman Colosseum Italian name: Colosseo The Roman Colosseum or Coliseum, originally known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, was commisioned in AD 72 by Emperor Vespasian. It was completed by his son, Titus, in 80, with later improvements by Domitian. The Colosseum is located just east of the Roman Forum and was built to a practical design, with its 80 arched entrances allowing easy access to 55,000 spectators, who were seated according to rank. The Coliseum is huge, an ellipse 188m long and 156 wide. Originally 240 masts were attached to stone corbels on the 4th level.

Just outside the Coliseum is the Arch of Constantine (Arco di Costantino), a 25m high monument built in AD315 to mark the victory of Constantine over Maxentius at Pons Milvius. Vespesian ordered the Colosseum to be build on the site of Nero's palace, the Domus Aurea, to dissociate himself from the hated tyrant. His aim was to gain popularity by staging deadly combats of gladiators and wild animal fights for public viewing. Massacre was on a huge scale: at inaugural games in AD 80, over 9,000 wild animals were killed. Roman gladiators were usually slaves, prisoners of war or condemned criminals. Most were men, but there were a few female gladiators. These combats were attended by the poor, the rich, and frequently the emperor himself. As gladiators fought, vicious cries and curses were heard from the audience around the Roman Colosseum. One contest after another was staged in the course of a single day. Should the ground become too soaked with blood, it was covered over with a fresh layer of sand and the performance went on.

The gladiatorial games continued until Christianity progressively put an end to those parts of them which included the death of humans. The Roman Coliseum The Roman Coliseum The Roman Coliseum Submit questions - New Articles Picture Courtesy of David Iliff The Roman Coliseum (Colosseum), also in ancient times known as Flavian Amphitheater, is a huge amphitheater found in the middle of Rome. It is the largest structure of its kind built by the mighty Empire. It is one of the greatest works of Rome's architecture ever built. It was originally capable of holding more than fifty-thousand people. Building on the Coliseum began under Vespasian around 72 A.D. The location chosen for the massive Roman structure was on a body of water known as 'Nero's lake,' which at one time was a part of Nero's palace. The structure was not completely finished until the time of Titus. During the celebration of the amphitheater's completion, more than ten thousand animals were killed within its walls.

Roman Games and Naval Battles The Coliseum hosted large-scale spectacular games that included fights between animals, the killing of prisoners by animals and other executions, naval battles (via flooding the arena and bringing in ships) up until 81 A.D., and combats between gladiators (munera). They were always given by private individuals rather than the state. It has been estimated that several hundreds of thousands died in the Coliseum games. Fights between animals, death matches between prisoners and wild beasts, naval battles (the structure was built to allow enough water into it to allow ships to float!) were held in the structure. Map of Empire at time of Jesus One of the most popular types of shows put on by Rome featured animal hunting. Because of the expanse and power of the Empire, Rome was able to transport to the Colosseum such animals as lions, tigers, rhinos, hippos, wild bears and many other exotic creatures. Movable sets that included buildings were many times used as a backdrop for a battle.

Stadium events were many times held on a grand scale, For example, after Trajan (who expanded the power of Rome to its greatest extent through territorial conquests) was victorious over Dacia, he celebrated by sponsoring contests that involved more than ten thousand animals and several thousand gladiators over a period of roughly 4 months. The name of the Coliseum is believed to have originated name from a giant statue (colossus) of Emperor Nero that was located nearby. Its design The Coliseum measures 157 feet high, 617 feet long, and it was as wide as 511 feet. The floor of the structure was 228 feet by 177 feet. A variety of different sections existed within the Coliseum. Level 1 (known as the podium) was for high-level politicians of the state and for the Emperor. The second level was designated for the ruling classes that were not actual senators. The next level up had a section for those who were rich and another for those who were poor. A special section was reserved at the top of the Colosseum for females only. Recent discoveries at the site showed drainpipes that connected the building to Rome's famous sewer system.

Ancient air conditioning The overall cooling of the Roman Coliseum (Colosseum) utilized the innovation idea of a canvas roof that covered the majority of the stadium. This roof, slanted toward the ground, was able to catch the wind and provide cooling to the spectators. Additional Study Materials Roman Colosseum Roads Roman Colosseum The Colosseum, (the Flavian Amphitheatre) is one of Rome's most famous buildings and enduring monuments to the culture of the ancient Romans. Construction was initiated by the Emperor Vespasian around 72 AD. His son Titus reigned over its completion and the official opening ceremonies, about 8 years later, in 80 AD. It was built near the site of Nero's Domus Aurea "Golden House". This is significant in that his successor, Vespasian wanted to erase the memory of Nero's extravagant reign from the minds of Romans. It got its popular name, the Colosseum, because of Nero's colossus (120 ft. high) statue of himself, which was nearby. The huge theater was originally built encompassing four floors. The first three had arched entrances, while the fourth floor utilized rectangular doorways.

The floors each measured between 10,5-13,9 meters (32-42 feet) in height. The total height of the construction was approximately 48 meters (144 feet). The arena measured 79 x 45 meters (237-135 feet), and consisted of wood and sand. (The word "arena" is derived from the Latin arena, which means "sand.") Nets along the sides protected the audience. The Colosseum had a total spectator capacity of 45,000-55,000. The Amphitheater is built of travertine outside, and of tufa and brick in the interior. The main pedestals were built of marble blocks weighing 5 metric tons (11,000 pounds.) Initially the huge marble blocks were held together by metal-pins. However, the pins were soon carried off by thieves, and had to be replaced by mortar. The total amount of marble needed for the construction measured approximately 100,000 cubic meters. It was carried by 200 ox-pulled carts, which supplied a sufficient flow of needed materials.

There were no less than 76 numbered entrances and 4 additional entrances reserved for the Emperor, other VIP's and the gladiators. The Colosseum was designed for easy crowd dispersal; the entire audience could exit the building in five minutes. The interior was divided into three parts: the arena, the podium, and the cavea. Now more than two-thirds of the original building has been removed and the rows of the seats in the cavea are missing. It is very similar to other amphitheaters except this one is much bigger. The audience, upon entering, climbed sloping ramps to their seats, according to gender and social class. Obviously, the higher one's social status, the better their seating arrangement would be. For example, women (excepting spouses and perhaps imperial family) and the poor, stood or sat on wooden benches in the fourth tier. For inclement or very hot weather conditions, an enormous, colored awning (velarium) could be stretched overhead to protect the crowd. A wooden floor covered subterranean chambers where the gladiators and animals were kept waiting to perform. There is some debate over the idea that the Colosseum was occasionally flooded for mock naval battles.

There were canals in place that could have been used for this purpose but the brick used in construction was not the same type of material that they normally used in water resistant materials. The Colosseum was the Empire's primary stage for gladiatorial combat for nearly 4 centuries. In a show of Rome's wealth and extravagance, during the opening ceremonies in 80 AD, 100 days of the games were held. Did you know? A secret passage was recently uncovered under the Roman Coliseum, elaborately decorated with mosaics and plaster carvings, that was built to let Emperor Commodus (180-192) run away from angry mobs ________________________________ Ancient Rome for Kids: The Colosseum The Colosseum is a giant amphitheatre in the center of Rome, Italy . It was built during the Roman Empire. Roman Colosseum by Kevin Brintnall When was it built? Construction on the Colosseum was started in 72 AD by the emperor Vespasian. It was finished eight years later in 80 AD. How big was it? The Colosseum was huge. It could seat 50,000 people.

It covers around 6 acres of land and is 620 feet long, 512 feet wide, and 158 feet tall. It took more than 1.1 million tons of concrete, stone, and bricks to complete the Colosseum. Seating Where people sat in the Colosseum was determined by Roman law. The best seats were reserved for the Senators. Behind them were the equestrians or ranking government officials. A bit higher up sat the ordinary Roman citizens (men) and the soldiers. Finally, at the top of the stadium sat the slaves and the women. Seating inside the Colosseum was according to social status by Ningyou at Wikimedia Commons Emperor's Box The best seat in the house belonged to the emperor who sat in the Emperor's Box. Of course, a lot of times it was the emperor who was paying for the games. This was one way for the emperor to make the people happy and to keep them liking him. Underground Passages Below the Colosseum was a labyrinth of underground passages called the hypogeum. These passages allowed for animals, actors, and gladiators to suddenly appear in the middle of the arena.

They would use trap doors to add in special effects such as scenery. Construction The walls of the Colosseum were built with stone. They made use of a number of arches in order to keep the weight down, but yet still keep them strong. There were four different levels that could be accessed by stairs. Who could enter each level was carefully controlled. The floor of the Colosseum was wooden and covered with sand. Interior of the Colosseum. Photo by Jebulon. Colossus Outside of the Colosseum was an enormous 30 foot bronze statue of the emperor Nero called the Colossus of Nero. It was later turned into a statue of the Sun god Sol Invictus. Some historians believe that the name for the Colosseum comes from the Colossus. The Velarium To keep the hot sun and the rain off of spectators, there was a retractable awning called the velarium. There were 240 wooden masts around the top of the stadium to support the awning. Roman sailors were used to put up the velarium when it was needed. Entrances The Colosseum had 76 entrances and exits.

This was to help the thousands of people to exit the arena in case of a fire or other emergency. The passages to the seating areas were called vomitoria. The public entrances were each numbered and spectators had a ticket that said where they were supposed to enter. Why is it spelled that way? The original name for the Colosseum was the Amphitheatrum Flavium, but it eventually became known as the Colosseum. The normal spelling for a generic large amphitheater used for sports and other entertainment is "coliseum". However, when referring to the one in Rome, it is capitalized and spelled "Colosseum". Interesting Facts about the Colosseum Certain classes of people were banned from attending the Colosseum. They included former gladiators, actors, and gravediggers. There were 32 different trap doors underneath the floor of the stadium. The first ever games at the Colosseum lasted for 100 days and included more than 3,000 gladiator fights. The west exit was called the Gate of Death. This was where dead gladiators were carried out of the arena.

The southern side of the Colosseum collapsed during a large earthquake in 847. Take a ten question quiz about this page. For more about Ancient Rome: Overview and History Ancient Roman Colosseum: History, Architecture, Purpose • Facts about the Roman Colosseum • Map of the Roman Colosseum area To this day the Roman Colosseum remains one the most talked about buildings from the Roman era. In fact the word "Colosseum" is the most popular search term for any building on the internet (or so Italian tourism would have us believe). So who built the Colosseum, when did they build it, and why? The original name of the ancient Roman Colosseum was in fact Amphitheatrum Flavium, often referred to in English literature as the Flavian Amphitheater, the present day Italians refer to it as il Colosseo. The name Flavium is the family/dynasty name of the Roman Emperors who built the Colosseum.

The present day name "Colosseum", or rather "Colosseo", is said to have come from the colossal 35m (115 feet) high bronze statue of Nero, The Colossus, that stood between the stadium and the Roman Forum. The stadium was referred to as "the Amphitheater by the Colossus", and it is thought that this was corrupted to Colosseum. This is certainly probable after the bronze statue fell (probably in the 4th Century, used for its bronze content) and was largely forgotten. Why was the Colosseum built? The building of the Ancient Roman Colosseum was widely regarded as a political move of the time, intended for entertaining and, possibly more importantly, distracting Rome's population from more serious issues of the time such as oligarchy, nepotism and corruption in the senate and church (hmmm, some things don't change). Me attempting a kind of stunt maneuver on my bicycle while taking a video of the Colosseum. Was ok until I hit the huge cobble stones at the end, tell me there's an Oscar category for this! History of the Roman Colosseum When was the Colosseum built?

Construction of the Ancient Roman Colosseum was started by Emperor Vespasian in 70 A.D. After Vespasian's death in 79 A.D. his son Titus completed and inaugurated the Roman Colosseum in 80 A.D. The opening ceremony is documented to have lasted 100 days and between 5000 and 11000 wild animals were killed. Further alterations and improvements were made to the Roman Colosseum by Emperor Titus' younger brother, Emperor Domitian, who included a series of underground passages and rooms (the hypogeum) to lodge the slaves and wild animals. A gallery was also added to the top of the Colosseum to increase its seating capacity to around 65 000 people. During its use the ancient Roman Colosseum was damaged by two events: a fire in 217 A.D. and an earthquake in 443 A.D., but was repaired both times. The Colosseum was used for gladiatorial combat until about 435 A.D. and wild animal hunts continued until the early 6th Century.

Beyond the 6th Century the Roman Colosseum was abandoned until craftsmen were allowed to rent some of the spaces underneath and between the many arches. Around the beginning of the 13th Century the Italian Frangipani family took possession of the ancient Roman Colosseum and converted it into their personal castle/fort. In 1244 A.D. Pope Innocenzo IV and the Catholic church took possession of the Colosseum. In 1349 A.D. there was a massive earthquake that inflicted severe damage and most of the fallen masonry was used in the construction of other Roman buildings (including the Vatican and the outer walls of Rome), and what hadn't quite fallen was helped on its way as stone robbers removed the marble facades, the exterior walls and even the bronze couplers that were used to join the marble facades to the perimeter walls.

After some schemes that fell through by previous Popes (a wool factory for Rome's prostitutes, and even a bull ring) Pope Benedict XIV declared the site a place were Christians had been martyred (even though there is no documentation of this and historians negate this supposition) and thereby consecrated the building to the Passion of Christ and installed the Stations of the Cross. (To this day on Easter Friday the Pope leads the Stations of the cross, and a meditation is read at each of the fourteen stages of Christ's passion situated around the Perimeter of the Roman Colosseum.) Since the consecration by Pope Benedict XIV the Catholic Church have initiated many restoration projects and clean ups of the Roman Colosseum, including the stabilization of the perimeter walls, removal of vegetation, and the excavation of the tunnels and chambers of the arena structure (the central area). The last restoration project was effected between 1993 and 2000. The financing of over 20 million Euros was raised by a private bank.

Return to the top Roman Colosseum Architecture and Engineering The amphitheater was mastered by the Greeks and was usually built into a hillside(s) thereby taking advantage of the natural slope of the banks to create seating which overlooked the lower arena - as was done with the Circus Maximus which sits in the valley between the Aventine and Palatine hills. The ancient Roman Colosseum was the first free-standing amphitheater. It has an elliptical (oval) plan with a length of 189m (620 feet), height 48m (158 feet) and width 156m (512 feet). The central area of the arena is 88m (287 ft) long and 55m (180 ft) wide. The wall surrounding the Arena and protecting the spectators was 5m (15 ft) high. The ancient Roman Colosseum was designed (as with so many other ancient Roman buildings) using the principle of the Arch.

There are 80 entrance arches that run along the perimeter of the external and internal walls and many more also run to the center (like spokes from a bicycle wheel) creating the internal corridors and tunnels that run around the structure. The large perimeter wall structure is made up of 3 sets of columns, Doric (at the bottom) then Ionic and then Corinthian. The uppermost section of the perimeter wall is referred to as the attic and was constructed with Corinthian pilasters, every second span receiving a window. Running the circumference of the top perimeter wall were 240 wooden beams which supported the Valerium (awning), this was used to shield the crowds from from the rain and heat. The Valerium was anchored to bollards on the ground and supported by corbels built into the upper perimeter wall. The canvas, ropes and netting which made up the Valerium were operated by hundreds of sailors employed from the Roman naval headquarters. When fully deployed the Valerium could cover most of the seating, leaving just the arena exposed to the elements.

Estimates put seating capacity at anywhere between 60.000 and 85.000 people, but around 65.000 seems to be the generally accepted figure. With a crowd this enormous the ancient Roman Colosseum experienced similar logistics to modern stadiums, one of them was how quickly people could be seated or evacuated. The Romans had a similar system of numbered entrances and staircases to modern stadiums (or is it rather the other way around) this ensured rapid entry and exit. Seating was strictly according to social class, the closer to the central arena, the higher your rank in society. The emperor and Vestal Virgins occupied boxes at the central narrowest points of the stadium, while the senators would sit at the same level at the ends of the stadium. Next up were the nobel men and knights, then the wealthy citizens and then the poorer plebeians (citizens). The arena had a wooden floor and was covered by sand - the latin word Arena means sand, and is still used in the Spanish language. Below the arena floor was the hypogeum, an ingenious system of tunnels and chambers for slaves, gladiators, wild animals and hoists and pulley houses.

Various underground tunnels connected the stadium with stables and the gladiator barracks. The emperor also had his own private tunnel to enter the stadium. The Colosseum, Rome, Italy - information and booking. The Colosseum, Rome - ticket types, opening times, how to gain admission The Colosseum, Rome, Italy - visitor information The Colosseum or Coliseum is today the most recognisable of Rome's Classical buildings. Even 2,000 years after it was built, and despite centuries when the abandoned building was pillaged for building materials, it is instantly recognisable ... a Classical template for the stadia of today. It was the first permanent amphitheatre to be raised in Rome, and the most impressive arena the Classical world had yet seen. And with accommodation for 60,000 seated and 10,000 standing, all of whom could enter and leave in a matter of minutes, courtesy of 80 entrances, this is a structure that the designers of modern sports stadia could learn from. The name Colosseum is in fact a much later addition. It was originally known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, and was conceived as a peculiarly Roman political gesture ...

a gift from a new dynasty of Roman emperors to a populace kept happy by bread and circuses. In 68AD Emperor Nero died and with him the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Vespasian was made emperor by the Senate in the following year and decided the city needed a new amphitheatre. Just like a modern politician, such gestures simultaneously pleased the populace and would (hopefully) leave a lasting monument to the emperor's greatness. Well maybe. The city's first amphitheatre in stone had been built in 29BC by Statilius Taurus, but Caligula (12-41AD) had adjudged it too small and started building his own. Claudius succeeded Caligula and immediately halted his grand plan. And when Nero ruled Rome he eschewed the Statilius arena and made plans for his own, to be built in the Campus Martis. A magnificent building by all accounts, but razed in the fire that swept Rome in 64AD.

So Rome needed a new arena and a line drawn under the profligate and acquisitive rule of Nero, who had built a personal empire in the heart of Rome, taking public land to build his palace, the Domus Area. Very impressive it was too, with a vast artificial lake in the parklands of Nero's residence, but Vespasian elected to make a gift of the land back to the people of Rome - a gesture of reconciliation after the excesses of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. The wisest Roman rulers always realised that the Emperors were ultimately elected (not gods) and that they ruled by the consent of the populace. Remarkably it took only 10 years to built the arena. Remarkable because this was one of the most impressive pieces of architecture the world had seen. The Colosseum is a huge ellipse with tiered seating, with an elliptical arena within. It combined a mix of materials including (a surprise for modern visitors here perhaps) concrete for the foundations. The Romans invented the super-strong material, and it allowed them to build larger, more stable buildings. Travertine stone (mined from the hills of Latium around Rome) was used for the piers and arcades.

Tufa (softer volcanic rock) was used as infill between the piers on the walls of the lower two levels. Concrete faced with brick was used for the upper levels and for the ceiling vaults. The characteristic rounded arches that the builders used also provided great strength and support, spreading the weight of the upper tiers. There was a mix of styles too. The Romans may not have been architectural innovators on a par with the Greeks, but they could replicate the detail. The three tiers of arcades had a facade of three-quarter columns and entablatures, with a succession of architectural orders: Doric on the first storey, Ionic on the second, Corinthian on the third. The attic storey bore Corinthian pilasters and little square windows in alternating bays. Along the top were brackets and sockets to support the velarium, a canopy providing shade ... the first sports arena with a retractable roof. Eighty radiating walls supported the rising tiers of seating for the 50,000 seated spectators and for the stairs and passages that linked the vast complex. Within the outer walls, staircases joined the levels, and the Colosseum had much in common with a modern football stadium.

The whole thing covered some six acres, measuring 188 x 156 metres (615 ft x 510 ft), with the base of the building covering about 6 acres. Vaults span between eighty radial walls to support tiers of seating and for passageways and stairs. The facade rose to 48.5m, about the height of 15 modern storeys. The new arena was alternatively known as the Amphitheatrum Caesareum (hunting theatre) a reflection of the hunting games that took place alongside the gladiatorial contests. The arena had a wooden floor spread with sand to absorb the blood (our word 'arena' derives from the Roman harena meaning sand). Beneath this, a subterranean complex of passages and rooms, cages for the lions and tigers, food stores for the spectators, robing room for the spectators, had been built within the dip of Nero's old lake. Trap doors from here opened onto the floor of the arena itself, providing continual surprises for the spectators (and contestants) within.

Vespasian began his amphitheatre 72 AD and his son Titus opened it in 80AD with a games lasting 100 days (one gets intimations of the hubris and decadence that led to the eventual fall of Rome here). The building wasn't actually finished when it opened (nothing changes) but Domitian, Titus's brother, saw it to a conclusion. The most popular games were hunts (venationes) and gladiatorial games (munerae). Domitian constructed four ludi, the prisons where gladiators were trained, next to the arena. There were also bestiarii, gladiators who fought lions, tigers and other beasts. The Catholic Church today claims the Colosseum as a shrine to the Christian martyrs they say were fed to the lions ... though some historians dispute this popular image. The Colosseum saw around 450 years of service as Rome's entertainment centre. Architectural historians have read many alterations and additions to Vespasian's original structure.

In 217AD the higher storeys were wrecked by fire, and there were earthquakes in 442, 470 and 847AD. The last recorded gladiatorial contest was in 404AD, the last hunt in 523AD. It would be tempting to think that Romans had become softened and civilised as Christianity took hold, but the decline is probably down to a lack of cash. The Roman empire was faltering. A series of invasions by Goths, Huns and others were weakening their hold and the revenue being pulled in from its territories ... and Games were expensive. By the tenth century AD, the Colosseum had been abandoned and Rome was a shadow of its imperial height. Houses and shops were built within the structure, many of them hacking off chunks of the tufa to build with. Now it was used as a defensive wall, a fortress against invaders. During the Renaissance, Rome rose again, and more stone was pilfered from the Colosseum for new palazzi.

Restoration began in the 18th century Its destruction was hastened during the renaissance and later by its use as a source of building materials, until restoration started again in the eighteenth century. More recent restoration has focused on simply maintaining the Colosseum ... nobody seriously talks about rebuilding it in its entirety, and a €20m restoration project was completed in 2000. Today, lit from within on a Roman night, the Colosseum never fails to make visitors catch their breath: it is still recognisably the building started nearly 2,000 years ago to entertain the Roman public. Large parts of the Colosseum are accessible to wheelchair users and there is a lift to some of the upper levels - please mention that you'll be wanting to use the lift/elevator at the moment you pick up your tickets - you will likely be given a sort of pass for the lift. We also allow you to purchase the Rome Archaeological Pass which allows entrance not only to the Colosseum, but also 8 other notable sites and museums in Rome. The passes are valid for seven days - click here for details. You may view a location map here.

Click for a fully zoomable Google map here . You may be interested to see our blog post, with photographs, on where to go in Rome to pick up your Colosseum tickets, here . If you are still looking for accommodation, we recommend this listing of hotels in Rome . Roman Colosseum History - Roman Colosseum - The Ultimate Guide Practical Information Roman Colosseum History The suicide of emperor Nero, in 68, was followed by eighteen months of civil war, the first Roman civil war since Mark Antony’s death in 30 BC. During this period, Rome witnessed the successive rise and fall of three emperors until the final accession of Vespasian, first ruler of the Flavian Dynasty. The first task of the new Emperor Vespasian was to rebuild Rome after the civil war, to stamp his own identity on the city and to wipe away the memory of Nero. He rebuilt the Temple of Jupiter and constructed a vast new Temple of Peace. The Roman Colosseum was to become the showpiece of the new Flavian dynasty of Vespasian and his sons Titus and Domitian. The location chosen for the new amphitheater was most significant.

It was built on the site of the infamous Golden House of Nero. This grandiose palace, complete with its own lake and parkland setting, had been built in the very heart of Rome. The lake was filled in and the land reused as the location for the new Flavian Amphitheatre. Vespasian’s decision to build the Colosseum on the site of Nero’s lake can be seen as a gesture of returning a part of the city to the people which emperor Nero had appropriated for his own use. Ironically, the modern name for Vespasian’s great amphitheater is one that makes it more of a memorial to Nero than to the dynasty that replaced him. The word Colosseum is derived from the colossal statue of Nero (the Colossus) that stood nearby, commissioned by him for his Golden House. Vespasian did not live to see his amphitheater completed. After he died in 79, his oldest son Titus continued construction on the Colosseum. Titus opened it to the public in AD 80.

During the dedication of the Flavian Amphitheater 9,000 animals and hundreds of gladiators were participating in a hundred days of games on an unparalleled scale. After Titus’s untimely death the following year, Domitian, Vespasian’s youngest son and Titus’s young brother, built the underground caverns and finished the decorative work. The Colosseum remained in service for 450 years. Major repairs were carried out after 217 AD, when the amphitheater was hit by lighting and a fire broke out. For five years the gladiator games had to be held at the circus and the Colosseum was not fully repaired until about 240. Repairs were also carried out after several earthquakes, most notable in 443 and 484. Gladiatorial games began to disappear from public life during the 3rd century, due to economic pressure and opposition by the increasingly predominant new religion of Christianity. Gladiatorial fights are last mentioned around 435 while animal hunts continued a century longer. Romans start taking the iron clamps that held blocks together and looting stone from the Colosseum.

Pope Alexander VI even leased it out as a quarry, collecting one-third of the profits. It was not until 1749 that Pope Benedict XIV forbade the removal of stone from the structure, consecrating the arena to the Christian martyrs who died there and erecting a cross in the center. Later popes initiated various restoration projects, reinforcing the façade and removing the extensive vegetation which had overgrown the structure and threatened to damage it further. Today the Colosseum is one of Rome’s most popular tourist attraction attracting millions of visitors every year.

Question: The Roman Coliseum was built under the direction of which Emperor?
Answer: Vespasian