Just as Saint Peter’s Basilica is the symbol of Christianity in Rome, so the Colosseum is the emblem of the ancient world. Everyone who comes to Rome wants to see this ancient arena – and who wouldn’t!

Standing in the largest amphitheatre in the Roman Empire, you are transported back to 100 A.D. when thousands of spectators packed the stands to cheer on their chosen gladiators. It’s easy to paint a glorified picture, but in reality these gladiatorial contests and other spectacles were gruesome affairs and many performers lost their lives. Yet, despite the brutality, there is something fascinating about the Colosseum.

The original wooden floor is, of course, long gone, so you can clearly see the network of tunnels that ran underneath the arena and imagine the gladiators and animals waiting there. The museum on the first floor also paints a really good picture of the Colosseum in action, as does the audio guide.

The Colosseum, or Amphitheatrum Novum or Amphitheatrum Flavium as the Ancient Romans called it, was commissioned by Emperor Vespasian in 72 A.D. and completed in 80 A.D.
The previous amphitheatre, built in 29 B.C., had been destroyed during the Great Fire of Rome in 64 A.D., which is rumoured to have been started by Vespasian’s predecessor, Emperor Nero.
Following Nero’s downfall in 68 A.D., Vespasian saw an opportunity to assume power and was declared Emperor in 69 A.D. He ordered the construction of a new amphitheatre in 72 A.D. as a symbol of his allegiance to the people of Rome. The Colosseum was to be the largest arena in the Roman world and bring glory to the new Flavian dynasty.
40,000 slaves are said to have built the Colosseum in just seven years, using only the most basic of tools.