Colosseum - Wonder Of The World

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.
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The Roman Coliseum is located in the heart of piazza del Colosseo, on the homonymous B(blue) metro line.
Colosseum admission fee:
Full ticket - €15.50
EU reduced ticket - €10.50 (available only for European citizens aged between 18 and 25)
EU complimentary ticket- €4.50 (available only for EU citizens aged above 65 and under 18)

Opening hours:
Mid February - mid March: 9 AM - 4.30 PM
Mid March - end March: 9 AM - 5.00 PM
End March - end August: 9 AM - 7.00 PM
End August - end Sept.: 9 AM - 6.30 PM
End Sept. - end October: 9 AM - 6.00 PM
End October - mid March: 9 AM - 4.00 PM

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.


Roman Colosseum - Gladiators
Facts and information about the life, training and role of the Gladiator and their fights to the death at the Roman Colosseum. Fast, concise facts about the different types of gladiators including the Bestiarii gladiator (gladiators who specialised in beast fighters), the Retiarii gladiator ( gladiators who carried a trident, a dagger, and a net), the Dimachaeri gladiator ( gladiators who used two-swords, one in each hand) and their clothing. There is also a section on Female Gladiators and Famous Gladiators. How did a gladiator prepare for his fight at the Colosseum? What was the life of a gladiator in the Colosseum of Ancient Rome? What were the ceremonies in the arena of the Colosseum? Comprehensive facts and information about the life of the gladiator who fought in the Colosseum and Circus Maximus of Ancient Rome.
Roman Colosseum - Roman Emperors
The Roman Emperor Vespasian and his son Titus constructed the Roman Colosseum. Many Roman Emperors enjoyed the spectacles that the Colosseum had to offer and many of the games were financed by the emperors themselves. There was even an Emperor who took great delight in participating in the games held at the Colosseum - the Emperor Commodus - the Emperor featured in the Russell Crowe Movie Gladiator. Much of the movie was fiction rather than fact - the real Commodus was much worse than the character depicted in the film! This section features the history, facts and information about the famous Emperors and their clothing together with biographies and timelines of the Roman Emperors and the part they played in the persecution of the Christians and the history of the Colosseum. Interesting facts and information about the emperors of Ancient Rome.
Roman Colosseum - Roman Empire
The history, facts and information about the Roman Empire are detailed in this section. The growth of Rome, its early history and kings and the Kingdom of Rome, its rise, decline and fall as the Roman Republic and the rise and the fall of the Roman Empire which was ruled by the all-powerful emperors. The period of time which is covered so information is divided into categories - the Kingdom of Rome, the Republic and the Empire with lists, dynasties and timelines of the Emperors. The History of Rome, Timelines, a brief History of Rome, the Rise, Decline and Fall of the Republic and the the Rise, Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Definition of the Ancient Roman Empire. What was the Empire? Why was the Ancient Empire established? When was the Empire established? Who established the Empire? What events led to the Decline of the Empire? When did the Empire of Rome fall? Reason why the Roman Empire fell. The split of the Empire.
The Roman Colosseum - Architecture
This section of the website provides an overview of Roman Architecture, much of which is featured in the construction, design and building of the Roman Colosseum. Basilicas, Baths, Amphitheaters such as the Roman Colosseum, Triumphal arches, Villas, Temples, Roads, Forts and Stockades, Towns, Aqueducts and the Roman Baths. Facts and Information about their discovery of concrete and their famous columns and arches. The Colosseum was situated in the centre of Rome, it was in fact a symbol of the might, the wealth and the power of the Roman Empire. The Colosseum took less than 10 years to build, a remarkable achievement for the excellent engineers and their famous engineering skills. The architecture of the Roman Colosseum illustrates their use of one of the Romans most famous inventions - concrete. The Roman arch was prominently featured in the design and building of the Colosseum as were the different styles of architecture reflected in the Roman columns. Look carefully at pictures of the Colosseum and you will see Tuscan columns at the bottom, then Ionic, with Corinthian columns in the third storey. Facts and information about the beautiful Roman mosaics and Roman Art are also included. Comprehensive facts about the art and architecture of Ancient Rome. Interesting facts about the Colosseum and architecture of Ancient Rome.
Roman Colosseum - History
This history of the Roman Colosseum started hundreds of years before it was actually built when the tastes of Roman citizens craved the excitement and blood lust of the gladiatorial games. Their taste for blood and this form of entertainment dates back to 264AD when the first recorded Roman gladiatorial combats took place in Rome. The Roman Colosseum was opened in 80AD and was originally the called the Flavian Amphitheatre. The idea of this great arena was that of the Roman Emperor Vespasian and the construction started in c70AD and was financed from the proceeds gained from the Roman sacking of Jerusalem. The history of the bloody arena continues through the reigns of various emperors, the emergence of the new Christian religion, the horror stories of the deaths of Christian martyrs in the Colosseum, the Gladiator fights and the killing of thousands of exotic animals in Ancient Rome. The madness of the mob and craving for this type of entertainment finally ended in the 6th century. Interesting facts about the Colosseum of Ancient Rome.

Roman Colosseum - Roman Life
Who were the people who could be found at the Roman Colosseum? The Roman Life section provides history, facts and information about the people of Ancient Rome. Facts and information about the clothing and lives and life of women, children, the family, marriage, education and food. The history facts and information about the Patricians and the Plebeians, the citizens of Rome, the slaves and the senators. There are several articles relating to Roman slaves including the Slave Market, Slave Auction, Slave Trade, Slave Punishment and the Day in the Life of a Slave. This section also describes the history, information and facts about the activities and entertainments in Ancient Rome. Additional articles, facts and information about Roman Numerals and the numbers 1 100 in Roman numerals, the names of the days of the week and the months, weights, measures and coins. Who was allowed to go to the games at the Colosseum? How much did it cost to go into the Colosseum? Who sat where in the Colosseum? How often did people go to the Colosseum? Comprehensive facts about life in Ancient Rome.
Roman Colosseum - Roman Gods and Goddesses - Gods - Religion and Mythology
This section contains facts and information about religion, mythology, and the Gods and Goddesses. The Roman's attitude towards religion and how other religions were assimilated into their culture and society. The role that religion took in state occasions, politics and the lives and future of the Romans. The names of the most important gods and goddesses are include together with descriptions of other terms closely related to Roman mythology. A list, description and details of all the Gods and Goddesses including Jupiter the King of the Gods, Juno the Queen of the Gods, Neptune the God of the Sea, Pluto the God of Death, Apollo the God of the Sun, Diana the Goddess of the Moon, Mars the God of War, Venus the Goddess of Love, Cupid the God of Love, Mercury the Messenger of the Gods, Minerva the Goddess of Wisdom, Ceres the Earth Goddess, Proserpina the Goddess of the Underworld, Vulcan, Bacchus the God of Wine, Saturn the God of Time, Vesta the Goddess of the Home, Janus the God of Doors and Uranus the Father of Saturn. Information about the Underworld, the Fates and the Furies. The role and clothing of the Vestal Virgins, the Augurs and Auguries, Aruspices, Pontifices, Priests and Religious ceremonies and festivals. The role of religion and the Colosseum.
Roman Colosseum - Roman Weapons
The history, facts and information about roman weapons including those used by the gladiators in the Colosseum. The army, the legions, centurions and the soldiers. Their armor, helmets, shields, siege weapons including the catapult and ballista, the chariots and facts about the different types of weapons and clothing used by soldiers and gladiators. Facts and information about the Roman Siege Weapons including the Tormentum, Ballista, Testudo, Vinea (arbor-sheds), Helepolis, Turris, Battering Ram and the Wild Ass (Onager).
Roman Colosseum - Roman Army
The history, facts and interesting information about the Roman Army. The Romans were essentially military and antagonistic in all their tastes and habits. Twenty-five legions made the conquest of the known world, and retained that conquest for 500 years. The army of the Romans was one of the greatest armies that the world has ever seen. History, interesting facts and information on the army and the fleet and ships of the navy: Soldiers, Consuls, Centurion and Tribune, Ensigns, Flags, the Standard, Army Ranks Dictionary, Soldiers and the clothing, the Legion and Cohorts, army battle plans, strategy, army tactics and army formations. There are also facts and information about the 'Praetorian Guard' which originated from the 'Praetoria Cohors' who were the troops who guarded the Praetor and then the Consuls who served as commanders in a military capacity.
Roman Colosseum - Roman Clothing
Interesting facts and information about the different types and colors of the clothing worn by the Romans who lived in Ancient Rome and visited places of spectacle and entertainment like the Colosseum. Clothing worn by the Emperors, Senators, Soldiers, Roman citizens, Slaves, the Women, the Vestal Virgins and of course the Gladiators. Interesting facts and information about the Roman Clothing worn by people who lived in Ancient Rome. 
Information and Facts about the Roman Colosseum
Interesting facts and information on the Colosseum arena in Ancient Rome. Why was this arena in Ancient Rome called the Colosseum? The Colosseum was originally called the the Flavian Amphitheatre but was given the name Colosseum. The name Colosseum was taken from the Latin word 'colosseus' meaning colossal referring to a gigantic statue of the Emperor Nero, measuring 100 to 120 Roman feet (37m) high, which had once occupied the location of the Colosseum in Ancient Rome.