Travels in Italy: The Colosseum in Rome

While visiting Rome, we toured the Colosseum with a knowledgeable guide.  We learned a lot while getting some good exercise climbing many steep steps to the upper levels.   

The Colosseum in Rome

The Colosseum was built during 72 A.D.-80 A.D. and was originally known as the Flavian Amphitheater. The building is an open-air oval amphitheater ("amphi" means on both sides and "theater" means place for viewing) that was constructed during the reigns of three Roman emperors who were members of the Flavian dynasty.  (The name Colosseum came into use later in time and is supposedly based a tall statue that once stood close by.  The statue was based on ancient statue in Greece, the Colossus of Rhodes.)

(The painting above is located in the Galleria Borghese in Rome.)

The Colosseum's capacity might have exceeded 50,000 spectators.  During its early use, many types of spectacles were hosted there:

• gladiator contests
• mock sea battles (only for a short time after initial construction was completed, before adding the wooden stage and the underground cages and walkways)
• animal hunts
• executions
• re-enactments of famous battles
• theatrical dramas

Later, the building was used for different purposes:

• housing
• workshops
• a fortress
• a quarry (stones were used in other buildings in Rome)
• a Roman Catholic holy site

Visiting the Colosseum was an amazing experience.  We spent a couple of hours there and took a few photographs.

The Colosseum:  A view from the ground looking up at the 150 foot outer wall.

The Colosseum:  The East Gate, or the Gate of Life, through which gladiators entered and surviving gladiators exited.  The West Gate was reserved for the unfortunate.

The Colosseum:   A view of the arena.

The Colosseum:   Another view of the arena.  A replica wooden floor has been erected at the east end of the Colosseum.  The original floor was wooden and covered with sand.

The Colosseum:  Below the floor is a deep labyrinth of walkways and animal cages.  Elevators and trap doors were used to lift people and animals up to the arena floor. 

The Colossuem:  A working replica of an ancient elevator has been constructed.  If you look closely, you can see both the hole in the stage and the ramp below the stage that would have enabled a large animal such as a lion, tiger or bear to walk up to the arena floor.   

The Colossuem:  The site is considered a shrine and every year, the Pope presides over the Way of the Cross ritual on the evening of Good Friday.

The Colosseum:  A lovely flower graces the Colosseum

Thanks for joining our visit to the Colosseum.

P.S.  The Colosseum is featured on the back of 5 cent Euro coin used in Italy.  Who knew?