On Sunday, we also went to the Colosseum.
Built in the first century A.D. at the behest of the emperors of the Flavian dynasty, the Colosseum, named after a colossal statue that stood nearby until the end of the Ancient Age, accommodated games of great popular appeal, such as hunts and gladiatorial fights.
Built in 72 A.D, the Colosseum has remained the largest amphitheater in the world and is considered to be Rome´s most popular tourist attraction. Standing as the iconic symbol of Ancient Rome, this monument that once hosted the inhuman ¨games¨ of man vs. beast, is considered a modern-day Wonder!
Here are some interesting facts about the Colosseum:
The Colosseum in Rome has over 80 entrances and can accommodate about 50,000 spectators.
It is thought that over 500,000 people lost their lives and over a million wild animals were killed throughout the duration of the Colosseum hosted people vs. beast games.
The last gladiatorial fights took place in 435 AD.
All ancient Romans had free entry to the Colosseum for events, and was also fed throughout the show.
Festivals as well as games could last up to 100 days in the Coliseum. The Ancient Romans would sometimes flood the Colosseum and have miniature ship naval battles inside as a way of entertainment.
The Colosseum in Italy only took 9 years to build using over 60,000 Jewish slaves.
Many natural disasters devastated the structure of the Colosseum, but it was the earthquakes of 847 AD and 1231 AD that caused most of the damage you see today.
The original name of the Colosseum was Flavian Amphitheater, after the Flavian Dynasty of Emperors.
Rome´s most popular monument was built for three reasons. As a gift to the Roman Citizens from the Flavian Dynasty to increase their popularity, to stage various forms of entertainment, and to showcase Roman engineering techniques to the worlld.
Here I am in front of the Colosseum.
Inside the Colosseum:
Our local guide, Titiana, provides some background on the Colosseum.
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