Colosseum, << `kol` uh SEE uhm, >> also called the Flavian Amphitheater << FLAY vee uhn AM fuh thee uh tuhr >> was the largest outdoor theater of ancient Rome. The Colosseum still ranks among the finest examples of Roman architecture and engineering, even though it survives only as a ruin. It stands near the center of modern Rome.
Loading the player...Interior of the Colosseum in Rome
Construction of the Colosseum started during the reign of the Emperor Vespasian, who ruled Rome from A.D. 69 to 79. Until 404, the Colosseum was the site of mock naval battles, gladiatorial combat, battles between men and wild animals, and other public spectacles. Exotic animals were hunted or fought and killed there until 523, when Rome’s decline brought the end of the games. In later years, stones from the structure were used in construction all around Rome. The looted amphitheater survived fires and earthquakes to serve as a burial ground, fortress, holy ground, and slum tenement.
Loading the player...Colosseum in Rome
The Colosseum has four stories and is oval in shape. It once sat 50,000 spectators on marble and wooden benches. The Colosseum is 157 feet (48 meters) high, about 620 feet (189 meters) long, and about 510 feet (155 meters) wide. A wall about 15 feet (4.6 meters) high separated spectators from the large arena floor. Wooden or ivory rollers and nets atop the wall helped contain the lions, other dangerous animals, and warriors.
The Colosseum is made of brick and concrete with stone covering the exterior. It has three stories of arches decorated with half columns and a plainer fourth story that was added later. The Colosseum had about 80 entrances, 2 reserved for the emperor. Passages and chambers beneath the arena held gladiators and animals and elevators to move them back and forth. Today, the building is one of the world’s biggest tourist attractions.
