The Colosseum in Rome, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, is one of the most iconic structures of the ancient world. Built where Nero’s private gardens once stood, it became a vast public arena for gladiator fights, animal hunts and executions. Over the centuries it was reused, stripped for materials, reimagined as a Christian site, and eventually protected as a historical monument. This post takes a closer look at how it was built, how it worked, and what happened to it after the fall of the Empire.
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Today I’m writing about what is probably one of the most iconic ancient places in Europe. As strange as it may sound, I used to play among the ruins of Leptis Magna and Sabratha when I was a child, and ever since then, visiting historical places has really stayed with me. But when I finally stepped inside – on one of my many trips to Rome – walked through the passage under the arches and looked up, I actually got goosebumps.
The Colosseum in Rome, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre (Amphitheatrum Flavium), is one of the most recognisable monuments of the ancient world and a lasting symbol of the power of Rome and the Roman Empire. From antiquity to the present day, it has survived in surprisingly good condition for its age – standing as a reminder not only of Roman engineering skill, but also of how power could be exercised through public entertainment.
Historical Context
Construction of the Colosseum began around AD 72, during the reign of Emperor Vespasian, the first ruler from the Flavian dynasty. He came to power after a series of violent assassinations and uprisings during the chaotic succession crisis that followed the death of Nero, who had been deeply unpopular with much of Roman society. Nero, the last emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, ruled from AD 54 to 68 and is remembered as one of the most controversial leaders in Roman history. Though he started out with promise, he soon became a symbol of tyranny, driven by his artistic ambitions and obsession with control. His most notorious project was the Domus Aurea – the Golden House – a lavish palace built in the heart of Rome on land cleared by the great fire of AD 64. Whether he actually started the fire is still debated, but the image of an emperor playing the lyre while the city burned has remained firmly in the public imagination. Nero died by suicide in AD 68, leaving behind a city in turmoil and a legacy that later emperors were eager to leave behind.
In his efforts to restore authority and bring stability back to the empire, Vespasian made a number of decisions aimed at regaining the trust of Roman citizens. One of the most symbolic was the decision to build a massive public amphitheatre on the site of a former artificial lake that had been part of Nero’s Domus Aurea. This move carried strong propaganda value. Where once there had been a private garden of imperial luxury and excess, there was now to be an open space for public entertainment. Vespasian quite literally took the land back from Nero’s hated palace and handed it over to the people of Rome.
Vespasian died before the Colosseum was completed, and it was his son Titus who saw the project through to the end. Tens of thousands of people took part in the opening celebrations, which lasted an impressive 100 days. During that time, the public enjoyed gladiator fights, displays of wild animals, and staged battle re-enactments.
The Colosseum in Rome was mainly used for gladiator fights and wild animal shows, but also for public executions. In its early years, around AD 80–90, it is thought – though not historically confirmed – that it may have also hosted mock naval battles. At that time, the arena had no underground structures, which meant it could be flooded relatively easily with water.
The Building
The Colosseum in Rome was built in an elliptical shape, measuring about 189 metres long and 156 metres wide. The outer façade rose to a height of 48 metres. Its four storeys of arcaded walls were supported by a system of arches and pillars. The structure was made using stone, brick and concrete – materials that, in Roman times, represented the height of engineering and construction technology. The outer walls were built from large blocks of travertine, held together with iron clamps and lime mortar. The interior was filled with lighter materials: brick and what we now call Roman concrete (opus caementicium) – a mix of lime, water and volcanic ash (pozzolana), which made the structure remarkably strong and resistant to moisture. Thanks to this, the Colosseum has survived earthquakes, fires and nearly two thousand years of erosion. The use of arches and vaults helped to evenly distribute the weight of the building, allowing the Romans to create something spacious and monumental without needing internal supports.
The interior of the amphitheatre consisted of the arena, the seating area, and a complex underground system known as the hypogeum.
The arena of the Colosseum was the heart of the whole structure – an elliptical, flat surface measuring about 87 by 55 metres, covered in sand (called harena, which is where the word arena comes from). The sand was used to soak up blood and make it easier for fighters to move. Underneath was the hypogeum, now exposed but once hidden beneath a wooden platform. This surface was often decorated with artificial trees, rocks, columns or ruins to create the right setting for the shows. For specific events, the look of the arena could be completely changed overnight, which shows how efficient and well-organised the technical and backstage teams must have been.
Surrounding the arena was the seating area, or cavea, which could hold between 50 and 60 thousand spectators. The seats were arranged in tiered levels, reflecting the strict social hierarchy of ancient Rome. Closest to the arena were the boxes reserved for senators and elites, who sat on marble benches with their names engraved. Behind them sat the equites, a wealthy social class just below the senators, and above them, the ordinary citizens. The top tier was set aside for women, slaves and the poor. Each section had its own entrances and corridors – called vomitoria – which allowed tens of thousands of people to enter and exit the amphitheatre within minutes. The seating was designed with impressive acoustic and visual precision, so that every spectator, no matter where they sat, could clearly see and hear what was happening in the arena.
The two-level hypogeum was added to the Colosseum during the reign of Emperor Domitian – the same one the Senate later tried to erase from memory for his tyranny. It served as the technical and logistical backstage for organising the shows. The underground area included corridors, holding cells for gladiators, enclosures for wild animals, storage rooms, workshops, and a system of lifts and ramps that allowed for fast and dramatic entrances onto the arena floor. The hypogeum stretched beneath the entire arena and included around 30 lifts, operated manually by teams of workers and slaves using a complex system of pulleys, ropes and counterweights. These lifts connected to trapdoors or cunei which could suddenly open at arena level, allowing animals or fighters to appear in a striking and theatrical way.
Above the entire amphitheatre stretched a massive sail-like canopy known as the velarium, which provided shade for the audience on sunny days. It was operated by sailors from the Roman navy, who used a complex system of ropes and rigging anchored to the outer pillars of the building.
Gladiator Fights
Gladiators were among the most recognisable figures of ancient Rome, and their presence in the arena was central to the spectacular shows staged for the crowds. Although often associated with violence and blood, they were also highly trained fighters whose lives were shaped by discipline and combat. They were not ordinary soldiers or random slaves – they were people who spent months, sometimes years, in training, living under strict rules imposed by the owners of gladiator schools.
Most gladiators were slaves, either sold into combat or captured and then placed in special training centres known as ludi. There, under the guidance of experienced instructors – often former gladiators themselves – they learned fighting techniques, how to handle different weapons, and how to behave in the arena. Their goal wasn’t just to survive, but to put on a show, gain the crowd’s approval, and increase their value. But not all gladiators were slaves. Some were free men who volunteered. Their reasons varied – fame, debt, desperation, or even fascination with the life of a fighter. These volunteers signed contracts in which they gave up their citizen rights for the duration of their service, becoming the legal property of the training school’s owner.
Gladiator fights followed strict rules. Opponents were not paired at random – different fighting styles and weapons were matched to create a show full of tension and drama. For example, a lightly armed and fast fighter with a trident and net might face a heavily armoured opponent with a large shield and sword. Their clashes were almost like theatrical duels, where not just strength and technique, but also strategy and an understanding of the opponent’s weaknesses, played a key role. Gladiators were categorised by their weapons and fighting style, and each type had its own name, equipment and way of moving in combat.
Although the fights were brutal and carried a real risk of death, they didn’t always end with one of the fighters being killed. Gladiators were expensive to train and maintain, so organisers were reluctant to let them die without a clear reason. Often, the decision about a defeated fighter’s fate was made by the person in charge of the show, based on the crowd’s reaction, how the fight went, or even financial concerns. A loser who fought bravely and with honour could be spared and sent back to training. Gladiators who became popular could enjoy a level of fame – they were tattooed, painted on pottery, mentioned in inscriptions, and sometimes treated like celebrities. In some cases, they even gained their freedom after many victories, or by receiving a symbolic wooden sword called a rudis, which marked the end of their service.
Public Executions
Public executions were a regular part of the games held at the Colosseum in Rome, although they were often overshadowed by the more spectacular gladiator fights or animal shows. But these executions were not only about punishment. They were also seen as a form of entertainment, often staged in a theatrical way that combined death with performance. The brutality of these executions was not accidental – it was meant to show the power of the state and the strictness of Roman law towards those who broke it. At the same time, it reinforced the idea of Roman order, where punishment was quick, unavoidable, and made into a spectacle.
Those most often sentenced were common criminals, slaves, and prisoners of war – especially those not considered worthy of fighting as gladiators. One of the most brutal and humiliating forms of execution was damnatio ad bestias, or condemnation to the beasts – the victim was sent out, unarmed, into the arena where lions, tigers, leopards or bears were waiting. Sometimes, to make the scene more dramatic, the condemned were dressed up or the execution was staged to imitate mythological stories. In such cases, death became a performance – someone might be made to play Orpheus, torn apart by wild animals, or Icarus, falling from the sky, only to die for real.
Another method of execution was beheading, crucifixion, or burning alive. These forms were less theatrical, so they usually took place outside the Colosseum in Rome, but during larger celebrations they were sometimes included in the arena programme. Some games also featured mass executions -especially after wars or uprisings – as a show of power aimed at rebels or conquered peoples. On some occasions, thousands of people were killed in a single day.
From the Middle Ages onwards – and especially during the Baroque period – Christian tradition began to associate the Colosseum with the martyrdom of the early followers of Christ. Stories started to circulate about Christians being thrown to the lions right there. By the 19th century, the Colosseum had become a symbol of Christian suffering, particularly for the Catholic Church. Popes began holding Stations of the Cross there, and in 1749, Pope Benedict XIV consecrated the site by placing a cross in the centre of the arena. This Christian narrative carries religious and cultural meaning, even though it doesn’t fully align with historical evidence. Today, most historians agree that Christians may have been executed in the Colosseum in Rome, but there is no proof that it was a place specifically used for their persecution, or that mass, systematic executions of Christians happened there.
After the Fall of the Empire
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD, the Colosseum gradually stopped serving its original purpose and began to fall into ruin. Parts of the structure collapsed during earthquakes -especially in 847 and 1349 – and over the centuries, stone from its walls was taken for use in other buildings across Rome. Still, despite the damage, the Colosseum was never completely abandoned. In fact, over time it was given new roles. As early as the early Middle Ages, it was used as living space, workshops, and even for religious purposes.
Small chapels and even tiny churches were built inside the Colosseum in Rome. In the 11th century, a chapel dedicated to Saint Mary of the Martyrs was built within the structure. It was linked to the memory of Christian martyrs, although as said before there is no clear historical evidence to confirm that connection. In the 15th century, more chapels appeared, often sponsored by craft guilds and religious brotherhoods. One of them was built by the Archconfraternity of the Holy Cross, which held prayers and penitential processions inside the Colosseum. In the 18th century, a cross was placed inside the arena, and a Way of the Cross was created – some of its stations still survive today as part of the site’s religious symbolism.
It wasn’t until the Renaissance that people began to recognise the historical and artistic value of the Colosseum in Rome as a relic of ancient times. Artists, scholars, and architects started to see the ruins not just as a convenient source of stone, but as a reminder of Rome’s former glory. Still, for a long time, dismantling the structure remained common practice – huge travertine blocks from the Colosseum were used in the construction of Renaissance palaces and churches, including the Palazzo Venezia and St Peter’s Basilica. Even in the 16th century, popes – though increasingly aware of its symbolic meaning – still allowed it to be used as a quarry. This attitude began to change gradually, as interest in antiquity grew and historical and archaeological studies developed. In the 18th century, Pope Benedict XIV declared the Colosseum a place of Christian martyrdom and consecrated it by placing a cross inside. From then on, the building was treated as sacred ground, which helped protect it from further destruction.
In the 19th century, with the rise of modern archaeology, the Colosseum became the focus of serious scientific study. Archaeologists, architects, and engineers began systematic measurements, excavations, and restoration work. Rubble was cleared, damaged walls were stabilised, and the underground structures were documented and analysed. This period saw the creation of the first modern records of the Colosseum as a site of cultural heritage. Even today, the Colosseum still holds many secrets. The hypogeum, the network of underground passages, had been buried and inaccessible for centuries. Thanks to modern technologies such as laser scanning and 3D photogrammetry, archaeologists are now uncovering new details about how shows were organised and how the arena functioned behind the scenes. Ongoing research is also revealing fragments of wall paintings, inscriptions, and graffiti, which help us understand the everyday life of the people who worked there. Some elements, like the elevators or water systems, still aren’t fully understood, leaving room for further discovery and interpretation.
Colosseum in Pictures
Today, the Colosseum in Rome is one of the most visited landmarks in Italy, attracting millions of tourists each year. It’s also one of the most important UNESCO World Heritage Sites. At the same time, it remains a focus of ongoing conservation and restoration efforts, aimed at protecting it from further damage. The Colosseum still plays a role in cultural and religious life. Every Good Friday, the Pope leads the Stations of the Cross here, turning the ancient arena into a place of reflection and ceremony. For centuries, the site has also inspired artists, writers, and filmmakers. It features in classic films such as Quo Vadis?, Ben-Hur, and Gladiator, which helped shape its image as a place of epic battles and sacrifice. In literature and popular culture, it often appears as a symbol of both Roman glory and cruelty.
