Address: piazza del Colosseo

The Flavius amphitheatre, universally known as Colosseum (name which traces back to the Middle Age) is the most important and large monument of the ancient Rome.
Its construction was started by Vespasianus in 72 d.c. in the same place in which was the pond (artificial lake) attached to the Domus Aurea and inaugurated by Titus in the 80's, completed on the top part by Domitian and restaured by Severus Alexander who rebuilt the colonnade of the "summa cavea".



It is told that during the inaugural festivities which, according to the historians, lasted more than three months, many gladiators were killed and 5000 wild beasts. The purpose of the amphtheatre was to entertain violent spectacles as the fights of the gladiators and, in the late empire, it was used for "venationes" i.e. hunt of fierce beasts which lasted till they were soppressed by the emperor Onorio after the 400.
Severely damaged by the earthquake in the middle of V century, it was made into a fortress and during the Middle age, because it was entirely covered with marble, it was used by some Pontifs who stripped it so as to use its materials for the construction of new monuments.
The dimensions, as the Colosseum appears to-day, are these: the major axis which unites the curvatures of the ellipse is of 188 metres. The minor axis reaches the 156 meters. The circonference is of 527 metres. The height of the flight of steps is of 57 metres.
The construction is of four floors. The first three floors were of arcades on pilatres which delimited the niches, each one of these contained a statue in marble of a divinity, or of an important personage. The fourth floor is decorated with pilaster strips and consoles. To-day then we can only have an idea of the beauty of ancient monument in its entireness.



Anyhow its beauty is put in evidence particularly in the evening when a powerful illumination puts in relief and makes the most of the three types of columns : the doric, ionic and corinthian. From the last levels the sight of Rome is enchanting, mainly on the Forum. Can be seen also the Constantine Arch, the columns and the apse of the Temple of Venus and of Rome, the romanesque style of the Church of Saint Francesca Romana and the magnificent proportions of the Titus Arch.
The exterior part was completely sheathed with marble and was provided with four main entrances which directly led into the arena and to the 80 arcades from which one could reach the varied seats.
The interior could contain more than 50000 spectators and is made of a terrace with three orders of tiers. The terrace which got round the arena had a stand reserved to the emperor and was surrounded by seats reserved for the senators, the magistrates and the vestals ; the first flight of steps was taken by knights ; the second by citizens ; the third and the terrace, which overhung the edifice, by people.



In the amphitheatre took place a variety of spectacles : fights, games, acquatic feasts.



In spite of the beauty of the construction, it is difficult, looking at the arena, not to think of the thousands of men, animals which died in violent manner for the pleasure of the crowd. Pope Pius IX saw to it that a large wooden cross be erected with the aim of sanctifying this place.
The dimensions of the arena are of 16 meters by 46. Still to-day are visible the spaces reserved for lifts destined at hoisting the wild beasts from their dens located under the arena level, for the terrifying spectacles ; the lifts were manoeuvred by the condemned themselves with hand strength.

It was Vespasianus who had the idea of having this amphitheatre built on the site of the Domus Aurea of Nero.
The emperor died in 79 before the end of the works, and it was Titus, his son, who inaugurated it. Then Domizianus between the 81 and 96 had the decorations of the edifice to be finished. It is from the name of the three emperors of Flavia Family that the amphitheatre was called Flavius. Then afterwards it took the name of Colosseum, in about the VII century. Reguarding the derivation of such name, it is conjectured that it is due either to the massive structure of the monument or to the enormous golden bronze statue of Nero (the Colossus) which is found not far. The construction of the Colosseum made it necessary to have recourse to complex technic. After having drained the artificial lakes which were where now is the Colosseum, the architects poured pozzolana (bitumen made of sand of volcanic origin) thick 7.50 meters.

The circular walls were built with tufa (volcanic stone) and they were built to ward off the problem of the enormous mole, and small cupolas which were supporting the corridors and the flights of steps.