Colosseum History

Colosseum History::-

The Colosseum was originally called the Flavian Amphitheater. It was named after its builders, the emperors Vespasian and Titus, both from the Flavian family. Construction began around 70 AD near the Palatine, Esquiline, and

Caelian hills. The Colosseum was built to entertain the masses with barbaric games, such as the famous gladiator games.

The opening celebration was a 100 days of games in which thousands of animals and gladiators were killed. The Colosseum was finished in 80 AD and can accommodate more than 50,000 people. . Often times, the Colosseum was flooded in order to stage small naval battles. The emperor had his own entrance to the Colosseum, and from his private “box seat” he decided the fate of gladiators that had been defeated.  Beneath the floor of the Colosseum was a maze of passageways, and temporary holding pens for the animals. The floor of the arena was wood covered with sand. A manual elevator was used to raise the animals from the basement up to the arena floor. The walls of the subterranean passageways can still be seen today when you visit the site.

The Colosseum is also a marvel of efficiency. The Romans created tickets and assigned seating long before modern sports arenas came into existence. Before a game, a spectator would receive a ticket which had a number that corresponded to one of the 79 entrance arches. All arches had numbers above them. The ticket also included a level, and a seat number.

For almost 400 years, The Colosseum was used regularly and has survived through earthquakes, neglect, and the pillaging of popes who took its marble for their own buildings. It fell into despair for many centuries after its use, and has only been preserved in the last century.

Colosseum Visitor Information
Colosseum Admission Fees are as follow:
Full ticket – €15.50
EU reduced ticket – €10.50 (only for European citizens aged between 18 and 25)
EU minors & seniors ticket- €4.50 (only for EU citizens aged above 65 and under 18)

The Rome archaeological card is also valid at the Colosseum.

Colosseum Opening Hours:
Mid February – mid March: 9 AM – 4.30 PM
Mid March – end March: 9 AM – 5.00 PM
End March – end August: 9 AM – 7.00 PM
End August – end Sept.: 9 AM – 6.30 PM
End Sept. – end October: 9 AM – 6.00 PM
End October – mid March: 9 AM – 4.00 PM

The Colosseum is easy to get to with its own metro stop as well as being served by many buses. Tours to the Colosseum run daily and cost about €10 and can be used as a joint ticket to the nearby Palatine hill. You will also find many guides in the area who will offer you tours. Be careful who you choose- while many are knowledgeable and reputable, there are quiet a few who are not. Make sure they have an official tour guide license.

What to see while visiting The Colosseum:

• The Exterior – The exterior of the Roman Colosseum is made entirely of travertine, stretching 527 m around and four stories high.  There are 80 entrances, with the two main ones reserved for the emperor and his entourage.

• The Cavea – Otherwise known as the seating area. This is divided into three tiers: the lowest for knights; the middle for wealthy citizens; and the top for the general population. In total the Colosseum could hold up to 45,000 spectators.

• The Podium – The arena is surrounded by a 5m-high wall to protect spectators from attacks by wild beasts. At the top of the wall is where you will find the podium, on which the imperial party and other VIPs had their seats.


• The Colossus Statue of Nero – The statue after which the amphitheater is named, can be seen between the Colosseum and the nearby Temple of Venus and Roma.


• Palatine Hill – As you come toward the end of the forum, there is a path that goes off to the right, up hill. The palatine hill. Approaching the Colosseum you will see several things. Vending trucks, people dressed as gladiators, souvenir carts, and tour touts.
  

Colosseum Conservation Effort
When restoration started in 1995, just 15 percent of the Colosseum was open to visitors. Now, up to 85% of the site is open to tourists. Last year, as many as 2.5 million people toured the world’s most famous amphitheater, making it by far Italy’s most visited site.

The Colosseum is constantly being renovated and cataloged in order to restore it. However, there is a lot of red tape in Italy as well as a lack of funds for many of their historic ruins. The Colosseum is not immune to this and thus progress on its conservation is much slower than it should be. Moreover, pollution from modern Rome is also a threat to the architecture.