Before the structure we call “The Colosseum” was a famous tourist attraction, it was pretty much a sporting arena called Il Colosseo at times, and at other times by its original given name, The Flavian Amphitheater. It was a huge phenomenal elliptical structure that sprawled over six acres and was capable of seating 50,000 people at the events held there at the peak of the Roman Empire.

The famous scenes of humans and animals fighting in the Colosseum that we see in movies are accurate to the kinds of things that went on there in the first century. But the centuries have erased any evidence of those games except for the passageways and vaults underground where participants in those spectacles entered the Colosseum or were stored until it was their time to fight.

Over the centuries, fires and earthquake have damaged the building significantly. Nonetheless, much of the grandeur that was on display here at the peak of the Roman Empire can still be sensed in these ancient rooms.

If you get all the way to the top of the arena, you will look down 157 feet from the peak to the floor below and from that vantage point, it is easy to imagine the great spectacles that happened here. And even though the once perfect red brick arches are falling apart and the animals and warriors that moved through those gates are no longer here, the ghosts of glory days gone by are easy to sense.

The layout of the stadium is by layers - each of which has a great view of the different levels of arches all around the huge space of the Colosseum. As you sit on those ancient seats, it’s easy to hear from the past the crowd explode with excitement when the Emperor came in with his entourage through one of the four gates that were only for him. There are 76 other entrances around the stadium that average citizens of Rome were allowed to use.

It is interesting that it was a 130 foot tall statue named “the Colossus” that gave the stadium its common name way back in 80 AD when it finally opened for public use after 15,000 slaves labored for 8 years to build it. The reason that statue was so popular is many thought it looked like Nero. But over the years the Colossus showed the face of whatever emperor was in power. When you visit the Colosseum, you will still be able to find the base of the Colossus between the Venus and the Temple of Roma nearby.

When the Colosseum opened, there was a marathon of celebrations that went on for 100 days at every level of society from royalty to the barbarian, as they revelled in their new stadium. Huge throngs of people watched gladiators fighting to the death as well a form of lion taming that was far more brutal than anything we would put up with in our times.

Seating in the Colosseum was assigned by your rank and status in society. The Emperor had the best seat near the base of the facility and the highest levels were left for women who were not part of the royal party. But there were no bad seats because from any of the 50,000 seats, you could see the combat unfold. And the spectacular display of elephants, hippopotami and other exotic animals that became part of the grand show along with the great cats that were used for combat made for a diversion that kept the Roman people excited and anticipating the next big performance.

To this day engineers do not know how designers at that time were able to develop the masts and velarium that made up the canopy that covered a massive area to provide shade during the games. Those canopies have long ago decayed so the answer may also have been swallowed up by time. But you can admire the elegant and powerful columns of the arena made of Doric on the lowest level, or Ionic on the second tier and finally with Corinthian on the third level of the arena.

To this day the architecture of The Colosseum amazes tourists and engineers alike who also emulate its design and use ideas from this ancient stadium in modern arena designs. At the time, it was a first of its kind and by far the biggest and most famous free standing arena in the Roman world. Other smaller stadiums were just simple structures that were dug out of the hills around Italy. You can still find examples of this design approach around Rome during your visit.

But one thing is for sure and that is to be sure your visit to Rome is a complete experience, you will want to allow some time to walk around the amazing architecture and history of the Colosseum.

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