Dear Insideaters, today we have decided to take you with us to discover the most visited monument in Italy: the Colosseum.
Its construction began between 70 and 72 AD. under the control of Emperor Vespasiano who, for the inauguration, started games lasting about 3 months. In the morning there were games with animals, while in the afternoon there were fights between gladiators: on these occasions about 9000 animals and 2000 men died.
After the games, the Colosseum continued to be used for shows with animals and gladiators, as well as for some public events such as hunting shows and the re-enactment of famous battles. In addition, the amphitheater was used as a place for public executions.
In the past, out of 80 entrances, 76 were used for spectators. The remaining 4, named with the four cardinal points, had a specific purpose: those to the north and south were dedicated to the aristocrats, while the other two were used by gladiators. The door to the east, through which they entered, was called the “door of life”, while the door to the west, defined as the “door of death”, was the one from which the corpses were brought out.
Once the auditorium and its steps were entirely in marble and were divided to distinguish the social class of the spectators. The higher you sat, the more the rank decreased. Two boxes were dedicated to the emperors on opposite sides of the structure.
The emperor used the amphitheater for political promotion, that’s why the admission to the shows was free for the Romans, while foreigners were required to pay a fee.
But let’s move on to its structure: an ellipse of 527 meters wide, with a height of 52 meters, today it has become 48 meters due to its deterioration. This size allowed it to accommodate between 50,000 and 87,000 people, classifying it as the most important and impressive Roman amphitheater ever built.
Today the Colosseum is the symbol of the Eternal City and is the most visited archaeological monument in Italy, with about 5.5 million visitors a year. In 2007 it was included among the new seven wonders of the world and is recognized as a world heritage site.
Insideaters, if you pass by Rome you certainly cannot fail to visit this imposing structure from inside or outside, perhaps during a walk to work off the tasty Roman delicacies. Discover here our gastronomic tour through the alleys of the authentic Rome to discover and taste typical Roman foods.
If you are curious to know why the Colosseum has this name, find out here (inserire link x articolo nomi delle attrazioni romane).
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