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Colosseum Facts

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Below are some of the facts about the Colosseum:

  • Colosseum was constructed by King Vespasian and the work started in 72 AD. It was made of concrete and stone.
  • The Colosseum is also called the Flavian Amphitheatre as it was built at the time of the Flavian Dynasty.
  • There was a statue outside the amphitheatre which was called ‘the Colossus of Nero’, and from this statue the name came as Colosseum.
  • The Colosseum could sit more than 50,000 people inside at a time, and is the biggest amphitheatre in the world.
  • Construction of the Colosseum was completed in 81 AD by Titus, the son of Vespasian. And the time to build such a huge structure was a record short time of only 9 years.
  • Almost 60,000 Jew slaves were employed in the building of the structure.
  • Domitian, the youngest brother of Titus, made some alterations to the structure and design of the Colosseum during 81 to 96 AD when he reigned. An extra gallery over the top of the seating place was built. Also underground tunnels were built to keep animals and slaves.
  • Popular shows and events arranged at the Colosseum were animal hunts, mock fights, gladiator fights, mythical dramas, etc. Battles based on sea scenes were done by flooding the floor of the amphitheatre with water. Sometimes famous wars and battles were recreated and replayed for performance too.
  • The Colosseum was used for 390 years.
  • Men and animals both died inside the Colosseum accounting for 400,000 people and 1,000,000 animals.
  • People at that time were allowed to carry their own food and drinks inside the Colosseum for watching a show.
  • Some games and events held there continued for as long as 100 days too.
  • There was an arrangement for rain protection at that time too. The Romans would stretch and spread a red canvas over the monument to avoid interruption of shows due to rains.
  • The use of the Colosseum changed in the medieval times, when it was used for varied purposes like religious gatherings, workshops, as fortress, quarry etc.
  • In recent times some of the celebs like Billy Joel, Ray Charles, Elton John, and Paul McCartney performed at events in the Colosseum.