The Colosseum in Rome needs no introduction.  It’s a universally recognizable symbol both of the Eternal City as it was and how it is today.  That’s why it’s not surprising that the Colosseum is the most visited site in Rome, attracting upwards of 10 million visitors per year.  And yet despite its popularity, the Colosseum rightfully should not be missed.  I can still vividly remember the first time I laid eyes on it back in 2009 after emerging from the metro station.  The sight of this grand monument in every sense of the word quite literally took my breath away, and so my love affair with the Colosseum began.  It quickly and eternally was cemented as one of the most impressive sites I’ve ever seen. I can say that with confidence because I still feel that way today, 15 years and many visits later.

Part of this is because when you take a step back and think about it, the Colosseum is nearly 2,000 years old and is still here for us to experience.  What’s also great is that there are multiple ways to visit and therefore reasons to return.  While the ticket options are always slightly changing, the Full Experience ticket gives visitors access to the Colosseum as well as the Forum and Palatine Hill.  Other ticket options include access to the arena floor, underground and attic.  With every visit I learn more about this wonderful site, so here are some of my favorite and sometimes little-known facts about the Colosseum in Rome.

 1. The Colosseum is not its original name
Back in 80 A.D. when the Colosseum first opened it was not actually called that.  Rather, it was originally known as the Flavian Amphitheater after the emperors of the Flavian dynasty, Vespasian and his sons Titus and Domitian.  Construction began under Vespasian in 72 A.D. and was completed entirely by the labor of prisoners under his son Titus.  The amphitheater was built for public entertainment during the height of the Roman Empire and was the largest of its kind, reaching 160 feet high and an oval shape measuring 165 feet wide by 280 feet long with the capacity to hold 60,000 spectators. Several years later under Emperor Hadrian, a huge 100-foot-tall bronze statue of Emperor Nero, called the Colossus of Nero, was moved near the amphitheater.  This eventually led to its new name Colosseum, referring to both the statue and the amphitheater size.   The statue was likely destroyed during the 5^th century and all that remains of it today are archaeological excavations of its pedestal on the northwest side of the amphitheater near the Colosseo metro stop.

2. It was once richly decorated
Like much of ancient Rome, the Colosseum looked very different than it does today.  Try to imagine this impressive feat of Roman engineering, built from travertine, tufa and brick held together by iron clamps and concrete, entirely covered in white marble with brightly painted decorative details.  Take a closer look and you’ll notice other design elements such as Doric, Ionic and Corinthian columns and arches where statues of Greek and Roman gods once stood.  Look higher to the top level, known as the attic, which was once adorned with shields and featured a system of wooden beams that held a retractable canvas awning known as the velarium that was used to protect spectators from the elements (visit in the summer months and you’ll wish it was still around today!).  Sadly after the fall of the Roman empire and a series of natural disasters, much of these materials were pilfered or repurposed for other building projects around the city, resulting in the bare and pockmarked walls that remain.

3. There’s an elaborate underground space
Today’s visitors to the Colosseum will see a partial reconstruction of the wooden floor that once completely covered basement called the hypogeum.  This area was crucial to the behind-the-scenes magic that made much of the spectacle possible.  The now exposed underground was once illuminated by candlelight and featured an elaborate labyrinth of tunnels, pulley systems and trap doors that would help lift props and enable gladiators and animals to pop up onto the arena floor.  Despite the entertainment value this delivered, it’s a sobering reminder that many of the fights that took place here were to the death.  In fact, during the first 100 days of inaugural games, upwards of 10,000 gladiators and 11,000 animals were killed, quite possibly contributing to the extinction of some animal species. With the end of gladiator fights in the 6^th century, the Colosseum served a multitude of other uses and so the basement began to slowly infill with dirt, rubble and other materials, which actually helped preserve it until excavations began in the late 1800s.

4. The amphitheater was filled with water for navel battels
While its gladiator fights are most well-known, the Colosseum played host to a variety of different types of entertainment.  From sunrise to sundown, spectators would witness an ever-changing lineup ranging from animal hunts and prisoner executions to impressive naval battles called naumachia.  Early in the day, the stadium would be filled with water for such shows, complete with elaborate sets, choreography and flat-bottomed ships to accommodate the shallow water, which would later be drained to make way for the main gladiatorial events in the evening.  Venture down to the underground level and you’ll still be able to see the very canals that were used to flood the basement with water.

5. Admission was free for Roman citizens
As a giant stadium built for public spectacle, admission to the Colosseum was free but seating was strictly by class.  Clay pottery shards resembling small coins called tesserae served as tickets, which were stamped with information such as entrance gate, section, row and seat number, similar to modern day event ticketing.  Upon arrival at the Colosseum, spectators would enter via one of the 80 arches, 76 of which were for the public whereas the 4 on each of its main axes were reserved for the emperor and other Roman elite.  Traces of these numerals are still visible above many of the entrance gates today.  Once inside each of the 4 tiers of seating were dictated by social status.  Higher status meant closer (and more comfortable) seating to the action, with a private box for the emperor and other wealthy on the ground level, followed by government officials and businessmen, then ordinary citizens and finally women and poor high up on the top level.

And as a bonus fact, did you know that the word arena is Latin for “sand”?  This refers to the sand that often covered the floor of arenas like the Colosseum in order to soak up blood during battles.