Roman Colosseum Opened — 1946 Years Ago

Rome's Greatest Arena

The Colosseum in Rome officially opened in 80 AD under Emperor Titus, inaugurated with 100 days of games that included gladiatorial combat and wild animal hunts. Construction had begun around 70 AD under Emperor Vespasian and was completed in about a decade — a remarkable feat of engineering. The amphitheater could hold between 50,000 and 80,000 spectators, seated in tiered sections according to their social class. Senators sat closest to the action, ordinary citizens in the middle, and women and the poorest Romans at the top. A retractable awning called the velarium could be stretched over part of the arena to protect the crowd from sun and rain.

What Happened Inside

The Colosseum hosted a wide variety of public spectacles over the approximately 400 years it was in active use. Gladiatorial contests were the most famous events, pitting armed fighters against each other or against wild animals imported from across the Roman Empire — lions, tigers, leopards, bears, elephants, and more. Naval battles were reportedly staged there in the early years, with the arena floor flooded. Public executions, reenactments of famous battles, and mythological dramas were also performed. Estimates of the number of people who died in the Colosseum over the centuries vary widely, with figures in the hundreds of thousands sometimes cited, though firm historical evidence is difficult to establish.

An Enduring Monument

The Colosseum fell into disuse after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. It was damaged by earthquakes and was used for centuries as a quarry, with its stone and metal stripped away for other building projects. Yet even in its damaged state, it remained the largest and most impressive ancient monument in Rome. Today it is the most visited tourist attraction in Italy, drawing millions of visitors each year. It has become a global symbol of Rome's ancient power and engineering genius, and its design directly influenced the shape of stadiums and arenas built all around the world in subsequent centuries. See how long ago it opened using our date calculator.