THE COLOSSEUM, ROME

The Colosseum is Rome’s great gladiatorial arena with 50,000 seats where games were held for 100 days and nights. Condemned prisoners were turned into gladiators and fought off wild beasts or other gladiators in front of cheering crowds. During these games, about 5,000 animals were slaughtered. The wooden floors were covered in sand in order to avoid gladiators from slipping and to soak up the blood. If you have watched ‘Gladiator’ featuring Russell Crowe, you will understand better.

The Colosseum is Italy’s top tourist attraction which has been there for over 2000 years. It draws up to 5 million visitors a year. When the Roman Empire fell in the 5th century, the Colosseum was abandoned.

Inside the Colosseum

The name Colosseum did not come because of its size; it was named after the giant statue of Nero that stood near the arena. The seating area was divided into three tiers: the lower section for magistrates and senior officials; wealthy citizens in the middle section; and the rest in the upper section. It is believed that bouts at the games rarely ended in death as the sponsors were required to compensate the owner of the gladiator who died in action.

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The Arch of Constantine at the Colosseum

This is a triumphal arch in Rome, situated between the Colosseum and the Palatine Hill that was erected by the Roman Senate to commemorate Constantine I’s victory over Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge on October 28, 312 AD. The arch spans the Via Triumphalis, the way taken by the emperors when they entered the city in triumph. The arch is 21 m high, 25.9 m wide and 7.4 m deep; and has three archways with a staircase formed in the thickness of the arch.

Entrance Tickets to the Colosseum

You buy one ticket to see the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. It is best to buy tickets online as ticket queues are just ridiculously long. To be safe online, it is recommended to buy from the official website click here

Alternatively, you can buy tickets at the entrance of the Roman Forum/ Palatine Hill opposite the Colosseum as queues here are not too long. Having said that, if you have access to the internet and don’t have time to waste, get your tickets online.

Some companies conduct tours at an extra charge. In my opinion; the Colosseum area is very straight forward and you cannot miss anything interesting, therefore I would not pay extra for a tour. Similarly, if you buy your tickets online you don’t stand on the ticket line but go straight inside via a separate entrance which is also used by tour operators. However, if you want the detailed history of the place, then you might want to find a well-established and credible tour operator.

For more information on tour operator’s email: tour@coopculture.it or you can find reliable tours on Viator website: Click here

Address: Colosseum, Piazza del Colosseo, 1, 00184 Roma, Italy

Metro station: Colosseo

For more information visit: www.coopculture.it