Colosseum – arena for gladiators and beasts
Roman Emperor Titus Flavius Vespasianus (ruled 69-79), razed the palace of extravagant Nero in Rome, decided to build the Flavian Amphitheatre – enormous building for 50 thousand spectators. The construction began in 75. Vespasian wanted to erase Nero from the memory of people as quickly as possible, and glorify the Flavian dynasty.
The current name of the Colosseum is a modified Latin word “colossus”, which meant “enormous, huge.” Gladiators had to fight with each other, with wild lions, leopards and panthers.
The amphitheater was built at the bottom of the former artificial pond that was dug in front of the famous Golden House of Nero (Domus Aurea). Thousands of slaves worked like ants around the clock. The giant construction site was a regular ellipse – 190 m long and 156 m wide.
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