The history of the Colosseum and the Forum in 120 seconds

The Colosseum is one of the most popular attractions in Europe. It was built between AD 72 and 80, under the emperors Vespasian and Titus, and it is estimated that 100,000 cubic metres of stone had to be transported 32 km. It was called the Flavian Amphitheatre after the dynasty that built it.

It could hold up to 80,000 spectators and the events, called games, included gladiator fights, animal hunts and even naval battles, given the drainage system. These games often featured military victories. Gladiators and animals waited their turn to perform in the hypogeum, a warren of tunnels and underground chambers. The games could last as long as 100 days. The Colosseum hosted games for more than 5 centuries. It had a retractable awning, the Velarium, to shelter the public from both the sun and rain.

The Colosseum suffered 3 fires and 4 earthquakes and underwent many renovations.

Many Christians were martyred in the arena and in 1750 Pope Benedict XIV started a Via Crucis every Good Friday.

The Colosseum is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s Rome’s most iconic symbol; a timeless site.

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There are 5 Forums in Rome; the most fascinating of these is the one near the Colosseum.

The Forum was the centre of political, administrative and religious activities. It was built around the 7th century BC by the second king of Rome, Numa Pompilius, and was destroyed by the Visigoths in AD 410.

Legend has it that originally there were three sacred trees on this site (a fig tree, a vine and an olive tree), and that under the first of these the she-wolf suckled Romulus and Remus.

Inside the Forum there was the Curia, where the Senate met, in front of which there was the Comitium for the religious ceremonies held by the vestals. The vestals were religious figures chosen only if young and pure. Their most important job was to keep the sacred flame dedicated to Vesta, goddess of the hearth fire, burning.

Eventually the Forums were only used for cult rituals.