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COLOSSEUM
or ANFITEATRO FLAVIO |
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INTERNAL VIEW and COLISEUM'S CELLARS |
"THE
HISTORY"
Not
much people knows the origin of the nickname of Anfiteatro Flavio
wanted by Emperor Vespasiano in 72 A.D. after his election. It seems
that here before the anphitheatre there was a colossal bronze estatue
representing Emperor Nero whose house, Domus Area, is just few meters
far from the Colisseum.
Anyway the building was inaugurated in 80 A.D. by Emperor Tito,
Vespasiano's son, the same who suppressed the jewish revolution
in Palestina murdering more than six hundreds people and burning
the famous Salomon's Temple. Till this moment all the horses competitions
took place inside the Circo Massimo and were simple races with an
elliptical journey so that the emotion was enormous for the crowd
discovering that the arena could collapsed to become an artificial
lake ready for naval battles, or could change its aspect emerging
ready for bullfights (an etruscan tradition) or for animal fights.
During the inauguration died more than five thousands animals brought
from Africa only for this occasion. A real massacre to modern eyes
but strongly wanted by Roman population including politicians, nobles,
phylosophers and artists. In short no one opposed to the slaughters
that took place every time an emperor or a noble
VOMITORIUM
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OUTSIDE
VIEW |
wanted to use this espectacular stage to celebrate
a triumph or just their family. The inauguration lasted 100 days.
In 248 A.D. here it was celebrated the thousandt anniversary of
Rome's birth. Only the conversion to the Christian religion was
able to stop fightings between gladiatori in 404 A.D. and later
between animals (523 A.D.).
In the successive centuries the Colisseum was from time to time
damaged by earthquakes, used as a quarry by the Vatican, then abandoned
to itself and finally reopened as tourist attraction in XX century.
Today the Coliseum surely is one of the most known images of Rome
in the world. A visit to the Coliseum is a must for all the travellers.
Opening hours: Daily from Tuesday
to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 7p.m. (9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in winter) The
box-office closes 1 hour before. Closed on Monday and Jan 1st, May
1st, Dec 25th.
Tickets: FULL 5.00 €. REDUCED
4,20 € (European Union citizens between 18 and 25 years old; - European
Union teachers of State schools only by showing valid membership
card); |
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