Some History

The entrance to some of what has been excavated of the Domus Aurea

When Vespasian eventually emerged victor after the year of anarchy following Nero's suicide in 68 AD, the new emperor decided to eradicate the memory of his predecessor's excesses by having an amphitheater built in stone. In 72 AD, as a conspicuous public gesture, Vespasian ordered the upper part of Nero's Golden House to be demolished, the lake drained and a permanent amphitheater, the Colosseum, was to be erected in its place. The identity of the architect who planned and had constructed the Colosseum is still unknown. The opening was celebrated with 100 days of public feasts and games, in the course of which the Colosseum was flooded for a mock sea battle. Titus' brother, Domitian, added some of the finishing touches to the amphitheater, adding wooden terraces for the women on the upper level and a barracks for training gladiators. Later the central area used for fighting was enriched with spectacular moveable scenery which could be hauled into position by a system of winches and pulleys. The Colosseum, even in its ruined state now, began its preservation, initiated by Pope Benedict XIV, in 1749 to save the last remains, which today correspond to a third of the original building. Restoration of the building's fabric had begun as far back as 223 AD. On August 23, 217, the Colosseum was struck by lightning during a terrible storm and the wooden terraces of the upper level caught fire. The burning timbers fell into the arena beginning a terrible conflagration which seven divisions of firemen helped by the sailors from the fleet at Misena were unable to extinguish. The destruction was so thorough, that the amphitheater was not able to be used for the next six years. The Stadium of Domitian (Piazza Navona), constructed in 86 AD for athletic competitions, was temporarily adapted to accommodate the gladiators.