Location: Colosseo and Foro Romano

COLOSSEO The real name of this building that has become the symbol of Rome is the Flavian Amphitheatre and construction of it was started in 72 AD by Vespasian and was finished eight years later by his son Titus.
The Colosseum has an elliptical form with the larger axis measuring 187 metres and the smaller 155 metres. The height of the highest tier is more than 50 metres and it could hold more than 80,000 spectators. The Romans came here to watch the circus games (ludi circenses) that were for the most part extremely cruel involving gladiators, wild beasts and prisoners (very often Christian) fighting for their lives.
The structure was also often flooded in order to stage mock naval battles. These shows came to an end in the fifth century when Telemaco entered the arena and tried to make the gladiators stop fighting. He was killed but from that day on, no more games were held in Rome. Precious little remains of the Colosseum’s former splendour since most of the marble and decorations have been removed or lost through the years, especially during the Renaissance period.

FORO ROMANO The Republican Age saw the start of the construction of the Forum and it was enlarged during the Imperial Age. It housed the most important religious buildings, the market and the law court.
It covers an extremely wide area and contains a large number of monuments among them: the Basilica of Maxentius, a fine example of Roman engineering can be seen in the vaulted domes which let in much light; the Arch of Titus, built in honour of the Roman conquest of Jerusalem in 70 AD; the Temple of Antonius and Faustina, which dates from the second century AD and was erected by the Emperor Antonius Pious in honour of his wife; the House and Temple of the Vestals where the sacred flame of Rome was always kept burning; the Arch of Septimius Severus which was built at a time when Roman art was in decline and the Via Sacra, which led up to the Capitoline hill and which was used by the army when returning from a victorious war campaign.

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