The Colosseum

The colosseum was opened in 80 C.E. after being commissioned to be built in 70-72 C.E. by Emperor Vespasian of the Flavian dynasty with the purpose of it being a gift to the Roman people. It was officially called the Flavian Amphitheater and featured gladiator fights and wild animal fights. It was also the greatest architectural achievement of the roman empire spanning six hundred and twenty feet by five hundred and thirteen. That is just over two football fields long and one and three-fourths of a football field wide. It was constructed over the course of ten years with supplies taken from the Jewish temple from the First Jewish-Roman War. It was significant to the Romans because it provided free entertainment and food to the masses which lead to the saying about using bread and circuses to distract the public. It is culturally significant because of how it demonstrated the power and brutality of the roman empire. The colosseum ended up losing favor in the public eye when Christians

gained more power and the western half of the empire fell. After the gladiator battle feel out of public favor it became a Christian church and later a fortress by two prominent emperors.