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Colosseum Facts & Worksheets

The Colosseum is Rome, Italy's largest ancient amphitheater.

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The Colosseum is Rome, Italy‘s largest ancient amphitheater. It was started in 72 CE under Emperor Vespasian and finished eight years later under the reign of Titus. It was improved further during Domitian’s reign. The three emperors were known as the Flavian dynasty, after whom the amphitheater was named by later classicists and archaeologists.

See the fact file below for more information on the Colosseum or alternatively, you can download our 24-page Colosseum worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

History

  • In 64 CE, the densely inhabited flat area on the floor of a low valley between the Caelian, Esquiline, and Palatine Hills was devastated by the Great Fire of Rome.
  • Nero built the Domus Aurea on the site creating an artificial lake with pavilions, gardens, and porticoes in front. A gigantic Colossus of Nero was built at the entrance with a water supply from the Aqua Claudia. 
  • However, the lake was used as the site for the Flavian Amphitheater. The Domus Aurea was also torn down by the construction of Gladiatorial schools and other support buildings within its former grounds.
  • It was also called the Flavian Amphitheater, but it was better known as the Colosseum, derived from a colossal statue of Nero on the model of the Colossus of Rhodes.
  • Emperor Vespasian decided to build it on the site of the lake created by Nero as a populist gesture that the area was being returned to the people after Nero had claimed it for himself.
  • It was built in the city center to represent the heart of Rome.
  • The rich spoils from the Jewish Temple were used to fund its construction.
  • It was assumed that Jewish prisoners from the First Jewish-Roman War in 70 CE were brought back to Rome to serve as laborers in constructing the amphitheater, overseen by teams of professional Romans.
  • Wood, limestone, tuff, tiles, cement, and mortar were used to construct it.
  • According to Dio Cassius, it hosted its inaugural games in 80 or 81 CE, during which more than 9,000 wild animals were slaughtered. A coin was issued to commemorate the inauguration.
  • The hypogeum, a series of tunnels used to house animals and enslaved people, was added, as well as a gallery at the top to increase seating capacity.
  • A massive fire in 217 CE severely damaged it, particularly the wooden upper levels of its interior. It was repaired for many years, in 240, 250, 320, 399, and 404 CE.
  • Gladiatorial fights were held there in 435, according to records.
  • More parts were restored during the reigns of Theodosius II and Valentinian III, from 425 to 455 CE, most likely to repair damage caused by a 443 earthquake.
  • It was constantly used for competitions during the sixth century.
  • It was used for Anicius Maximus’ consulship celebration in 523 CE.
  • A small chapel was built in the amphitheater by the late sixth century.
  • It was later converted into a cemetery, with numerous vaulted spaces rented out as late as the 12th century.
  • It was used as a castle by the Frangipani family around 1200.
  • A large-scale earthquake in 1349 severely damaged the amphitheater, causing the outer south side to collapse.
  • A religious order occupied its northern third from the mid-14th to the early 19th centuries.

Physical Description

Exterior

  • It has an oval shape and measures 189 meters in length, 156 meters in width, and 48 meters in height.
  • The outer wall is constructed of travertine stone that is held together by 300 tons of iron clamps.
  • A podium with a tall attic decorated with Corinthian pilasters topped the three-story monumental façade.
  • The attic was originally surrounded by 240 mast corbels that supported a retractable awning called the velarium.
  • It has 80 entrances, 76 of which are used by regular visitors. The Roman Emperor and his aides had one of the four remaining entrances, while the other three were for the other elites. Painted stucco reliefs decorated these four axial entrances.

Interior

  • Its tiered seating arrangement reflects the nature of Roman society, and it can hold approximately 87,000 people.
  • The Emperor and the Vestal Virgins provided the best amphitheater views in special boxes at the north and south ends.
  • The tiers for ordinary Roman citizens were further divided into two sections: the lower part, called the immum was for the wealthy citizens, while the upper part, called the summum, was for the poor citizens.
  • During Domitian’s reign, the topmost level was a gallery for the ordinary poor, enslaved people, and women, with a standing room or very steep wooden benches.
  • It has a sand-covered wooden floor.
  • The hypogeum was a complex underground structure beneath it. Before the contests, gladiators and animals were held in a two-level subterranean network of tunnels and cages.
  • The hypogeum also had machinery such as elevators and pulleys to lift the caged animals to the surface.

Uses

  • It was primarily used to host munera, public shows for the benefit of upper-class Romans, which often took the form of gladiatorial contests and animal hunts known as venatio. It was a display of their power and family prestige.
  • It was also used to stage naval battles for mass entertainment, known as naumachia to the Romans. A reenactment of a famous sea battle between the Corcyrean Greeks and the Corinthians is described in an account.
  • In modern times, it is a major tourist attraction in Rome.
  • A museum dedicated to Eros was built on the upper floor of its outer wall.
  • It became the site of Roman Catholic ceremonies in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

Significance in Christianity

  • During the Roman Empire‘s persecution of Christians, it served as a martyrdom site. Some Christians were thought to have been executed in it for the crime of refusing to worship the Roman gods.
  • Pilgrims were said to have collected sand from the arena as a relic because the grounds were impregnated with martyrs’ blood.

Restoration

  • Diego Della Valle agreed to a €25 million restoration contract with local officials in 2011, and it was expected to last two and a half years.
  • Because of the controversy surrounding the use of a public-private partnership to fund the restoration, the work was postponed and began in 2013.
  • The restoration began by cleaning and restoring the arcaded facade. Metal enclosures that blocked the ground-level arches were also replaced.
  • On July 1, 2016, the work was completed.
  • Dario Franceschini, Italy’s culture minister, promised to replace the floors by the end of 2018.
  • The top two levels were opened for guided tours on November 1, 2017.

Roman Colosseum Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Roman Colosseum across 24 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Roman Colosseum worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Colosseum, which is Rome, Italy’s largest ancient amphitheater. It was started in 72 CE under Emperor Vespasian and finished eight years later under the reign of Titus.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Roman Colosseum Facts
  • The Colosseum
  • New Seven Wonders of the World
  • The Grand Amphitheater
  • Colosseum Columns
  • Roman Life
  • Italy’s Best
  • Roman Word Hunt
  • Spoliarium
  • Gladiator
  • World Wondering

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Colosseum famous for?

The Colosseum is Rome, Italy’s largest ancient amphitheater. It was started in 72 CE under Emperor Vespasian and finished eight years later under the reign of Titus. It was primarily used to host munera, public shows for the benefit of upper-class Romans, which often took the form of gladiatorial contests and animal hunts known as venatio. It was a display of their power and family prestige.

Why was the Colosseum destroyed?

A large-scale earthquake in 1349 severely damaged the amphitheater, causing the outer south side to collapse.

Why was the Colosseum built and for what purpose?

Emperor Vespasian decided to build it on the site of the lake created by Nero as a populist gesture that the area was being returned to the people after Nero had claimed it for himself. It was built in the city center to represent the heart of Rome.

How did the Colosseum break?

A large-scale earthquake in 1349 severely damaged the amphitheater, causing the outer south side to collapse.

What are five interesting facts about the Colosseum?

  1. Its tiered seating arrangement reflects the nature of Roman society, and it can hold approximately 87,000 people.
  2. The Emperor and the Vestal Virgins provided the best amphitheater views in special boxes at the north and south ends.
  3. The tiers for ordinary Roman citizens were further divided into two sections: the lower part, called the immum was for the wealthy citizens, while the upper part, called the summum was for the poor citizens.
  4. During Domitian’s reign, the topmost level was a gallery for the ordinary poor, enslaved people, and women, with a standing room or very steep wooden benches.
  5. The hypogeum was a complex underground structure beneath it. Before the contests, gladiators and animals were held in a two-level subterranean network of tunnels and cages.

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Link will appear as Colosseum Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, May 15, 2018

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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