Watching gladiator fights worked up an appetite! Scientists studying the sewers beneath the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, recently announced that they found traces of foods that spectators likely ate at the legendary amphitheater.
The Colosseum was built in 80 A.D., when Rome was the capital of the vast Roman Empire. Along with gladiator battles, it hosted plays and animal fights.
Researchers exploring the ancient arena’s sewers and drains in 2021 uncovered seeds from fruits such as blackberries and figs, along with evidence of olives, nuts, and meats.
The findings offer clues as to what being a spectator at the Colosseum might have been like, says Alfonsina Russo, an official who works to conserve the nearly 2,000-year-old site.
These discoveries, Russo told reporters, “deepen our understanding of the experience and habits of those who came to this place [for] the performances.”