Secrets of an Ancient Arena

The Colosseum was built over a span of about eight years nearly 2,000 years ago. Experts consider it one of the most remarkable examples of Roman architecture. Arches and columns supported the weight of the arena, which was made of limestone, volcanic rock, and concrete.

Over the centuries, more than two-thirds of the Colosseum crumbled. Yet the remains have been preserved. Typically, more than 7 million people tour the ruins each year.

Gladiators were the great athletes of the Roman Empire. Most were enslaved men or prisoners, but some people volunteered to fight in the hopes of achieving superstar status. “You could become rich and famous,” Tuck says. “If you worked hard, if you succeeded, you could improve your life.”

Most gladiators fought only a few times a year, like today’s professional boxers. Tuck says most gladiators didn’t die in battle. But if one was too injured to continue fighting during a match, the emperor could have him killed.

There was a lot going on under the arena, in the hypogeum. “The underground tunnels are the equivalent of the backstage of a theater,” Tuck says.

Sets and costumes were housed there. In some rooms, gladiators prepared to fight, while in others, doctors treated competitors’ bloody wounds.

Lions, tigers, and elephants were also kept there, to fight men or each other. The animals were raised up in elevators pulled by ropes. They would burst into the arena from trapdoors, surprising the crowd.