The Colosseum: A Slice of Ancient Rome with a Side of Awe

The Colosseum: A Slice of Ancient Rome with a Side of Awe Ah, the Colosseum! This giant hunk of ancient Roman architecture stands smack dab in the middle of Rome, making everyone feel tiny and unaccomplished. Built almost 2,000 years ago, it’s still flexing its stone muscles like it’s ready for another gladiator match. Let’s dig in and explore why the Colosseum is so iconic, shall we? A Building That Outlasts Trends The Colosseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre (fancy, right?), was completed in 80 AD. That's a time when people thought tossing lions into an arena was great entertainment. The structure was commissioned by Emperor Vespasian and finished by his son, Titus. It's a giant oval made of concrete and stone, standing at a jaw-dropping 157 feet tall. For perspective, that’s like stacking about 14 elephants on top of each other. (Please don’t actually try this.) It could hold around 50,000 to 80,000 spectators. Imagine that many people yelling, “Woo!” as someone fought off a tiger. Talk about a lively crowd!