The Colosseum Discussion

The Colosseum is an amphitheater built in Rome under the Roman Emperors. The Flavian
amphitheater is often referred to. This is an elliptical stone, concrete and tuff structure which
stands at its highest point four stories tall. It measures 620 by 513 meters and could
accommodate 50 000 spectators. It measures 156 meters by 189 meters. The Colosseum was
known for gladiator combat. After the collapse of the Western Roman empire, the Colosseum
became severely disturbed. The Frangipane and Annibaldi families in the 12th century
reorganized the arena to serve as their fortification. Pope Alexander VI allowed the Colosseum
to be used as a quarry at the end of the 15th century. Following over a millennia of neglect,
government-supported recovery work started in the 1990s. The Colosseum is still one of the few
largely preserved buildings in the Roman Empire as a memorial to the architectural and
engineering skills of ancient Rome. It also provides the Italian Government with a significant
source of tourism profits.