The Colosseum’s official Roman name was the Flavian Amphitheatre, named for the Flavian dynasty.
The dynasty began with Emperor Vespasian, who ordered the amphitheatre’s construction, and continued through his sons Titus and Domitian. All three emperors were associated with the project: Vespasian started it, Titus inaugurated the completed building, and Domitian later made substantial modifications.
The name connected the monument to the ruling family’s public-building programme and military prestige. The Flavians came to power after the civil wars of AD 69 and used major construction projects to restore Rome and present their rule as beneficial to the Roman people. The Colosseum was built on the site of an artificial lake associated with Nero’s vast palace complex.
“Flavian Amphitheatre” is the standard historical and archaeological name, although surviving evidence does not prove that ordinary Romans consistently used it in classical antiquity. The modern name “Colosseum” probably refers to the colossal statue of Nero that once stood nearby, rather than directly to the dynasty.