The Colosseum in Rome was completed under Emperor Titus in 80 CE. The huge amphitheater, officially known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, was begun under Emperor Vespasian around 72 CE and inaugurated by Titus with games that reportedly lasted about 100 days.
The building could hold tens of thousands of spectators and hosted gladiatorial contests, animal hunts, public spectacles, and sometimes staged naval displays, though the details of its earliest water events are debated. Its seating was organized by social status, reflecting the hierarchy of Roman society. A large awning system, called the velarium, could shade parts of the audience.
The Colosseum was built on land once occupied by Nero’s extravagant palace complex, the Domus Aurea. Earthquakes, stone robbing, and changing uses damaged the structure during the medieval and early modern periods. It remains one of Rome’s best-known monuments and has been part of the UNESCO Historic Centre of Rome World Heritage listing since 1980.