History of the Colosseum: A Complete Timeline

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TL;DR — Key Facts at a Glance

Built

AD 72–80 (8 years)

Commissioned by

Emperor Vespasian (Flavian dynasty)

Capacity

50,000–80,000 spectators

Active use

~390 years of games

Estimated deaths

~400,000 humans, 1M+ animals

UNESCO Status

World Heritage Site since 1980

Before the Colosseum: Nero's Lake

The land where the Colosseum stands wasn't always public. Emperor Nero (r. AD 54–68) seized a vast area in the center of Rome after the Great Fire of AD 64 and built his extravagant personal palace — the Domus Aurea ("Golden House"). The grounds included gardens, pavilions, and an artificial lake right where the Colosseum sits today.

When Nero committed suicide in AD 68, the empire plunged into a brief civil war (the "Year of the Four Emperors"). The winner, Vespasian, needed to distance himself from Nero's excesses and win the people's loyalty.

His genius move: drain Nero's private lake and build the world's greatest public entertainment venue on top of it — giving back to the people what Nero had stolen.

Construction: AD 72–80

Construction probably began around AD 70–72 under Emperor Vespasian. The project was funded at least partly from the spoils of the Jewish War. Its workforce likely included enslaved labourers alongside skilled builders, craftsmen and engineers, but exact numbers are unknown. Its ancient name was the Flavian Amphitheatre; the name "Colosseum" became popular only much later. Domitian — not Vespasian or Titus — completed the major upper works and the permanent hypogeum. For dates and chronology in detail, see When Was the Colosseum Built?

Height

48 meters (157 ft) — 4 stories

Footprint

189m × 156m (620 × 512 ft)

Stone used

~100,000 cubic meters of travertine

Iron clamps

300 tonnes connecting stone blocks

Workforce

60,000–100,000 enslaved laborers

Arena floor

83m × 48m wooden floor covered in sand

Vespasian died in AD 79, just one year before completion. His son Titus inaugurated the Colosseum in AD 80 with 100 days of games — during which an estimated 9,000 animals were killed. Titus's brother Domitian later added the underground tunnels (hypogeum) and the top seating tier.

The official name was Amphitheatrum Flavium (Flavian Amphitheatre), after the Flavian dynasty. The name "Colosseum" came later, likely from the Colossus of Nero — a 30-meter bronze statue that once stood nearby.

The Golden Age: Games & Spectacles

For nearly 400 years, the Colosseum hosted the most spectacular public entertainment the ancient world had ever seen. Events were free for Roman citizens and served as a tool of political power — "bread and circuses."

Types of Events

Gladiatorial Combat (Munera)

Trained fighters — often slaves, prisoners, or volunteers — battled in pairs. Fights weren't always to the death; skilled gladiators were expensive and valuable. The crowd (and sponsor) decided the fate of the loser.

Animal Hunts (Venationes)

Exotic animals — lions, elephants, bears, rhinos, hippos, crocodiles — were shipped from across the empire. Hunters (venatores) fought them, or animals fought each other. Thousands of animals could be killed in a single day.

Public Executions (Noxii)

Condemned criminals were executed publicly, sometimes through elaborate mythological reenactments. This was considered the 'lowest' form of entertainment.

Water Spectacles (Naumachiae)

Ancient sources associate the early amphitheatre with water spectacles, although the scale and mechanics remain debated. Once the permanent hypogeum was constructed, flooding the main arena was no longer practical.

The human cost: Historians estimate roughly 400,000 people died in the Colosseum over its active lifespan. Over 1 million animals were killed. Emperor Trajan's 123-day festival in AD 107 alone involved 11,000 animals and 10,000 gladiators.

Decline & Fall (5th–14th Century)

As Christianity spread and the Roman Empire weakened, attitudes toward the games changed:

• AD 404Emperor Honorius officially banned gladiatorial combat after a monk named Telemachus was killed trying to stop a fight.
• AD 523The last recorded animal hunts took place — the end of 450 years of spectacles.
• AD 847A massive earthquake collapsed the Colosseum's entire south side.
• 1231Another major earthquake caused further structural damage.
• 13th–15th C.The Colosseum was repurposed as housing, workshops, a Christian shrine, and a quarry for building materials.

Why Is the Colosseum Half-Destroyed?

The Colosseum's missing outer wall isn't just from earthquakes. For centuries, it was used as a quarry. Rome's aristocracy and popes stripped its travertine, marble, and iron clamps to build:

The holes you see pockmarking the outer wall are where medieval workers chiseled out the iron clamps holding the stones together — the 300 tonnes of iron were worth a fortune.

Modern Era: From Ruin to Icon

• 1749Pope Benedict XIV declared the Colosseum a sacred Christian site, halting further looting.
• 1807Systematic preservation and restoration began under Pope Pius VII.
• 1980UNESCO inscribed the Colosseum as part of the Historic Centre of Rome World Heritage Site.
• 2007Voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
• 2013–2016€25 million restoration funded by Tod's luxury brand — cleaned the exterior walls for the first time.
• 2023–2026Ongoing project to rebuild a retractable arena floor, giving visitors a gladiator's-eye view.

Today, the Colosseum receives approximately 7 million visitors per year, making it Italy's most visited monument and one of the world's top tourist attractions.

Complete Timeline

What Happened to the Colosseum After Rome Fell?

The Colosseum's most fascinating chapter is not the 400 years of gladiatorial games — it is the 1,500 years afterwards. After the last recorded animal hunt in AD 523, the structure was abandoned by the imperial state and adopted by ordinary Romans for whatever they needed: a quarry for building stone, a fortified residence for the Frangipani family who turned the southern end into a private castle in the 1100s, and a hub of small workshops, stables, and even fishmongers' stalls operating between the arches.

From the 14th century onward, popes systematically dismantled the outer ring to build the new Christian Rome — the Palazzo Venezia, Palazzo Barberini, and parts of St. Peter's Basilica all contain Colosseum travertine. The looting only ended in 1749 when Pope Benedict XIV declared the arena floor a sacred site of early Christian martyrdom, planted a cross, and banned further demolition. Archaeological excavation began in the 1810s under Napoleon's administration, the underground hypogeum was finally cleared in 1874, and the Arena Floor reconstruction visible to visitors in 2026 dates from a 2023 €22 million project. The ruin you see today is the result of two millennia of continuous reuse, neglect, looting, and finally protection.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old is the Colosseum?

Nearly 2,000 years old. Construction began in AD 72 and was completed in AD 80. The inaugural games lasted 100 days.

Why was the Colosseum built?

Emperor Vespasian built it as a public entertainment venue to replace Nero's private palace — a political move to win the people's favor and establish the Flavian dynasty.

How many people died in the Colosseum?

Historians estimate roughly 400,000 people and over 1 million animals died over approximately 390 years of active use.

When did the Colosseum stop being used?

Gladiatorial combat was banned in AD 404. The last animal hunts occurred in AD 523. After that, it was repurposed as housing, workshops, and a quarry.

Why is the Colosseum partially destroyed?

Earthquakes (AD 847, 1231) caused major damage, and for centuries its stone was quarried to build palaces and churches — including parts of St. Peter's Basilica.

Is the Colosseum a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

Yes, since 1980. It's also one of the New Seven Wonders of the World (2007).

What was the Colosseum used for after gladiator games were banned?

After gladiatorial combat was banned in AD 404 and the last animal hunts ended around AD 523, the Colosseum was repurposed continuously for over a thousand years: a Christian cemetery in the 6th century, fortified housing and workshops for the Frangipani noble family in the 12th century, a quarry for popes building St. Peter's Basilica from the 14th–17th centuries, and finally a consecrated Christian shrine after Pope Benedict XIV halted the looting in 1749.

Who saved the Colosseum from being completely destroyed?

Pope Benedict XIV in 1749. By the mid-18th century roughly two-thirds of the outer wall had already been quarried and the rest was scheduled to follow. Benedict XIV consecrated the arena floor as a site of Christian martyrdom (planting the wooden cross still visible today at the eastern end) and forbade further removal of stone. Without that single 1749 decree, the Colosseum we visit in 2026 would not exist — the remaining travertine would have ended up in baroque palaces.

Explore each chapter in depth

• Construction dates and chronology → When Was the Colosseum Built?
• Purpose and politics → Why it was built (this timeline)
• Spectacles and events → What Was the Colosseum Used For?
• Gladiators → Gladiators of the Colosseum
• Construction techniques → Engineering Secrets of the Colosseum
• Original appearance → What Did the Colosseum Look Like?

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Where to buy Colosseum tickets

Start with the official Colosseum site, then compare Tiqets, Klook, and Trip.com — trusted booking partners — if official tickets are sold out.

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