Colosseum
This vast oval ring at the centre of Rome is the largest Roman amphitheatre still standing, originally named the Flavian Amphitheatre, estimated to have held between fifty thousand and eighty-seven thousand spectators. It was begun under Vespasian of the Flavian dynasty in AD 70, inaugurated by Titus on 21 April AD 80, and further modified by Domitian around AD 90. The whole structure has a circumference of 527 metres, with major and minor axes of 187.5 and 156.5 metres, and a central arena of 86 by 54 metres. In antiquity it staged gladiatorial combat, beast hunts, mock sea battles and mythological dramas; today it is a symbol of Rome, inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1980 and named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. Pass through the numbered arches and step inside, where every tier of seating and every stretch of foundation still bears the marks of two thousand years.
Italy · 2 The overlooked corners inside
The overlooked corners inside
Ludus Magnus
Just east of the Colosseum, the Ludus Magnus — the "Great Gladiatorial School" — was where gladiators trained. An underground passage linked it directly to the arena, letting fighters move in and out unseen. The school had its own small training ground, and in its day it was one of the sights Roman spectators loved to watch.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
The Meta Sudans (Sweating Turning-post)
On the open ground between the Colosseum and the Arch of Constantine, nothing remains today — yet a Flavian-era fountain once stood here, the Meta Sudans. It was torn down completely between 1933 and 1936, and the surviving fragments of the base of the Colossus of Nero vanished along with it. The reason: Mussolini had ordered the cutting of the Via dell'Impero (today's Via dei Fori Imperiali). The open expanse you are standing on now is the scar left by that avenue, driven straight through a cluster of ancient monuments in the service of political will.
Sources: it.wikipedia.org
FAQ
What overlooked corners are worth seeing inside Colosseum?
Ludus Magnus, The Meta Sudans (Sweating Turning-post) and more — 2 spots in all, each with sources and a guide in your language to read or listen to on the spot.
Is the Colosseum guide free?
All 2 guides are free.