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An enduring symbol of the Eternal City, the great amphitheater now known as the Colosseum was begun in 72 A.D. under Emperor Vespasian on the former site of the mad emperor Nero's palace. Originally known as the Flavian Amphitheater, it was designed to help keep the Roman populace content with "bread and circuses". Its triple tiers of Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian columns oversaw bloody combat between gladiators, wild animals pitted against each other, chariot races, and the martyrdom of many early Christians. The current state of disrepair can be attributed to both earthquakes and pillaging. Long after the fall of Rome, its marble was used to build palaces. In 1749, Pope Benedict XIV declared the area sacred ground because of all the Christian martyrs that had been sacrificed there. Historians now believe the Christian sacrifices were carried out elsewhere, but his declaration stands and has helped preserve what's left of this mighty building for future generations.
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Western Europe
