Colosseum Rome Italy The Arena of Death The Story of Slave Revolt

The rise and fall of Colosseum Flavian Amphitheatre, Rome, Italy The Colosseum was the largest amphitheater built in ancient Rome. The massive arena held thousands of spectators, who packed the stands to watch gladiators battle to the death and fight exotic animals, such as lions. In the Flavian Amphitheatre, gladiator fights took place in the afternoon. Their name derives from the short sword they used in combat: the gladio. The gladiator of Rome learned the art of the gladiator fighting in ludi, the schools that were barracks very similar to prisons located throughout the empire. They slept in small cells arranged around the courtyard where they trained.