The Coliseum is probably one of the most iconic symbols of the Roman Empire and is still a remarkable structure to tour. Our same fantastic tour guide from the Vatican continued on with us to the Coliseum and the Forum. Among the interesting things he discussed was that more recent investigation has determined that Christians were not likely sacrificed in the Coliseum. They fought as gladiators and died fighting there, but the sacrificing of Christians was done in the Circus Maximus nearby.
What remains today of the Coliseum are the structural parts. All of the decorative finishes are long gone. The brick walls were plastered and then finished with decorative painting. The floors of the corridors and walkways we're covered with marble. Seeing it today you have to use a lot of imagination to see it as it must have looked.
To read more about the Coliseum and it's history, click here.
The Forum is nearby and was a public marketplace and common gathering place for Romans. It is a huge area, much larger than I had pictured. We walked the length of it and it was extremely interesting. To learn more about the Forum, click here.
The entire photo album of the Coliseum and the Forum is quite good. You can see it here.
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