DAY 5 (Pt.2): Ancient Roman Ruins and the Colosseum (bka The Flavian Amphitheater)

After lunch in Vatican City, we headed to the southeastern part of Rome to visit some Roman ruins and the Colosseum. We had a guided tour of both areas with headsets. 

The Roman Ruins - Palatine Hill:

We explored the remains of the banks, temples, and homes of the Ancient Roman Civilization this afternoon, in particular the Roman Forum. It was the center of day-to-day life in Ancient Rome. politically, commercially, etc. We learned about Rome's Seven Hills and visited sites like the House of the Vestal Virgins and the Temple of Julius Caesar to name a few. Here are some photos:

The Colosseum:

During the Roman Empire and under the motto of "Bread and Circuses" the Roman Colosseum (known then as Flavian Amphitheatre) allowed more than 50,000 people to enjoy exhibitions of exotic animals, executions of prisoners, recreations of battles, and gladiator fights. The Colosseum remained active for over 500 years. The last recorded games were celebrated in the 6th century. (rome.net)

You can see the gate numbers (that would have been listed on your ticket) at the top of the arches. 

A statue that was found in 2017, the only one discovered so far (According to our guide).

The center was covered with wood and then sand. The Latin word for sand is "arena" which is where we get our word arena (to refer to a big stadium). The animals were kept underneath.