Ancient Rome's Colosseum

The Colosseum was a huge stadium built in the city of Rome almost 2,000 years ago. It was made of stone, concrete and brick, and it had rows of seats rising high around an arena. Crowds came to watch gladiator fights, animal hunts and other shows.

The arena floor was covered with sand and had hidden rooms and lifts underneath. Animals and scenery could be raised up through the floor. Today the Colosseum is one of the most famous ancient buildings in the world.