Il Colosseo

The real name of this most famous of structures is the Flavio Amphitheatre, since it was begun under the reign of Vespasian, who was a part of the Flavia family, and then inaugurated by his son Tito in 80 AD. The 100 days' worth of celebrations for this event saw 5,000 big cats killed. The building itself could hold an audience of up to 7,000, with cover provided by a velarium. It functioned as an amphitheatre up until 523 AD, at which point gladiatorial combat was forbidden. According to legend (one that has never been confirmed), it was here that the first Christians were sacrificed. The name 'the Coliseum' comes from the colossal bronze statue of Nero set up just nearby.