Colosseum, Rome, Italy 12 Nov 2025

Colosseum, Rome, Italy

Think modern sports are dramatic? Ancient Romans had front-row seats to spectacles far more intense inside the Colosseum. Commissioned by the Flavian emperor Vespasian in 72 CE and finished by his son Titus in 80 CE, this amphitheatre broke tradition with its predecessors that were built into hillsides for natural support. Instead, the Colosseum was a fully free-standing architectural giant. Crafted from stone and concrete, its arches and vaults supported an arena that could host up to 50,000 spectators. Gladiators, exotic animals and even staged sea battles thrilled the crowds, while hidden elevators and trapdoors created sudden, dramatic appearances.

© Nico De Pasquale Photography/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Eagles assemble!
12 Nov 2023Diwali
12 Nov 2024Arches National Park, Utah, United States

More Desktop Wallpapers:

25 Mar 2025Tolkien Reading Day
27 Oct 2024British Summer Time ends
4 Mar 2024Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica
12 Mar 2024Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, USA
A beacon in the golden light
Winter wonderland
A peck between penguins
Sep 8, 2023International Literacy Day
14 Mar 2024Happy Pi Day!
Protecting the gentle giants
Sep 3, 2023Skyscraper Day
27 Mar 2025World Theatre Day
29 Jun 2024Pride in London
24 Jun 2025Delicate Arch, Arches National Park, Utah, United States
A window to the Pacific
A seal of smiles
29 Sep 2023Castell Coch, Wales
13 Oct 2024Royal Alcázar of Seville, Spain
Aug 21, 2023Discovery Day in Yukon, Canada
Small but mighty
26 Dec 2023Happy Boxing Day!
Pier perfect
15 Jul 2025Perseid meteor shower over Nevada, United States
1 Aug 2025Edinburgh Festival Fringe
9 Jan 2025Sossusvlei sand dunes, Namib desert, Namibia
16 Sep 2024Wallabies, Australia
The largest gypsum dune field
30 Jan 2025Rolands Breach, Spain
27 Apr 2025London Marathon
Peek-a-boo, I see you!