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Picture of the day - October 30, 2005
The Roman Coliseum
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Today's picture features one of the most recognizable structures in the world -
the Roman Coliseum. The Coliseum was constructed over a 10 year period
during the reign of
ancient Rome's Emperor Vespasiano. When completed in the year 80 AD, it
immediately became one of the most popular and most-used structures ever built.
In fact, it was used on a regular basis for approximately 400 years until the
fall of the Roman empire.
The Coliseum, which held 50,000 spectators, was used as an entertainment venue,
but the entertainment was unlike anything you'll find in the modern world.
Typically, there were mortal competitions between professional gladiators, condemned criminals, slaves and exotic animals - and
these competitions usually came to a gruesome end.
Today, Italy is taking steps to preserve and restore the Coliseum, but the
progress is slow and expensive. As Italy's most popular tourist attraction, the
Coliseum is one of the first stops on many Rome vacations. Guided tours are
available for a nominal fee, and it is open every day except for
Italian national holidays.
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