Colosseum Tour with Arena Floor & Roman Forum

When Emperor Vespasian made the first draft of the Colosseum in the 2nd century AD, he certainly didn’t go for a “less is more” feel. While the plan of the building was inspired by a classical Greek theater, Vespasian’s vision was much grander than that. He made his architects place two theaters back to back, creating an oval stage with the audience seated around the entire perimeter and pushing the backstage to the underground. We are left to imagine how magnificent the then marble-clad edifice must have looked on its inauguration day in 80 AD but, luckily, what remains of the Colosseum is still undeniably spectacular.

There are a few ways to actually get inside the Colosseum, but the gladiator's gate is by far the best. Not only is it a reserved skip the line entry for exclusive groups, it is also the Porta Libitinaria leading directly onto the Arena Floor. In ancient times this was the exit through which defeated gladiators were carried and is named after the caste whose job it was to remove them. As you step through the shadows of the corridor and into the light of the Arena Floor, it's easy to hear the ancient echos of the crowd.

At its peak, the arena was the focal point of a wide range of entertainment and shows in ancient Rome. A show day often began with an early dawn production featuring dwarves, fighting women and acrobats. Next, a barbaric hunt of wild beasts amused an overzealous crowd. By noon, the most ferocious of the shows featured brutal gladiatorial re-enactments, which represented Rome’s wars with Greece and offered extreme, high-octane, adrenaline-charged entertainment for the throngs of bloodthirsty spectators; it was the most popular form of diversion second only to chariot races at the Circus Maximus.

The Arena Floor stage is a very recent edition to the Colosseum, built to wow visitors and satisfy the musings of archaeologists on just how this complex structure functioned in antiquity. As part of this engineering experiment a team actually fabricated an elevator using the technology and methods of the day. The Colosseum originally had some 24 functioning lifts to use during the gladitorial games, wild beast hunts and theatrical re-enactments.

The Colosseum is also home to some spectacular views from above, so after you're finished exploring the underground and arena floor, you'll get the chance to follow your guide up to the second tier to see how the patrician and knightly classes watched the games. Photo-ops abound with your guides intricate tales, and be sure not to miss the Valdier Terrace, with views over the Arch of Constantine, Via Sacra and Roman Forums (yes there was more than one!).

Next stop on our guided tour of the Colosseum and Ancient Rome is the Arch of Constantine. Every inch of this massive triumphal arch is covered by carvings and sculptures, making it a veritable billboard, made to advertise the achievements of Constantine in the Battle of the Milvian Bridge. Curiously, much of its decoration was cobbled together from monuments built by earlier emperors, more specifically those of Trajan, Hadrian and Marcus Aurelius. These were all men that Constantine considered to have been the great rulers of the 2nd century AD and with whom he most wanted to be associated.

At its crowning apex, the Roman Empire covered an area of 2,500,000 square miles and was ruled with an iron fist from the Roman Forum. But the Forum was more than just a political hub; it was also the beating heart of the Empire, where Roman lawyers, bankers and commoners went about their daily business. While the temples and basilicas may have been sacked by both barbarians and Renaissance builders throughout the centuries, the remnants of what once was remain - and the site continues to leave visitors speechless to this day.

This well-preserved temple is the moving testimony of one of the most beautiful love stories of Ancient Roman history. Upon the death of his beloved wife Faustina in 140 AD, Emperor Antoninus made sure to have her deified by the senate and – as if that wasn’t enough, to prove his devotion - constructed one of the larger temples in the Roman Forum in her honor. 20 years later, Antonius would join Faustina, in both the afterlife and the inscription of the colonnade, which reads “To the divine Antoninus and to the divine Faustina by the decree of the Senate”.

This arch was erected by Emperor Domitian in 81 AD to commemorate his brother Titus’ victory in Judea. The reliefs depict the Roman soldiers carrying spoils from the temple of Jerusalem. No one knows the current whereabouts of the stolen treasures, though legends abound. Some say that the loots from the temple of Salomon were swiped from Rome and taken to Cartage by vandals upon its sacking in 455 AD. Others believe that the sacred Menorah and its counterparts are being held within the Vatican City treasury, quietly waiting for a reemergence into the world.

Inside this relatively modest temple from 7th century BC, a mysterious cult of young women, known as the Vestal Virgins, worked around the clock to keep the scared flame of Rome burning. This was considered an extremely crucial task in ancient times and the priestesses, who were easily recognized by their shaved heads and traditional white garments, were amongst the most respected citizens of the Empire. Other duties of the vestals were to look after sacred objects, protect the testaments of the aristocracy, and perform sacrificial ceremonies.

The temple of Castor and Pollux was built in 484 AD to commemorate the victory at the Battle of Lake Regillo against the Tarquin kings. Its position right in the heart of the Roman Forum suggests that this was an important sanctuary for the ancient Romans and it very much was – so much in fact, that the majestic structure even housed the Senate for many years during the Republican Era. Sadly, very little of the original building has stood the test of time, but the three slender marble columns that remain standing are a great testimony to the majestic beauty of the city at the time of Emperor Augustus.

This overwhelming super structure began as an ambitious project by Emperor Maxentius in 308 AD and was completed by Constantine 4 years later, hence the reason it is sometimes referred to as the Basilica of Constantine. Spanning the size of an American football field, this building was the largest of the Forum and an absolute marvel of Roman engineering and artistry. Though only ruins are left of its past grandeur, the resilient remains have inspired the leading architects of both the Renaissance and our modern times – even Penn Station in New York replicated its main features.

When Julius Caesar was declared “dictator perpetuity” in 44 AD, many felt nervous that too much power was in the hands of one man and – only months later – he was assassinated by a group of fellow senators. Though the Senate considered Caesar to be a danger, he was still very much loved by the people, who carried his body to the Roman Forum and burned his remains for three days of mourning. Upon the site of his cremation, a temple was built in his honor and to this day, fresh flowers are placed there every morning. A stunning testimony to Caesar’s position as Pater Patriae, “Father of the Nation”.

This well-preserved archway dates back to 203 AD and depicts the victories of its namesake Emperor in the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire. Though the reliefs are interesting, the writing on this arch reveals something far more intriguing – an ancient family feud. In reality, the arch was dedicated not only to Emperor Severus himself but also to his two sons, Caracalla and Geta. Geta's name, however, has been removed and only the holes from the bronze letters remain. This cunning deed occurred when Caracalla had his younger brother killed, and then systematically destroyed all pictures and mentions of him.

This lush peak is believed that to be the place where the very first Romans lived; in fact, archeological finds from the area conclude that the Palatine had already been inhabited as early as 1000 BC. The hill’s strategic position and its spectacular views of the Tiber River, below made this spot prime real estate later on in history, as well. Throughout the republican times and into the Imperial Era the hill would serve as a neighborhood for the aristocracy and the monarchy. At the height of the Roman Empire, it abounded with numerous opulent buildings, which together formed the Imperial Palace.