Colosseum Arena Tour: Spectacle of Propaganda in Imperial Rome

Step back in time in Imperial Rome on our skip the line Colosseum tour with Arena experience. Relive a day of gladiator combat in the largest Flavian Amphitheater-as the Romans called the Colosseum, built in the empire, sibling to many others still standing today in Verona, Italy, or Arles, France.

Step into the Colosseum with our special access private tour, directly onto the arena floor, just as the gladiators did. They would enter the arena in a parade, paying homage to the emperor seated in his private box, from where he wielded his power as the ultimate judge of the contests, able to grant mercy to a valiant but defeated combatant in the final bout, or condemn them to death at the victor's hand.

The emperor's power over the arena, celebrated in the Colosseum before 50,000 spectators, was clearly symbolic of absolute dominion over Rome and its people.

Relive the terrifying thrill of gladiators emerging from the underground onto this wooden stage covered with sand-in Latin, "arena", where they fought for their lives. They died like beasts under the indifferent gaze of Roman citizens.

Understand with our brilliant guide how the Romans built the Colosseum in just ten years, how they organized work into well-coordinated teams, how they transported travertine from the quarries of Tivoli, 40 km from Rome. We know they also used machines, with winches powered by the strength of animals and slaves, as evidenced in some reliefs of the time.

Explore the colossal, functional, and innovative architecture of the Colosseum, which extolled the emperor's grandeur, his power, and his generosity, as gladiatorial contests were free. The entrance ticket, not a skip-the-line back then, indicated which entrance to use among the 76 numbered ones, with Roman numerals still visible today carved above the arches at street level of the Colosseum. To curry favor with the people and be recognized as the supreme prince, the emperor financed gladiator shows with surprising frequency: they took place for about 100 days a year.

Explore the architecture of the Colosseum, 50 meters high, elliptical in shape, with a greater capacity than a circular one, where about 50,000 people could gather on the steps, much like a modern stadium. Discover how the imposing and ingenious architecture of the Colosseum was designed specifically for gladiatorial combat, based on that of classical theaters. Gladiator shows, unlike theatrical ones with scenes and dialogues directed towards an audience arranged in a semicircle, could be seen from any angle.

Witness, along with the Romans of the time, arranged according to social hierarchies on the five original levels, the ritual of collective blood celebrated in the Colosseum Arena. Observe the family members and high-ranking officials seated in the box, located at the point of greatest visibility, alongside the emperor, who here meets his people and seduces them with the propaganda of an empire ever larger and richer.

He offers the crowd gruesome entertainment, showcasing exotic and fantastic animals from far-flung lands annexed to the empire, men with unusual physical abilities fighting with unusual weapons and tactics.

Our qualified and passionate guide to the history and archaeology of Rome will recount the social and political dynamics of Imperial Rome with you. A complex and multiethnic city, with over a million inhabitants, a hub, and partly a destination, of long-distance trade, of goods and merchandise transported and exchanged to and from the various provinces of the Roman Empire. At the time, it extended from present-day Romania to Morocco, from Egypt to Great Britain.

The tour of the Roman Forum: the political and religious center of Ancient Rome

Continue your journey through time with our private tour of the Roman Forum, the beating heart of ancient Rome, where politics, religion, and daily life intertwined in a spectacular display of grandeur and power. Walk along the worn cobblestones of the Via Sacra, the sacred road once traversed by triumphant generals, senators, and emperors, their chariots rumbling past as crowds gathered to witness the spectacle of victory. Feel the weight of history as you explore the ruins of the Curia where the fate of Rome was debated and laws were forged, shaping an empire that stretched across three continents.

With our expert guide, visualize the vibrant life of the Forum, where merchants bartered, orators delivered passionate speeches, and citizens gathered to hear the latest decrees. With our roman history's expert guide you will stand before the Temple of the Vestal Virgins, where the sacred flame of Rome burned unceasingly, tended by priestesses whose duty to the gods was as unyielding as the empire itself. Gaze upon the remains of the Basilica Julia and Basilica Aemilia, immense halls of justice and commerce, where trials unfolded, fortunes were made, and the pulse of Roman society could be felt in every echoing step.

At the heart of the Forum, stand before the Temple of Julius Caesar, the first temple ever dedicated to a mortal in Rome. Here, our guide will bring to life the dramatic final days of the great dictator, recounting the betrayal that led to his assassination on the Ides of March. It was in this very place, at the altar where his body was cremated, that the people of Rome mourned their fallen leader, unknowingly witnessing the dawn of an empire under his heir, Octavian Augustus.

Our Roman Forum tour offers a vivid and immersive experience, transporting you back to the days when Rome was the center of the known world. Let our passionate and knowledgeable guide unravel the complexities of Roman politics, society, and daily life, making the ruins around you come alive with stories of ambition, power, and destiny.