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:

A different kind of toucan
13 Sep 2025Last Night of the Proms
16 Nov 2025A traboule in Lyon, France
12 Dec 2024Poinsettia or Christmas flower
1 Nov 2023Haut-Barr Castle
7 Jun 2024World Oceans Day
20 Mar 2026Spring equinox
Protecting Earths biodiversity for everyone
The other great barrier reef
A day for cousins of every stripe
20 Jul 2024International Moon Day
20 Jun 2024Summer solstice
10 Mar 2026Bláhver, Hveravellir, Iceland
28 Feb 2025Tibetan New Year
18 May 2024International Museum Day
20 May 2024World Bee Day
Home of racing legends
18 Dec 2023Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA
26 Feb 2025Castle Stalker, Argyll, Scotland
24 May 2024European Day of Parks
Into the breach
15 Jul 2024Marine Day, Japan
A breathtaking cave when it’s cold
9 Jan 2025Sossusvlei sand dunes, Namib desert, Namibia
4 May 2026Star Wars Day
20 Jul 2026International Moon Day
27 May 2026World Otter Day
29 Jan 2025Porto, Portugal
3 Apr 2024Newcastle Upon Tyne, England
30 Oct 2024Edinburgh Castle, Scotland