Did you know that public executions on the Colosseum arena floor sometimes doubled as reenactments of Roman mythologies?
Can you imagine being a spectator in the Flavian amphitheater, having been willfully ushered in to watch a petitioned death disguised with costumes, masks, props and speeches? Those executed could be war prisoners of the empire or criminals who had committed an offense against it.
We can only imagine that such an execution would strip the condemned of all dignity, as the audience would cheer on to watch a story unfold- such as that of Prometheus being torn into by wild animals released on the arena floor- than to recognize how gruesome their choice in entertainment really was.
What happens on the arena floor, therefore, is of the most importance as it truly is the focal point of the Colosseum experience.
So why wouldn’t you want to explore the floor itself on your visit to the ancient site?
This article will help you decide whether or not to add access to the Colosseum arena floor to your tour ticket, in order to fully explore this iconic landmark.
We will look at different tour options to compare the pros and cons of their offerings. This will help you plan the perfect visit.
Is going inside the Colosseum worth it?
A lot of Rome visitors decide that for them, just witnessing the facade of the Colosseum is enough.
Although the outer architecture of the Colosseum is magnificent with its elliptical rows of arches rising high above the ground, just imagine how complex and intricate it must be from the inside.
Even the standard Colosseum admission ticket offers you so much, with explorations of its first two tiers, through which you get to learn about the structure’s history and architecture.
If the Colosseum is already worth going inside, imagine how much access to arena floor- where it all really happened– could deepen your experience and immerse you into the gladiator atmosphere.
What is the arena floor?
The arena floor is the elliptical space in the center of the Colosseum, toward which the 360 degree seats of the amphitheater face. It is where all the Colosseum performances, displays and extravaganzas take place.
Historically, the arena floor was flat surfaced and made out of wooden planks.
The entirety of the floor would be covered with sand, in order to absorb blood spilled and for those on the floor to gain some traction and slip less.
Although the variety in events that took place was relatively less diverse, all events were well-known and iconic:
- The most famous were the gladiatorial combats. These prisoners of war, slaves, condemned men and volunteers would most commonly be pitted against each other or would be forced to fight wild animals.
- Sometimes the relationship between the animals and the men would be inversed, where the intention was primarily for trained hunters called venatores to kill the animals.
- Public executions of criminals and prisoners would take place, often through the aforementioned means of acting out Roman myths.
- Naval battle scenes are said to have also taken place, for which the arena floor would have then be flooded with water to create further realism (and yet a spectacle).
What we see now when we enter the Colosseum however, is of course different from what the original arena floor used to be.
Over time the Colosseum went through a lot of serious structural damage due to earthquakes, pollution and more. The arena was heavily affected too.
Finally in the 1990’s serious efforts started being made to preserve the landmark.
These efforts also included making a partial reconstruction of the arena floor.
This way visitors can actually go down on an ‘arena floor’, look up at the massive surrounding stands, look down at the exposed underground and really get a feel for what actually being a part of events would look like.
Is the Colosseum arena access worth it?
Although we highly advocate for seeing the arena floor properly, we can’t push it on you.
Here are some pros and cons that may help you make your decision:
Pros:
- The experience of walking into the space that gladiators both revered and feared is unmatchable.
- Th 360 degree view of the looming Colosseum’s structure is completely different from the arena floor. This can provide more interesting insights into the architecture of the Colosseum.
Cons:
- Adding arena floor access to your standard Colosseum ticket means incurring an additional cost.
- Having access to the arena is such a unique experience that tickets handed out by the Colosseum are very limited. You would need to book these services well in advance.
The ‘cons’ only exist depending on how you choose to view them. Are they really cons at all for you?
Colosseum arena floor VS the underground
How do you know whether you would prefer for your tour add-on to be the arena floor or the Colosseum underground?
For this we will ask you a simple question:
What seems to make you more delightfully curious?
The arena, on one hand, will simply astound you with how well it can immerse you in the games of the ancient Roman empire.
The angle from which you view things really alters your perception of its grandeur and significance.
The vastness of the original floor itself can only be felt by being eye-level with it through the partially reconstructed part of it you would be standing on.
The underground, on the other hand, is the most incredible labyrinth of tunnels, rooms, elevators and more.
The Hypogeum (name for the Colosseum underground) is what makes the spectacles on the arena floor logistically possible.
Would you rather know about how the Roman empire would host such shows? Choose to explore the underground.
Colosseum full access tour
Walks Inside Rome offers several different options for Colosseum tours with arena floor access. If you have decided to choose the arena over the underground, here are some offers available to you.
Each tour opens up all areas of the ancient amphitheater for you, and that too, with the eyes and knowledge of an expert guide!
This Classic Ancient Rome Tour leaves space for some customization, yet also includes the possibility of exploring the Colosseum arena floor.
Combine treading through the remains of the imperial Roman Forum with then entering an imaginary world of a deafening roar by an audience at the amphitheater ‘next door’.
Dive into the histories, details and secrets of the arena floor with your guide.
With similar offerings as the tour above, the Express Arena Floor tour has the added (and very special!) benefit of entering straight onto the arena floor through the gate used by the gladiators instead of the entrance used by all other visitors.
Nothing can plunge you into the gladiatorial games more than this.
Trust us when we say its an adrenaline booster!
You can book a tour through our website, or for more information about schedules and the tour itself you can email us at [email protected].
