The Colosseum has always been the icon of ancient Rome. Everyone knows about the bloodthirsty gladiator games and hunts that attracted tens of thousands of spectators. But the Colosseum was also an integral part of the city’s life in a completely different way throughout medieval history. The dark arcades of the ground floor that once served as a passageway for spectators to reach their seats were subsequently used through the centuries as homes, stables, shops and even an aristocratic fortress.
This book, the result of six years of archaeological research conducted by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and the University Roma Tre, tells another story, revealing layers of history to give a voice to the other history of the Colosseum.