Rome's Coliseum was built in bricks and clad of
travertine. On this area once there was a small lake that Nerone
was using for the Domus Aurea. The name "Coliseum" was not
attributed to Rome most famous monument, but to another majestic
work dedicated to Nerone. The four floors building occupy an area
of 19000 square meters. The Coliseum is divided in sectors
accessible trough stairs and galleries where once were sold,
during the games, chick peas, drinks and cushions. On the tribunes,
among the places reserved for senators and Court's members, was
built the platform for the Emperor (called "pulvinar") on orders of
August. The access of the Emperor was guarantee through an
underground corridor known as "passage of the Commodo". This name
comes from the fact that someone tried to kill Emperor Commodo in
that "a dark corner" of the Coliseum.Together with the Coliseum,
the Imperial Forums are an attestation of greatness and
magnificence of the Imperial Rome. According to tradition, the city
was founded by Romolo on 753 b.C. and became the most important
centre of all the antique world. In the 1st century a.C. Rome is
already a city of more than one million inhabitants. Even though,
the area of the Imperial Forums is the result of various subsequent
projects, nowadays is possible to distinguish some strongly
characteristic areas