Archaeology & History

Gladiator Colosseum unearthed in Tuscany

By T.K. Randall
November 12, 2015

Image: Colosseum - Rome - Italy
Credit: Sam Valadi / CC BY 2.0 (adapted) Hailed as one of the most important finds of its kind in 100 years, the dilapidated foundations of the ancient arena were unearthed at a dig site in the town of Volterra.

In its heyday the impressive structure could have seated over 10,000 spectators who would have flocked there from miles around to watch gladiators and beasts fight in bitter duels to the death.

The Colosseum of Rome, by comparison could seat more than 50,000 people."The finding sheds a new light on the history of Volterra, which is most famous for its Etruscan legacy," said archaeologist Elena Sorge who has been heading up the excavations.

"It shows that during the emperor Augustus's rule, it was an important Roman center."

Despite the structure's size and significance however there is no record of it at all in historical texts.

"It's puzzling that no historical account records the existence of such an imposing amphitheater," said Sorge. "Possibly, it was abandoned at a certain time and gradually covered by vegetation."

Source: Discovery News

Tags: Colosseum, Tuscany, Romans