Forget the film Gladiator, for a more accurate representation of how Rome’s mighty Colosseum was built, operated and fought in, check out this documentational re-enactment of a famous gladiator’s life and times from the BBC.

The mighty Colosseum of Rome was built by Emperor Vespasian between the years AD 70 and AD 80, and was origianally named the Flavian Amphitheatre. Capable of seating 50,000 spectators, the Colosseum was used as a stadium for a wide variety of public events, such as: gladatorial games, mock battles and re-enactments, animal hunts, executions and theatre performances. It is estimated that around 500,000 people died within its walls.

In the modern day, the Colosseum lies in partial ruin thanks to a series of earthquakes and stone robbers, however, it is still one of the most visited attractions of Rome and holds infrequent events such as opera and theatre throughout the year.