Follow clues around the outside of the Colosseum and uncover the stories of the gladiators, emperors and animals that once filled the arena.

You don't need to go inside the Colosseum to experience its secrets. The interior is only a skeleton of what once stood here, but the exterior still preserves many of the clues that help us understand how this extraordinary building worked.

Along the way, you'll discover:

• The Colosseum's real name

• Did gladiator battles always end in death?

• If elephants, bears and other wild animals really appeared in the arena

• The enormous fountain that once stood nearby

• What a vomitorium really was (hint: it's not what most people think!) 

• Who built the Colosseum — and why

…and plenty more surprises hidden in one of Rome's most iconic landmarks.

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