Of all the major sports stadiums in the world, there is one that stands out above the rest. The Colosseum is known worldwide as a visually stunning icon of ancient Rome. Standing for nearly 2,000 years, this stadium has been a pioneering symbol of innovation in architecture and engineering. This four-story behemoth virtually laid the foundation for thousands of subsequent stages by being the largest, most functional and, above all, most technologically advanced building of its time. Nothing had even approached the grandeur of the Colosseum until the 19th and 20th centuries. Before we begin to discuss the Colosseum's achievements, we must first understand the historical context and background of the building. The construction of the building began in 72 AD and was commissioned by Emperor Vespasian, founder of the Flavian dynasty. Unfortunately, Vespasian would not be able to realize his complete vision of a glorious stadium. He died of natural causes just a year before construction was completed in 80 AD (Pepe A, 2012). Titus, son and successor of Vespasian, would be the first emperor to rule after the completion of the Colosseum. He inaugurated the stadium by holding a grand celebration that lasted 100 days. The inaugural games were a time to celebrate the completion of the Colosseum by holding gladiatorial games every day. By the end of the inaugural games Rome had seen the slaughter of 9,000 exotic animals and the death of up to 2,000 gladiators (Pepe A, 2012). The Colosseum was built on the site of the former emperor Nero's private palace called the Domus. Aurea, (Pepe A, 2012) which translated means Golden House. Nero built the Domus Aurea between the Esquiline and P......middle of paper......enjoy. Judging by the innovative, solid and timeless technology used in this building, the Colosseum may even outlast the Great Pyramids of Giza. Works Cited Pepe A, Pepe D, McElwee C. The Colosseum c2012. [Online]. Available from: http://www.the-colosseum.net/idx-en.htm Accessed 28 February 2012. Hopkins K. 2011. The Colosseum: Emblem of Rome. [Online]. Available from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/colosseum_01.shtml Accessed 2 March 2012. Alchin L. Roman Colosseum. C2008. [Online]. Available from: http://www.roman-colosseum.info/roman-colosseum-copyright.htm Accessed 2012 March 2.Elia GM. 2002. The Colosseum: quality and efficiency of construction. [Online]. Available from: http://metodoetecniche.blogspot.com/p/articoli-dellautore.html Accessed 2012 March 4.Mueller T. Discovering the secrets of the Colosseum. Smithsonian. January 2011. P.26