Discover the amazing history behind one of the worlds most remarkable buildings – a symbol to this day of all that was good and bad, about Ancient Roman civilization.
 
Built to erase the memory of one of Rome’s most despised emperors, the Colosseum was an architectural and engineering triumph that survived political turmoil, looting and earthquakes to become the blueprint for modern sports stadiums the world over.

Yet behind the magnificent stone façade lay an arena of death, where 50,000 Romans indulged in their favourite spectator sport – bloodshed – on  a lavish scale. This film recaptures those spine-chilling moments – a gruesome reminder of a harsher, crueller age.

This DVD is accompanied by a beautifully illustrated 24-page hardcover book. Watch and discover the secrets of cultures that thrived for centuries and then disappeared, and at the same time read the captivating book packed with intriguing facts, illustrations, photography and more.

Narrated by Alisdair Simpson
Produced for National Geographic Channel (2007).