The so-called gladiators’ entrance is located on the east side of the Colosseum and is the gate for the arena, where gladiators used to fight. The area was recently partially reconstructed and represents the best entrance to visit the most famous amphitheatre in the world. During the roman empire, two gates were found: Porta Triumphalis and Porta Libitinaria. The first was used from the combatants to reach the arena while the second to let the corpse go outside it. The name of the Libitinaria gate derives from the goddess patron of the corpses and tombs. On the top of the gate, a plate was sticked up from the catholic Church to consecrate the Colosseum as a place for the commemoration of the Christians’ martyrdom, even if archaeologists still have to find an evidence that could prove it with certainty.
If you visit the Colosseum, it is strongly recommended to pass through the Arena entrance, feeling as entering into a modern stadium, having a perfect overview of the amphitheatre.
The arena structure was made up of wood and covered by sand to absorb the blood. Underneath, where the backstage took place, the complex of the dungeons can be visited nowadays.
