Which of these facts are true?
It had snack bars, water fountains, and bathrooms
A giant canvas awning on the roof could be raised and lowered to protect people from the sun
More than fifty thousand people could fill its seats
The Emperor Titus opened the enormous Colosseum in AD 80 to host 100 days of games, and it will astound readers to learn what the ancient Romans found entertaining. Over 50,000 screaming fans watched gladiators battling each other to the death, men fighting exotic wild beasts, and even mock sea battles with warships floating on an arena floor flooded with water. By AD 476 the Roman Empire had fallen, and yet the ruins of the Colosseum remain a world-famous landmark of an unforgettable time.
Author
Jim O'Connor
Jim O’Connor is a children’s author. His books include Jackie Robinson and the Story of All-Black Baseball, Let’s Hear it for the Shrumps!, The Puck Stops Here!, The Ghost in Tent 19, Call Me Gretzky, and many books in the popular Who Was? series.
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Who HQ
Who HQ is your headquarters for history. The Who HQ team is always working to provide simple and clear answers to some of our biggest questions. From Who Was George Washington? to Who Is Michelle Obama?, and What Was the Battle of Gettysburg? to Where Is the Great Barrier Reef?, we strive to give you all the facts. Visit us at WhoHQ.com
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John O'Brien
John O’Brien has held writing fellowships at the University of Iowa and Stanford University, and he was the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship. His work has appeared in Hudson Review, Massachusetts Review, TriQuarterly, Country Journal, Harrowsmith, and Gray’s Sporting Journal. He lives with his wife, Becky, in Franklin, West Virginia.
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