... Emperors fought in the gladiatorial arena because of their love of the sport and their desire for adoration. Slaves were viewed as inferior and worthless. The only way for them to have a status in society was to entertain the masses. The gladiatorial contests took place in an amphitheatre. The word 'amphitheatre' means 'double theatre'. The stadium consisted of a sand-covered arena, surrounded by banked tiers of sand. The most famous amphitheatre anywhere in the world is the Colosseum in Rome, which was built in the first century AD by emperors Vespasian and Titus. In its prime the huge theatre consisted of four floors. The first three had arched entrances, while the fourth had a spectator capacity of 45, 000 - 55, 000. It remains the symbol of Rome. The Venerable Bede, one of the early Christians of the seventh century AD, wrote these famous words of it: As long as ...

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