Earliest Arenas: The Colosseum: Episode 1

Entertainment is a priority that comes shortly after food, water and shelter - bringing humans together in an escape from ‘day-to-day life’. Worldwide enthusiasm for recreation and sports has led to the creation of some of the grandest and most impressive buildings, including colossal stadiums, each with their own unique appearance. The development and construction of each stadium is often a monumental challenge for the architects and engineers involved, as increasingly bold and elaborate designs continue to take shape across the world. But stadiums are far from a recent phenomenon. Since their earliest existence more than two and half thousand years ago, they have been regarded as engineering masterpieces, with one surpassing all others: the Colosseum. A gigantic gladiator arena, and one of ancient Rome’s greatest achievements.