"The Emperor Titus opened the enormous Colosseum in AD 80 to host 100 days of ga
mes, and it will astound readers to learn what the ancient Romans found entertai
ning. Over 50,000 screaming fans watched gladiators battling each other to the d
eath, men fighting exotic wild beasts, and even mock sea battles with warships f
loating on an arena floor flooded with water. By AD 476 the Roman Empire had fal
len, and yet the ruins of the Colosseum remain a world-famous landmark of an unf
orgettable time"
