"Mini-Colosseum" unearthed near Rome airport runway

Europe News

Oct 1, 2009, 10:36 GMT

Rome - Archaeologists have unearthed the ruins of an ancient Roman amphitheatre situated near a runway of Rome's Fiumicino airport, news reports said Thursday. Ellipsis-shaped like the much larger Colosseum, the amphitheatre may have been used to stage gladiatorial contests or even mock sea-battles, according to experts. Unlike the Colosseum which could seat more than 50,000 spectators during public games, the amphitheatre, which was discovered inside the ruins of a gigantic imperial-style palace, is believed to have been used for more exclusive shows in front of at most 2,000 spectators. The find, by a team of British archaeologists, came during excavations on the site of the 2nd century AD seaport of Portus which, located near the mouth of the River Tiber, once served as a major Mediterranean trade gateway for Rome. The area now lies entirely inland, some 30 kilometres from modern-day Rome.

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