Among all the great sports stadiums in the world, one stands out above the rest. The Colosseum is known around the world as a visually stunning icon of ancient Rome. Present for almost 2000 years, this stadium is a pioneering symbol of innovation in architecture and engineering. This four-story giant practically laid the foundation for thousands of subsequent stadiums by being the largest, most functional and, above all, most technologically advanced building of its time. Until the 19th and 20th centuries, nothing matched the grandeur of the Colosseum. Before we begin to discuss the achievements of the Colosseum, we must first understand the historical context and history of the building. Construction of the building began in 72 AD and was commissioned by Emperor Vespasian, founder of the Flavian dynasty. Unfortunately, Vespasian would not be able to see his full vision of a glorious stadium. He died of natural causes just a year before construction was completed in 80 AD (Pepe A, 2012). Vespasian's son and successor, Titus, would be the first emperor to rule after the completion of the Colosseum. He inaugurated the stadium by organizing a grand celebration that lasted 100 days. The inaugural games were an opportunity to celebrate the completion of the Colosseum by holding daily gladiator games. By the end of the inaugural games, Rome had witnessed the slaughter of 9,000 exotic animals as well as the deaths of up to 2,000 gladiators (Pepe A, 2012). The Colosseum was built on the site of the former emperor Nero's private palace called Domus. Aurea, (Pepe A, 2012) which, when translated, means Golden House. Nero had the Domus Aurea built between the Esquiline and P...... middle of paper ......njoy. Judging by the innovative, timeless and solid technology used in this building, the Colosseum could even outlast the great pyramids of Giza. Works cited by Pepe A, Pepe D, McElwee C. The Colosseum c2012. [Online]. Available at: http://www.the-colosseum.net/idx-en.htm Accessed February 28, 2012. Hopkins K. 2011. The Colosseum: emblem of Rome. [Online]. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/colosseum_01.shtml Accessed March 2, 2012. Alchin L. Roman Colosseum. C2008. [Online]. Available at: http://www.roman-colosseum.info/roman-colosseum-copyright.htm Accessed March 2, 2012. Elia GM. 2002. The Colosseum: Construction Quality and Efficiency. [Online]. Available at: http://metodoetecniche.blogspot.com/p/articoli-dellautore.html Accessed March 4, 2012. Mueller T. Unearthing the secrets of the Colosseum. Smithsonian. January 2011. p.26