New Study Suggests Colosseum Built 100 Years Earlier Than Believed

A new study by Bavarian historian Klaus Stefan Freyberger challenges the long-held belief that the Colosseum in Rome was built in the 1st century AD under the Flavian dynasty (Vespasian, Titus, Domitian). Freyberger argues that construction actually began over a century earlier, with the Flavians only completing and restoring the structure. The study is set to be published in the journal Römische Historische Mitteilungen of the Austrian Institute in Rome. Alfonsina Russo, director of the Parco Archeologico del Colosseo, expressed skepticism, noting that ancient sources like Tacitus and Suetonius describe Nero's lake on the site without mentioning a pre-existing amphitheater. She also pointed out that recent restorations confirm the attic was built after a fire in 217 AD under Macrinus, not by the Flavians. The debate highlights the ongoing revision of historical certainties.