The Rise & Fall of the Colosseum

The Colosseum: the jewel of Ancient Rome. It wowed vast crowds with extraordinary battles. It pushed the boundaries of technology. It exhibited Rome’s vast wealth and power. Roman leaders spread the Colosseum’s design throughout the Empire, and it helped them conquer the ancient world. But just as the structure embodied Rome’s power, so too did it contribute to the Empire’s downfall.

While examining the first gladiator bones ever found, forensic anthropologist Fabian Kanz spots signs of healing around a severe skull fracture. The scarring on the bone suggests some gladiators may have received the best medical care available to Ancient Romans.

Among gladiator classes commonly seen in the ancient Roman ring, one of the more popular matchups were between the Retiarius and the Secutor. Ancient Rome historian Alexander Marriotti breaks down why this pairing was a favorite among the Colosseum crowd.

After testing some of the first gladiator remains found, forensics anthropologist Fabian Kanz discovers that some bones contained unusually high levels of strontium. Gladiators may have been consuming strontium-rich drinks to become stronger warriors as they faced each other in the Colosseum.