The Roman Theatre was built between 138CE and 161CE, 2nd century during the reign of Roman emperor Antoninus Pius. The centre piece of the city, it was designed to be northerly oriented, to keep the sun off spectators, and could seat up to 6,000 people. The Colosseum was built as part of an imperial effort to revitalize Rome after the tumultuous year of the four emperors, 69 CE. As with other amphitheatres, the emperor Vespasian intended the Colosseum to be an entertainment venue, hosting gladiator fights, animal hunts, and even mock naval battles.
