The Colosseum’s roar faded long ago, and the arena’s last official bloodlines trace back to 404 CE when Emperor Honorius I concluded the spectacle. Yet the colossal amphitheater did not vanish; it adapted, serving as a cemetery, a place of worship, a magnet for visitors, and even a residence complex over the centuries. Beginning in 800 CE, the Santa Maria Nova friars rented the structure for more than five centuries, constructing stables, workshops, and terra cotta sewage pipes. Their tenants ran the gamut of Roman society—from aristocrats to small shopkeepers. A devastating earthquake in 1349 CE finally pushed occupants away, and since then the Colosseum has continually found new roles.

The era of gladiators stretched for roughly 650 years, starting around 264 BCE. Their decline came slowly, driven by the mounting costs of upkeep and shifting religious sentiments. As Christianity rose, opposition to the violent arena grew louder. While Constantine I is credited with abolishing the games in 325 CE, the abolition did not take effect immediately, and Honorius I ultimately halted the spectacle again, sealing its fate for good.