Spectators in Rome’s Colosseum enjoyed olives, fruit and nuts as they watched gladiators fight to the death.

Seeds of figs, grapes and melons, as well as traces of olives and walnuts, which scientists believe were left by snacking onlookers. Fragments of the bones of ferocious animals that fought for their lives in the Roman arena were also found 70 meters from the drains being searched.

The results of the study of the Colosseum Archaeological Park were presented by its director Alfonsina Russo in Curia Iulia on Thursday. Her team began their investigation in January to better understand the hydraulic functioning of the sewers under the south end of the 2,000-year-old amphitheater. Scientists at Roma Soterranea have used wire-controlled robots to navigate the drainage system and document any findings from the Colosseum’s last years of use as an entertainment venue.

Bones of bears, lions, leopards, and also bones of dogs were found.

Some even descended from a type of dachshund that the Romans used to hunt foxes and badgers. In addition, they found the remains of some plants, such as blackberries, which were probably enjoyed by the Colosseum viewers.

Other finds included artificial items of clothing: a worked bone pin, hairpins, shoe nails and leather, as well as gambling dice. There were also at least 53 bronze coins from the late Roman period from about 250 to 450 AD and a commemorative silver coin from about 170 or 171 AD. The latter, most likely, was distributed by members of the royal family in order to win over their subjects, during the celebration of the decade of the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius.

The construction of the Colosseum began under the empire of Vespasian in 72 AD and was completed eight years later, when Emperor Titus ruled the Roman Empire. To celebrate the completion of the giant stone structure, Titus held 100 days of games during which over 2,000 gladiators died in the arena. It accommodated more than 50,000 people who flocked to the arena to watch exotic animals, executions of prisoners and gladiator fights. The Colosseum has been in use for over 500 years, with the last recorded games being played there in the sixth century. Then it was used for various purposes, including housing, as well as a cemetery, a church, a fortress, and for mining.

Among the finds were a red palm branch and an image of a crown, which is believed to have been painted by a gladiator fan. Also found were images of the phallus, which, according to archaeologists, was usually painted for good luck.

Christina DENISYUK.

Photo: Shutterstock / Viacheslav Lopatin; Parco archeologico del Colosseo