'Gladiator' emperor's mini-colosseum discovered

Archaeologists believe that the Roman emperor Commodus may have had his own personal miniature Colosseum on his estate near Rome.

Archaeologists from Montclair State University, in New Jersey, think that a large oval area that has curved walls and floors made up of marble is, in fact, the arena where Commodus killed wild beasts, and earned the nickname 'the Roman Hercules,' as recorded in historical writings.

The oval structure in Genzano, a village lying southeast of Rome, measures 200 feet by 130 feet and has been dated to the 2nd century.

Literary references and the discovery in the 18th century of marble busts of imperial figures, has led the archaeologists to believe that the site was the property of the Antonine Dynasty (138-193), that included emperors Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus and Commodus.

The structure formed in an ellipse, could seat more than 1,300 people and featured an imperial box and was decorated with mosaic tesserae and luxurious, imported marbles.

Chatr Aryamontri, and co-director Timothy Renner, wrote that the numerous pieces and fragments of marble of varied thickness and dimensions include white marbles as well as coloured ones like serpentine, porphyry, giallo antico, pavonazetto, cipollino and africano, Discovery News reported.

According to the archaeologists, several huge blocks of worked peperino stone may have helped support an awning system (velarium) to shade audience from the sun, similar to the Colosseum in Rome.