The direction of Colosseum Archaeological Park announced that, starting from the end of October, the so-called “Commodus Passage”a sort of corridor in the underground of the large amphitheater which has not been visited until now. The restoration and accessibility works, which lasted from October 2024 to September 2025, were conducted by Dr. Federica Rinaldi and fromarch. Barbara Nazzaroand have made this extraordinary underground passage, full of particularities, open to visitors.
The underground tunnel, located insouthern end of the Colosseumwas accomplished between the 1st and 2nd centuries. A.Dso at least about twenty years later the completion of work on the amphitheatre. In fact, it was not foreseen in the original design of the structure, and its construction involved the excavation of the foundations and the modification of the hydraulic system. The ceiling of the corridor is vaulted, and is lit only through vents.
Despite its dark appearance at first sight, it is clear that this passage was used only by high-ranking characters. In fact, it connected the outside of the Colosseum directly with the pulvinarthe section of the amphitheater stage reserved for imperial family and to high-profile figures, who in this way could access their sector away from the prying eyes of the crowd. In addition to the direct transition to pulvinarwith a north-south orientation, the corridor also has two divisions oriented in an east-west direction.
Even the interior decoration seems to suggest that the tunnel was reserved for the use of the higher classes. Archaeologists recognized you two decorative phases: the first saw a coffered ceilingwith stucco decorationsand on the walls marble squaressupported by metal clamps, it is not clear what the floor looked like; in the second phase, the stucco coffering of the vault is replaced by pictorial panels decorated with mythological sceneswhile the marble panels on the walls are removed and replaced by pictorial decorations depicting them plant and animal elements. The floor of this second phase was probably made up of a mosaic with black and white tiles some fragments of which are preserved.
The underground tunnel is called the passage of “Commodus” because it is traditionally identified as the place where the emperor suffered an attack, according to the historian Cassius Dio (155-235 AD). Commodus, emperor from 180 to 192 ADwas passionate about gladiatorial games, and his figure is quite well known to the general public as the main antagonist in the film “The Gladiator” by Ridley Scott, 2000.
