Rome is a fantastic place to go for ruins. It has the Colosseum which was once a place where people used to fight and fight in boats. The Founder of the colosseum was Vespasian, who became emperor in AD 69. Inside the colosseum took place deadly gladiatorial fights with wild animals which were free to watch. It had eighty arched entrances allowing 55,ooo spectators to pass through to watch the fights. It was a great andmarvelous amphitheatre, one of several similar amphitheatres built back in the roman empire. The emperor used to sit on a podium, which was large and wealthy upper class people used to sit on similar seats. The Colosseum had some of it''s stone work removed so that other palaces could be made, including parts of St. Peter''s and several bridges. The forum is great with lots of ruins to look at. It was the centre of commercial, political and judicial life in rome. The Basilicas were the largest buildings, where legal cases were heard, like in court today. There were many bankers, brokers, lawyers, shopkeepers and litigants (litigants means someone conducting a lawsuit, disputing with or against something). The Forum then became too small for Rome, so Julius Caesar built a new one in 46BC. When going to Rome, always look out for paintings on walls, or designs in fallen ruins, as there are many to look at.