The management of the Colosseum Archaeological Park has announced that, starting from the end of October, for the first time the so-called “Commodus Passage” will be opened to the public, a sort of corridor in the underground of the great amphitheater which until now has not been open to visitors. The restoration and accessibility works, which lasted from October 2024 to September 2025, were conducted by Dr. Federica Rinaldi and the architect. Barbara Nazzaro, and have made this extraordinary underground passage, full of particularities, open to visitors.
The underground gallery, located at the southern end of the Colosseum, was built between the 1st and 2nd centuries. AD, therefore at least twenty years after the end of the 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 glance, it is clear that this passage was used only by high-ranking people. In fact, it connected the outside of the Colosseum directly with the pulvinarthe section of the amphitheater stage reserved for the imperial family and 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 internal decoration seems to suggest that the tunnel was reserved for the use of the higher classes. Archaeologists have recognized two decorative phases: the first saw a coffered ceiling on the vault, with stucco decorations, and marble squares on the walls, supported by metal clamps; however, it is not clear how the floor appeared; in the second phase, the stucco coffering of the vault is replaced by pictorial panels decorated with mythological scenes, while the marble panels on the walls are removed and replaced by pictorial decorations depicting plant and animal elements. The floor of this second phase was probably made up of a mosaic of black and white tiles, of which some fragments are preserved.
The underground tunnel is called the “Commodus” passage 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 AD, was passionate about gladiatorial games, and his figure is quite well known to the general public as the main antagonist in the 2000 film “Gladiator” by Ridley Scott.
