Though you might think that there couldn’t possibly be any more ancient ruins to explore in Rome, a 2,000 year old tunnel that functioned as a passageway for Roman emperors to enter and exit the Colosseum is now open to the public.
The tunnel, known historically as the Passage of Commodus, is a 180-foot corridor that courses beneath the amphitheater. It was utilized by emperors and high profile guests to access their seats in the imperial box without navigating crowds. The tunnel is named after Emperor Commodus, a merciless emperor made famous today by the 2000 film Gladiator. Commodus served as emperor between 177 and 192 CE and is said to have nearly been assassinated in the passageway.
The restoration project was funded by the Colosseum Archaeological Park and Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan. The Colosseum Archaeological Park released a statement indicating that the underground tunnel begins outside the amphitheater and ends at the imperial box. And though the amphitheater’s construction ended in 80 CE, the tunnel was added between the first and second centuries.
According to Smithsonian Magazine, the tunnel was discovered in 1810 and excavated in 1874 before being reexamined in the 1990s and partially restored in 2020 and 2021. It was again restored in 2024, a project which ended this September.
Restorations revealed layers of marble, plaster and paint that covered the walls of the passage through the years. Also discovered were scenes of boar hunts and bear fights relating to the Colosseum at the entrance of the tunnel. Plus, depictions of the myth of Dionysus and Ariadne were also uncovered on the walls of the passage.
The tunnel will be lit by fixtures that recreate daylight from ancient skylights. CNN reports glass panels will also allow visitors to watch archaeologists work on the site. Plus, more history waits to be uncovered as new excavations scheduled for 2026 will trace the tunnel’s route, which possibly leads to gladiator barracks.
Massimo Osanna, director general of Italy’s museums dubbed the reopening “a significant milestone.” Features in the exhibit, including a tactile map and video reconstructions of the space, hope to make the site “accessible and inclusive for all audiences.”
