Who commissioned the Ludus Magnus and when was it built?
Emperor Domitian commissioned the Ludus Magnus in the late first century A.D. during his reign from 81 to 96 A.D.
Questions about Ludus Magnus
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Where is the Ludus Magnus located relative to other Roman landmarks?
The Ludus Magnus sat directly east of the Flavian Amphitheater between the Esquiline and Caelian hills near Via Labicana and Via di S. Giovanni in Laterano.
What were the dimensions and capacity of the central arena at the Ludus Magnus?
The central arena measured roughly 63 meters long by 42 meters wide with seating capable of holding about 3,000 spectators.
How did later emperors modify the original design of the Ludus Magnus?
Trajan raised the pavement level by about 1.5 meters during his reign from 98 to 117 A.D. while Hadrian added refinements after fire damage struck the building in the late second century.
When did gladiatorial combat end and what happened to the Ludus Magnus afterward?
Gladiatorial combat was outlawed in the fifth century C.E. leading to the gradual decline of such schools before the space served as a small cemetery by the sixth century.