"What else did you read about, uncle George," said Rollo, "while I was counting the plants?"
"I read," said Mr. George, "that the Coliseum was begun about A. D. 72, by one of the Roman emperors."
"Then it is almost eighteen hundred years old," said Rollo.
"Yes," said Mr. George; "and when it was first opened after it was finished, they had a sort of inauguration of it, with great celebrations, that continued one hundred days."
"That is over three months," said Rollo.
"Yes," said Mr. George; "it was a very long celebration. During this time about five thousand wild beasts were killed in the combats in the arena."
"This very arena right before us?" said Rollo.
"Yes," said Mr. George.
On hearing this, Rollo looked upon the arena with renewed interest and pleasure. He endeavored to picture to himself the lions, and tigers, and leopards, and other ferocious wild beasts, growling, snarling, and tumbling over each other there, in the desperate combats which they waged among themselves, or with the men sent in to fight with them.
"It continued to be used for such fights," added Mr. George, "for four hundred years; and during this time a great many Christians were sent in to be devoured by wild beasts, for the entertainment of the populace.