Adding to Italy’s extraordinary historical treasure trove, the Colosseum is soon set to open an almost millennium-old pathway that has never before been accessible to the public.
The Tunnel of Commodus, a vaulted underground passage estimated to date back to 81-96 AD, was once used by Roman emperors to enter the Colosseum and reach the pulvinar, or Imperial Box, without encountering commoners. But this autumn, for the first time, ordinary citizens and visitors to the Italian capital’s most visited landmark will be able to tread in those ancient imperial footsteps.
What is the Tunnel of Commodus?
Brick stamps indicate the underground passage was created by excavating the foundations of the amphitheatre between the reigns of Domitian (81-96) and Trajan (98-117 AD). Despite those origins, the secret tunnel eventually became associated with (and named after) Commodus (180-192 AD), after Cassius Dio recorded a description of an assassination attempt on him that some commentators believe took place within. Commodus figures in the popular imagination as an evil emperor who adored watching gladiatorial combat, as a result of portrayals such as that by Joaquin Phoenix in the Ridley Scott movie, Gladiator.
Recent restoration works funded by Parco Archeologico del Colosseo (Colosseum Archaeological Park) and Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) have refurbished about 30 metres of the passage, as well as reinstating the tunnel’s marble-clad walls. Newly revealed are metal supports and stucco decorations which portray mythological scenes, newly illuminated by a lighting system designed to imitate the natural light that used to enter through skylights. It is thought that the tunnel once led out either towards imperial palaces or to the gladiators’ barracks at Ludus Magnus or the Caelian Hill.
Making the “Full Experience” accessible
The Colosseum has celebrated the forthcoming opening of the tunnel to the public as “a significant milestone” that will make Rome’s cultural heritage more accessible via a retractable staircase and elevator. “Cognitive barriers” have been removed too, officials said, “thanks to a clever use of digital technology” and a tactile mapping tool that enables visitors to “see what the passage was like and what decorations have now been lost, with a beautiful reconstruction.”
Plans are afoot to continue the tunnel’s restoration eastwards beyond the amphitheatre complex boundary in 2026. Meanwhile, small groups of up to eight people will be able to visit as part of the site’s “Full Experience” from 27 October 2025. Tickets are currently priced at €24.
