Visitors to the Colosseum can experience the same hidden path once walked by Emperor Commodus.
The Colosseum Archaeological Park is opening a hidden underground passageway, dubbed the Tunnel of Commodus, to the public for the first time following a major restoration.
The vaulted tunnel allowed emperors to travel, unseen by the crowds, from the exterior of the Colosseum directly to the pulvinar, or imperial box.
Unplanned during the construction of the amphitheatre, the tunnel was created (according to brick stamps) between the first and second centuries AD by excavating the foundations.
Although the underground corridor was built between the reigns of Domitian (81-96) and Trajan (98-117 AD), it was subsequently named after Commodus (180-192 AD), a passionate fan of gladiatorial combat.
The passageway’s link to Commodus is rooted in an account by Cassius Dio who wrote that the infamous emperor was attacked by a conspirator in an assassination attempt, an attack which could have occurred in the tunnel.
Passaggio di Commodo. Photo Simona Murrone – Parco archeologico del Colosseo
The recent year-long restoration of the Passaggio di Commodo was a complex undertaking to address issues of water infiltration and a compromised microclimate that had severely damaged the passageway’s decorative elements.
The project was funded by Parco archeologico del Colosseo and Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), with the Colosseum hailing the opening of the tunnel as “a significant milestone”.
The restoration work has revealed remarkable details, including remains of luxurious marble cladding and stucco decorations depicting mythological scenes of Dionysus and Ariadne.
A new lighting system has been installed to replicate the natural light that once filtered through the passage’s small skylights.
The Passage of Commodus will be open to visitors from 27 October as part of the “Full Experience” ticket.
As for the destination of the passageway once it leaves the Colosseum, it remains unknown.
The passage moves towards the east, suggesting it went either to the area of the gladiators’ barracks, including the Ludus Magnus, or the Caelian Hill.
A second restoration project, involving the section of the tunnel that extends beyond the perimeter of the Colosseum, is scheduled to begin by the start of next year.
Photo credit: Simona Murrone – Parco archeologico del Colosseo
