The Romans haven’t shown much enthusiasm for events held at the Colosseum in possibly centuries, and it’s not because of the recent release of Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator” sequel.
A plan for the Colosseum created in partnership with Airbnb, which offers a few people the opportunity to release their “inner gladiator” in the most visited place in Italy, had great repercussions among many Romans, who claim that such an event devalues a precious cultural icon.
Over two nights in May, up to 32 people will have the opportunity to learn the art of gladiatorial fighting in the ancient arena, under the guidance of Roman history enthusiasts who specialize in historical re-enactments.
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The project is a partnership between the Coliseum Archaeological Park and Airbnb, the accommodation booking platform, which donated US$1.5 million to revitalize a permanent exhibition inside the arena. According to Airbnb, the goal “was to support the ongoing conservation work of the Colosseum by seeking new ways to inspire and educate visitors about the historical significance of this bygone era.”
However, some Romans and cultural leaders vehemently rejected the initiative.
“We are against the transformation of the Colosseum into a theme park,” said Massimiliano Smeriglio, member of the Rome City Council responsible for culture. He mentioned that he would soon meet with Airbnb executives to try to persuade the company to reconsider the decision.
“We are all in favor of a company deciding to sponsor a monument or a restoration,” he explained, “but it shouldn’t be necessary to receive anything in return.”
Federico Mollicone, a deputy from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party, dismissed the criticism as views of a “radical chic” element in Rome that treated the arena “as something sacred”. The Coliseum, he pointed out, was built for brutal entertainment.
He also mentioned that gladiatorial games are already tourist attractions in other historic arenas, such as Nîmes, France. “There’s nothing wrong with that,” analyzed Mollicone, whose center-right government approved a law this year that supports the promotion of historical reenactments.
Critics have also questioned Airbnb’s involvement at a time when many European cities are struggling to balance the needs of local residents with the post-pandemic growth of the tourism sector, facilitated by accommodation platforms.
This summer, resistance to mass tourism led to protests in several cities, including Barcelona, Spain, and Athens, Greece. In Rome, key safe boxes have been breached, but they could soon be a thing of the past. Last month, the Ministry of the Interior issued a regulation that requires physical identification of guests at check-in, and key safe boxes do not meet this requirement.
Fabrizio Nizi, spokesperson for Spin Time Labs, a tenants association that advocates for affordable housing in Rome, said the impact of short-term rentals in the city has been “huge.” According to him, studies on the rental market in Rome based on government statistics indicate a significant increase in the number of apartments that have been converted from long-term rentals to short-term rentals in recent years.
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For Nizi, in 2025, the expected arrival of millions of pilgrims for the Jubilee, an event traditionally celebrated by the Roman Catholic Church every 25 years, will only worsen the situation.
“There should have been more sensitivity” on the part of the Coliseum, a national institution, “because Airbnb has paved the way for the destruction of our communities”, analyzed Viviana Piccirilli Di Capua, coordinator of a residents’ association in the center of Rome, where, according to According to her, several residents reported that the owners were not renewing their lease contracts.
Although Romans are often irritated by a variety of problems in the city — from uncollected trash to potholes — they tend to be especially sensitive when it comes to the Colosseum. Last year, controversy arose after Elon Musk challenged Mark Zuckerberg on social media to “a cage fight,” and rumors circulated that the Coliseum could be the venue for the event.
The iconic monument “always provokes great emotions and debates”, lamented an Airbnb spokesperson.
“Emergence of bad taste at the Colosseum,” wrote Massimiliano Tonelli, editorial director of an art magazine, in an editorial critical of the gladiators’ plan.
In an interview, he stated that Ars Dimicandi and Gruppo Storico Romano, the two historical re-enactment associations involved in the project, would not qualify, an assessment disputed by both groups and by Colosseum authorities.
In June, the Coliseum signed an agreement with the two groups to develop projects that promote a better understanding of gladiator fights. The partnership with Airbnb aimed to “enhance the historical and cultural heritage” of the amphitheater “based on rigorous historical research work,” authorities said in a statement.
Gruppo Storico Romano took advantage of the success of the original 2000 film “Gladiator” to open its first gladiator school on the ancient Appian Way, and since then its popularity has grown, largely due to the support it received from deputy Mollicone.
“He really embraced historical reenactment as a serious, philological and scientific activity, which can also boost a form of experiential tourism”, analyzed Andrea Buccolini, spokesperson for the group.
Dario Battaglia, founder of Ars Dimicandi, said that “Gladiator” and its sequel were part of the reason why initiatives like those promoted at the Coliseum are so necessary, as films are likely to greatly distort history. For example, according to him, gladiators were not always forced to fight to the death, and many were volunteers, including enslaved people who wanted to improve their living conditions.
“The Coliseum changed course and decided to hire the world’s greatest experts in this field to clarify this, as the profession of gladiator ‘is completely misunderstood,’” Battaglia said. “Not much is known.”
Therefore, the Airbnb event will be an “immersive experience” that will focus less on entertainment and more on history, to show “for the first time what really happened”, he pondered.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
