Jewish Slaves of Rome

The Colosseum was a sad site to us. Knowing that people paid to watch other people tortured and executed there was sobering. 

Some of you may know this already, but the Colosseum was primarily financed by loot from the sacking of the Jewish Temple and Judaea by the Romans around 70 CE.  The Jews revolted, and Emperor Vespasian crushed the revolt. The Temple was burned and looted.  Thousands of Jews were sold into slavery and provided the slave labor that built the Colosseum.  Vespasian's son, Diocletian, built an arch honoring his father and brother Titus that depicts Roman soldiers carrying a gold menorah and loot from the Temple. The Arch of Titus is nearby in the ruins of the Roman Forum. 

After the Colosseum we walked through the Forum. I don't recall the Forum requiring a ticket in 2001 but it does now.