Inauguration
Hundred-day games were held by Titus, Vespasian's successor, to mark the inauguration of the building in 80 AD. In the process, some 9,000 wild animals were slaughtered.
The Ruins
The southern side of the Colosseum was felled by an earthquake in 847. Parts of the building - including the marble cladding - were later used for the construction of other landmark buildings such as the St. Peter's Basilica and Palazzo Farnese.