The Colosseum in Italy is facing backlash after the historic site teamed up with Airbnb to host gladiator-themed battles, reenacting the real gladiator fights that transpired in the famed arena during the Roman Empire.
“Now, for the first time in nearly 2,000 years, the Colosseum returns to its original purpose as a venue for performances, inviting daring warriors to step foot inside the historic arena to forge their own paths and shape their destinies,” Airbnb announced in a Wednesday press release.
“Those brave enough to rise to the challenge will follow in the footsteps once traversed by victorious fighters, suit up in historically accurate armor, and put their skills to the test to determine their fate in battle,” Airbnb added.
Airbnb’s partnership with the Colosseum is also in connection with Ridley Scott’s upcoming Gladiator II film, and involves a $1.5 million sponsorship that will allow guests to “descend into the hypogeum,” put on armor, and “traverse the torch-lit, labyrinthine bowels of the Colosseum” as they “trace their historic steps” while reflecting on their fate.
The event will be held on May 7 and 8, 2025, with each experience lasting three hours.
But some Italian political figures are speaking out against the upcoming gladiator battles in what is perhaps the country’s most significant historical landmark, saying the move “trivializes” the historic site and turns it into a “theme park.”
“The news of a gladiatorial show inside the #Colosseum leaves us perplexed to say the least,” Massimiliano Smeriglio, Rome’s culture councilor began in an Instagram post.
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“We understand the needs of the Superintendence to strengthen the meritorious work of conservation and restoration, however with this initiative, once again, a principle of commodification and consumption of culture is reaffirmed,” Smeriglio continued.
“We cannot transform one of the most important monuments in the world into a theme park,” Smeriglio added. “For this reason, I decided to write to the CEO of Airbnb and ask him to confirm the allocation to the Superintendence, giving up the tourist-gladiator show.”
Meanwhile, Enzo Foschi, a city councilor from the centre-Left Democratic Party, told the Telegraph, “Having taken possession of the historic center of Rome, making it into a huge theme park, now they want to trivialize the Colosseum.”
“Rome is not Disneyland,” Foschi asserted.
Others, however, say they support the Colosseum’s partnership with Airbnb, noting that the deal will bring
“We are absolutely in favor of the agreement between public and private in culture, through partnerships or sponsorships, provided that they support initiatives that are of scientific and cultural value approved by the ministry of culture,” Federico Mollicone, head of a parliamentary culture commission, said in a statement, according to a report by Fox News.
Alfonsina Russo, the director of the Colosseum Archaeological Park, told the outlet, “The goal of the collaboration is to enhance the historical and cultural heritage of the Flavian Amphitheater through immersive activities that fully respect the monument, based on rigorous historical research.”
“The collaboration aims to combine conservation, education, and innovation to bring an ever-broader audience closer to the cultural richness of the Amphitheater,” Russo added.
Airbnb, meanwhile, says its partnership with the Colosseum “is part of a broader commitment to promoting European heritage, which has seen Airbnb invest over $10 million in Europe over the past two years.”
“In partnership with the museum’s archaeological team and professional reenactment associations, this historical gladiator experience has been sensitively recreated by bringing to life the drama and awe of gladiator fights during the time of the Roman empire,” an Airbnb spokesperson told Fox News.
Alana Mastrangelo is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on Facebook and X at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
