Technical Reassessment of a Historical Monument: How AI and Modern Standards Redefine Our View of the Ancient Flavian Colosseum in Rome

This article examines the actual seating capacity and sanitary engineering capabilities of the Flavian Amphitheatre (Colosseum) in Rome through the application of contemporary engineering standards and calculation methods. A substantial portion of the research was carried out using artificial intelligence (ChatGPT), which facilitated automated data processing, modeling, and computations that would otherwise be extremely labor-intensive or nearly impossible without AI assistance. Based on geometric parameters, a revised assessment of capacity was conducted, revealing values significantly lower than those traditionally cited in historical sources. An analysis of modern requirements for water supply and sewage systems in sports arenas demonstrates that ancient Rome lacked the technology necessary for the safe operation of such a structure at the alleged levels of attendance. The absence of an advanced engineering infrastructure suggests that the Colosseum most likely served a primarily symbolic and political function rather than acting as a fully functional venue for regular mass events.