The construction of the Flavian Amphitheatre begun with Emperor Vespasian (69 – 79 A.C.), who was willing to return to public use the area took up by the neronian artificial pond belonging to the Domus Aurea. In 80 A.D. the amphitheatre was opened by Titus (79 – 81 A.C.), Vespasian’s son and successor, with a hundred days of celebrations. Domitian (81 – 96 A.C.) conducted the final works. From the 8th century A.C. it is better know by the name of Colosseum because of the colossal statue of Nero ( 54 – 68 A.C.) once located close to the monument. The amphitheatre was intended for fights and games between gladiators, munera, for hunting simulations of wild and exotic animals, venationes, and also for capital punishments, which were sometimes set on backgrounds inspired by myths. It could hold around 73,000 spectators who would watch the performances from the seats they were assigned according to their social class. The seats located closest to the arena were assigned to the classes that enjoyed the higher privileges, such as senators and knights. The arena hid underground premises that contained the hoists and the stage equipment for the performances. The hoists were used to bring up animals, combatants and settings, provoking astonishment in the spectators. An awning, velarium, granted shelter from the sun. This awning was controlled by the sailors of the fleet of Misenum, the Roman harbour near Naples. After 438, the fights between gladiators were definitively prohibited by Emperor Valentinian III (425 – 455 A.C.), while the venationes and other forms of performances continued at least until 483.