Swords are raised and fangs are flashed as the bloody, gruesome battle between man and beast begins. Nearly 2,000 years later, the Colosseum remains an iconic structure and symbol of Rome.

A $35 million project—the first full cleaning in the Colosseum's history—aims to return the Roman monument to its former splendor, while also strengthening the overall structure.

[1/3]View of the Colosseum dungeons which have been restored in a multi-million euro project sponsored by fashion group Tod's in Rome, Italy, June 24 2021. Picture taken June 24 2021.

A man identified as English tourist Ivan Danailov Dimitrov, 27, was seen in a video carving "Ivan+Haley 23" into the nearly 2,000-year-old Colosseum.

US News 17-year-old Swiss girl becomes second tourist to deface Rome’s Colosseum in a month By Yaron Steinbuch Published July 17, 2023 ...

The video, which was uploaded to YouTube, shows the tourist carving what appears to be “Ivan + Hayley 23” into the wall of the nearly 2,000-year-old Colosseum in Rome.