A British archaeologist works on October

A British archaeologist works on October 2, 2009 at the discovered ruins of an arena built early in the third century BC outside Ostia, the ancient imperial port 25 kilometres (16 miles) from Rome. "Gladiators and wild animals may have fought in this place, but it also may have been used for important meetings, or, because of its proximity to the sea, to stage historical naval battle scenes," Simon Keay, the Portus Project Director, told AFP. The ruins were uncovered in three years of digging by the British team from Southampton and Cambridge Universities in cooperation with the British School at Rome, an archaeological academy. AFP PHOTO / VINCENZO PINTO (Photo credit should read VINCENZO PINTO/AFP via Getty Images)