Yep, ancient Rome basically invented the OG stadium shade. The Colosseum had a giant canvas awning — the velarium — stretched across the top to keep gladiator fans cool while they cheered on lions vs. humans (yikes). Sailors from the Roman navy were actually in charge of rigging and moving it. Talk about multitasking.
When you wander the Colosseum today, it’s wild to imagine 50,000 Romans sitting in comfort, sipping wine, in the shadow of an ancient “roof.” Proof that Rome wasn’t just about empires and emperors — they knew how to do crowd control with style.