The Vivarium was the location where the ancient Romans kept wild animals used in
their entertainments. It was near the
Prenestina Gate of Rome. During the
first siege of Rome in the Gothic Wars, the Goths broke part of the wall of the Vivarium in an attempt to enter the city. This attempt failed because the
regular city wall manned by Roman soldiers was behind the Vivarium wall and
Belisarius
Belisarius (; el, Βελισάριος; The exact date of his birth is unknown. – 565) was a military commander of the Byzantine Empire under the emperor Justinian I. He was instrumental in the reconquest of much of the Mediterranean terri ...
attacked the rear of the Goths near the Prenestina Gate.
According to the writer
Charlotte Anne Eaton, a second, smaller vivarium was located near the Colosseum and was connected to it via a low vaulted passage. This vivarium was located below the
convent of St. John and St. Paul on the
Cœlian Mount. This vivarium was a practical necessity because of the considerable distance between the Vivarium by Porta Maggiore and the Colosseum.
References
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Ancient Roman buildings and structures in Rome
Benedictine monasteries in Italy