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From http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/how-ancient-romans-got-wild-animals-colosseum-180955580/

A New Recreation Shows How Ancient Romans Lifted Wild Animals Into the Colosseum
An elaborate system of elevators and trap doors lifted ferocious beasts onto the Colosseum floor
By Matt Blitz
June 16, 2015

It is the 1st century AD and 50,000 screaming ancient Romans are crammed into the tight seats of the Colosseum, then officially called the "Flavian Amphitheater." As the din of the rowdy crowd grows louder, the gladiators in the arena brace themselves for what's about to come. All of sudden, the spectators erupt as wild beasts emerge from trap doors in the Colosseum’s floor. Lions, wolves, leopards and bears arise out of seemingly hidden holes in the ground. 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. While gladiatorial games haven't happened here in over a millennium, a new addition to the already immensely popular Colosseum historical site allows visitors an extra glimpse into the past. In early June, the Superintendent of Archaeological Sites in Rome and the Minister of Culture of Italy officially unveiled a nearly exact replica of the lift and trap-door system that transported ferocious beasts from the passageways and dens under the Colosseum, known as the hypogeum, up to the arena.

Read the full article here: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/how-ancient-romans-got-wild-animals-colosseum-180955580/