Commissioned by the Emperor Titus Flavius Domitianus in AD 80 as a gift to the people of Rome, the Stadium of Domitian was mostly used for athletic contests. In AD 217, when the Colosseum suffered fire-damage, the Stadium was used for gladiator shows. As the Empire's power diminished, the Stadium was used to house the poor. After the Renaissance, the structure was mined and robbed for building materials. Currently, Piazza Navona stands over the site of the Stadium of Domitian.