Suspicious Package Forces Evacuation of Rome's Colosseum

A suspicious package that forced the evacuation of Rome's historic Colosseum on Sunday was destroyed but contained no explosives, authorities said.

The package, a metallic box wrapped in tape with a protruding wire, was destroyed at 1630 GMT after security forces had 90 minutes earlier evacuated visitors from the famed tourist attraction following a telephone bomb threat.

Tourists sounded the alarm after noting a suspicious package on the second level of the ancient Roman arena, the Italian news agency ANSA reported.

According to Rome Mayor Gianni Alemanno, who arrived swiftly at the scene, the suspect package contained a paint diluent, two fuses and a nine-volt battery, all bound by tape.

It was placed in an area where there is no public access, an arcade of the famous first century AD amphitheater, in a manner that could give the impression that it was a bomb.

"This is a bad joke to make believe that it was a bomb," the mayor said, speaking of a "false alert".

Police said the device was harmless and could neither explode nor burst into flames.

The number of visitors to the ancient Greek tourist attraction has soared in recent years, thanks in part to the popular 2000 Ridley Scott film "Gladiator".