Since its construction, the Coliseum (Rome) has been subjected to innumerable remodelings and restorations, and has known the vicissitudes of centuries (pillaging, earthquakes, weathering). This article recounts the history of the principal restoration works: from the first undertaking in 138 up to 1980, including the studies of numerous specialists, such as Valadier. Photos, surveys, engravings and plans illustrate the text.