The present name most likely comes from the statue of Colossus of Nero—an enormous sculpture erected at Nero’s request, that stood nearby to the site where the Colosseum was built.

The Colossus of Nero’s author was a Greek sculptor, Zenodoros, who designed the sculpture and was responsible for its construction. It was a bronze statue of Nero, with an added radiate crown to imitate the Roman god of Sun—Sol. The sculpture was destroyed around 1000 AD under unknown circumstances.