He faces a large fine or prison time if found guilty.
An Irish tourist was arrested in Rome for allegedly carving his initials into the Colosseum recently, CNN reports.
Security staff at the Colosseum Archaeological Park say they caught the 32-year-old scratching his initials into the 1,950-year-old structure, which was built sometime between 70 and 72 CE.
La Repubblica reported police were called and charged the man with damaging assets of historical and cultural importance.
If convicted the man could be looking at up to one year in prison or a fine of no less than €2,065.
"The Colosseum, like any monument that represents the history of all of us, must be preserved and handed over to future generations," archaeologist Federica Rinaldi, responsible for the ancient Roman amphitheater, said to CNN.
