In Rome, before the founding of amphitheaters, gladiatorial combats and other entertainment were held in areas such as the Forum, the Circus Maximus, and other places. However, a politician named Curio came up with the idea of an amphitheater, which allowed better viewing from the stands. (“Amphitheater.”) Perhaps the greatest amphitheater of all was the Colosseum. During its day, the Colosseum was the largest, most marvelous structure of its kind. Their work created a structure that was so immense it could hold approximately fifty thousand spectators (“Roman Colosseum.”) The spectators came to watch a variety of activities, including ship battles, animal fights, and gladiator games (Kent School District). However, these naval battles did not continue for as long as the other spectacles. The Colosseum has an interesting history also, including why the water battles were banned.
The Colosseum is not a perfect circle at all, as it may be believed. In actuality, it measures 189 m (620 ft) long and 156 m (513 ft) wide. The structure is four stories, totaling 47 m (157 ft) to the top. Three of these stories are arcades, and one is an attic floor surrounded with many windows. Supporting these arcades are columns. Each floor has a different type of entablature; Doric in the first story, Ionic in the second, and Corinthian columns in the third. The main arena is made of wood, and below this floor, there is a complicated set of rooms and passageways for wild beasts and other necessities that were used for staging the shows. There are eighty walls, which enclose the stage floor (Encarta® Online Encyclopedia). To this huge structure, there were a total of seventy-eight entrances. Seventy-six of the entrances were used for the spectators, and four were reserved for the gladiators and Emperor Titus. In the Colosseum, the crowd was seated according to gender and social class. The poor had the less desirable positions while the rich had favorable seating. In the hot weather, a giant tarp-like curtain, called a velarium, could be stretched across the top of the structure to keep the sun away (Kent School District).
The Colosseum was the center of Roman entertainment. Because of this, it was constantly in use from sunrise to sunset. In the morning, the minor events took place. These included comedic contests and animal fights. Other events carried out at the Colosseum, such as animal hunts, staged animal acts, capital punishment, torture, and the martyrdom of Christians in the arena also took place. However, in the afternoon is when the real excitement occurred (Kent School District). Gladiators, or trained war criminals, slaves, and prisoners of war, would fight to the death inside the arena. Although originally used as entertainment during funerals, it became so popular that special schools were set up to train ordinary men to become gladiators. The gladiators would be armed with all sorts of weapons, including swords, daggers, and forks. Sometimes the criminals would be given nothing or only a net to use against their opposing gladiator. When one of the warriors was wounded, he would throw down his defense and raise their left-hand index finger. This motion was a plea for mercy from the crowd. The crowd would then either give a thumbs up or thumbs down to signify sparing his life or sacrificing it. Often if the combatant put up a good fight, then his life would be spared. However, most of the time that was not the case (“Ancient Roman Theaters & Amphitheater.”)
The name "Colosseum" came from a colossal statue of Nero that was located in the area near this amphitheater. However, people did not start calling it its present day name until the middle ages (“Amphitheater.”) The Colosseum was built from 72 to 80 AD. The emperor, Vespasium, began the construction, and his son, Titus, finished it. Jewish prisoners did the majority of the construction. In the hundred days that inaugurated the amphitheater, it was approximated that nine thousand animals were slaughtered and three thousand gladiators killed. The main reason for this type of entertainment was to teach the Romans how to fight, and to show the strength and courage of the Roman citizen. After the fights, the arena was filled with water and naval battles took place (“Colosseum History.”) However, over time the Romans decided it was too damaging to the foundation as well as the flooring (Kent School District). The next thing to go was the gladiator battles. The Emperor Constantine and his successors tried to put an end to the gladiatorial fights, but the Romans did not want to give up their traditional shows. Finally, at the beginning of the fifth century, a monk named Telemachus put an end to this murder. He stepped between a gladiator fight and asked the people to put an end to their ways. His appeal was a success. However, animal fights continued for another hundred years (“Colosseum History.”) Following this, the Colosseum was used for a cemetery, a fortress, and a quarry for building materials.
The Colosseum is truly a marvelous structure. It’s awe-inspiring architecture, uses, and history makes this amphitheater the Colosseum. The Colosseum has remained a Roman attraction since the day it began construction through today. Although it is no longer used for its past entertainment purposes, it is still an icon of Roman splendor and greatness.
Works Cited
“Colosseum History.” Roma Imperiale. Visited 29 April 2003. .
“Colosseum.” Kent School District. 1995; updated 2003; visited 27 April 2003. .
Dunkle, Roger. “Amphitheater.” Roman Gladitorial Games. Updated 11 Sept 2002; visited 20 April 2003. .
“Roman Colosseum.” The Great Buildings Collection. 1997; updated 2003; visited 20 April 2003. .
Crystal, Ellie. “Ancient Roman Theaters & Amphitheater.” ELLIE CRYSTAL'S METAPHYSICAL AND SCIENCE WEBSITE. 1995; updated 30 April 2003; visited 26 April 2003. .
"Colosseum." Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2003.
http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2003 Microsoft Corporation.
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