Colosseum - Did you know?
- Did you know the Colosseum was not always called the Colosseum, its original name was the Flavian Amphitheater. The name Colosseum came from the colossal statue of the Emperor Nero that was build just outside of the amphitheater. The colossal statue would last for many years, but would be moved and repurposed multiple times. It met its final demise when Mussolini had the only remaining part, the podium, destroyed so the Italian army could march under the arch of Constantine.
- The location of the Colosseum was only available because the impoverished part of the city had just recently been destroyed in a fire, providing a newly cleared space for the emperor to build the largest Roman amphitheater.
- The amphitheater could hold up to 50,000 people. The structure was so well designed and organized all of its audience could exit the structure in less than 15 minutes.
- While the Colosseum is most well known for its gladiatorial fights, it was also home to many drama productions and plays.
- The tickets to enter the amphitheater had two numbers on them, the number of the gate in which the person had to enter and the section they had to sit. All but one of the gates of the Colosseum still have the Roman numeral inscribed above it. The only gate without a Roman numeral was the private entrance for the emperor and it would lead directly to his private view box.
- Women were not permitted to sit, rather they had to stand at the top with the slaves who were also not permitted to sit.
- The inaugural ceremony included the slaying of over 9,000 wild animals. Even more tragic, these animals were in many cases very rare. The emperor had them shipped into Rome form all corners of the Roman empire.
- The Romans used the aqueducts to flood the Colosseum to create mock naval battles.
- Over the centuries the Colosseum would be used as a quarry for building materials, holes were drilled into the side during the Middle Ages in an attempt to locate the metal support structure. The seats in the amphitheater were originally marble, however, over the years most had been pillaged.
- After the fall of the Roman Empire, the Colosseum was repurposed many times. It was at points used for housing and shops, a church which used the stage for a cemetery, a fortress for the Frangipani clan, and finally a monastery.
- Outside the Colosseum near the Arch of Constantine you can still see the remains of little shops which sold food, drinks, and souvenirs for the spectators, much like our professional sport arenas today.
Works Cited: Bartlett, Kenneth R. The Guide to Essential Italy. The Great Courses, Smithsonian, 2015.
Roman entertainment
Colosseum THEN and NOW
Photo Credits:
N. (1970, January 01). The Curious Story of Our World. Retrieved May 2, 2018, from http://curiousstoryofourworld.blogspot.com/2010/12/sotw1-chapter-28-roman-empire.html
W. (2015, October 16). Model: Principate Romans Wonder: Colosseum. Retrieved May 2, 2018, from https://wildfiregames.com/forum/index.php?/topic/20115-model-principate-romans-wonder-colosseum/
N. (1970, January 01). The Curious Story of Our World. Retrieved May 2, 2018, from http://curiousstoryofourworld.blogspot.com/2010/12/sotw1-chapter-28-roman-empire.html
W. (2015, October 16). Model: Principate Romans Wonder: Colosseum. Retrieved May 2, 2018, from https://wildfiregames.com/forum/index.php?/topic/20115-model-principate-romans-wonder-colosseum/
Gladiators
Photo Credit: History of the Gladiators and The Blood Behind Their Past. (2017, December 08). Retrieved May 2, 2018, from https://about-history.com/history-of-the-gladiators-and-the-blood-behind-their-past/
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