The Colosseum, or Coliseum, was one of the most popular buildings in Rome and the site of many events. The Roman emperors knew the value of good entertainment. And the better the entertainment, the more enjoyable it was to watch.
The shows at the Colosseum were often gruesome and sadistic. To entertain the masses, prisoners were forced to fight wild animals in bloody battles to the death. If they lost, they were eaten by lions or by other animals brought into the arena. If they won, they were often killed anyway by spectators who had lost money on them or by being forced to fight even more powerful animals than before.
A variety of gladiator fights were held in the Colosseum. The most popular was a war between two armies of prisoners who fought each other until only one side remained alive. Another popular event was a battle where men on horseback attacked creatures such as elephants on foot. Though these events did not always end in death, some did. Regardless of whether an event ended with a death, it did inevitably end with bloodshed and violence.
Some believe that during these spectacles people would wager large amounts of money on which fighter would survive (or die). This might be true as gambling played an important
The Roman Coliseum was a large amphitheatre located in the centre of the city, where it served as the venue for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles like mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles and dramas.
THe construction began around 70 BC when the emperor Vespasian built the first wooden amphitheatre. A decade later this was replaced with a larger stone amphitheatre which had a seating capacity of more than 50,000 people. The building was so big that it needed constant upgrades throughout its history.
The Colosseum had been built on marshy land near the Tiber river and in time the foundations had to be reinforced to prevent subsidence and cracking. The Colosseum had six levels: three main stories were topped by two further stories, one at half height and one atop these, which gave access to the arena via two long ramps on either end. The bottom level (the cavea) was large and mostly occupied by ranks of seats; it contained stores and rooms used to house animals (and gladiators). The next level up (the maenianum primum) was divided into three tiers of seats.
The next level up (the maenian
The Roman Coliseum was built in the early first century A.D. It was the home of the gladiatorial games, and many other events including mock naval battles and reenactments of famous battles from Roman history. It is located on the south side of Rome. The Coliseum is oval in shape, measuring 189 by 156 meters, with a seating capacity of 50,000 people.
Around 80AD, it was burnt down for fire practice by the Roman army and remained a mere ruin until it was rebuilt around 320AD. In 800AD, a medieval fortress and wall were built around the outside, but they have since been demolished. In 1849, Italian patriot Giuseppe Garibaldi used the Coliseum as a fortress during his fight for Italian unity and independence from foreign rule. It has undergone several restorations over time to repair damage caused by earthquakes and to change the look of the building to fit in with modern styles. In 1937 Mussolini restored the exterior to its original state and had steps leading up to the central entranceway added so that cars could drive up into it as part of a grand parade celebrating his victory in Ethiopia.
Tours are available through various companies or directly from the Colosseum’s website for about $15 USD for adults
The Colosseum is a very popular landmark of ancient rome. Located in the center of the city, this stadium was built to host chariot races and wild animal fights. The building had the shape of an ellipse, with 80 entrances opening on the arcades that surrounded the arena. These entrances were numbered I to LXX (the number was based on their location along the central axis).
The arena was divided into four levels:
– The lowest one was called “Orchata” and had eighty travertine marble columns which supported a platform. Underneath these columns were eighty niches in which statues of gods were placed. At the end of each arcade there was a podium where a statue of a god or goddess stood. Each one was about six meters high and was carved by a famous artist. These statues represented gods such as Hercules, Cybele, Neptune, Diana, Apollo and Jupiter.
– The second level, called “maenianum”, had just sixty columns and no niches for statues because there wasn’t enough space for them. It can be noticed that the Colosseum is constructed in decreasing sizes so that at the upper levels there is less room for people to sit down because they are closer to the arena
The Colosseum (Italian: Colosseum, [koloˈsiːo] Latin: Flavian Amphitheatre), also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, is an oval amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy. Built of concrete and stone, it was the largest amphitheatre ever built. The Colosseum could hold, it is estimated, between 50,000 and 80,000 spectators, and was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology.
THe Colosseum is situated just east of the Roman Forum. Construction began under the emperor Vespasian in 72 AD, and was completed in 80 AD under his successor and heir Titus. Further modifications were made during the reign of Domitian (81–96). These three emperors are known as the Flavian dynasty, and the amphitheatre was named in Latin for its association with their family name (Flavius).
Maintaining such a large building was costly. The building’s construction by no means came cheap as it required over 100 thousand cubic meters of concrete to
The gladiatorial games were to the Roman what modern football is to the Briton. The sports stadium of Ancient Rome was the Colosseum, or the Coliseum as it is commonly called. The word Coliseum comes from the Latin word “Collis”, which means “small hill”. However, it was not named after its shape and design, but by the fact that a colossal statue of Nero once stood there. It was in use for over 450 years.
The first structure on this site was an amphitheater built in wood by the Etruscan King Tarquinius Priscus in around 550 BC. His son and successor, Servius Tullius, razed the wooden structure to construct a new amphitheater in around 500 BC. Little is known about this amphitheater, but it appears to have been rectangular with a raised seating area for spectators. This second amphitheater was destroyed by fire around 40 BC and rebuilt soon afterwards by the Emperor Caligula (37-41 AD).
A third amphitheater was built upon the foundations of Caligula’s amphitheater soon after Vespasian became emperor in 69 AD. It measured 142 x 107 meters and could hold between 50,000-80,000 spectators (
The Colosseum is one of the most popular tourist attractions in all of Rome. Built in 80 A.D, this colossal building holds over 50,000 spectators! Despite its popularity today, most people do not know much about its history or purpose.
The name “Colosseum” was not invented until the Middle Ages; the actual name for it was “Flavian Amphitheater.” The Colosseum was originally called this because the Emperor Nero had his name attached to it.
The Colosseum was built by Vespasian, a Roman general and later Emperor, who invaded and conquered Jerusalem in 70 A.D., when he was commander of the Roman army attacking Jerusalem under the command of his father, Emperor Titus. To celebrate his victories and to consolidate power in his new position as emperor, Vespasian decided to build an amphitheater in the heart of Rome that could seat 50,000 people at once.
The Colosseum was constructed between 70 A.D. and 80 A.D., during Vespasian’s reign. He had previously built a smaller wooden amphitheater called the Circus Maximus that could seat 50,000 people as well, but it had begun to fall apart