colosseum amphitheater

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WONDER OF THE WORLD


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Name The Colosseum, or the Coliseum, original Latin name was

Amphitheatrum Flavium Flavian Amphitheater ", derived from bothVespasian's and Titus's family name ( Flavius , from the gens Flavia ).

The name Colosseum has long been believed to be derived from acolossal statue of Nero nearby.


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Flavian Amphitheater

The name further evolved to Coliseum during the Middle Ages

In Italy, the amphitheatre is still known as il Colosseo , andother Romance languages have come to use similar formssuch as le Colise (French), el Coliseo (Spanish) and o Coliseu (Portuguese)
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/rome-colosseum-photos/slides/aerial-3757ft.htmhttp://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/rome-colosseum-photos/slides/xti_8918.htm


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Over view The construction started under the 70and 72 AD Completed 80 AD under Further modifications during 8196. The labor force needed to build it was about

slaves, engineers, skilled, and semiskilled craftsmen. The of the colosseum is unknown. The popularity of the emperors was judged by the success

their games. About and died in theColosseum games.

Severe damage was inflicted on the Colosseum by the gre, causing the outer south side to collapse.


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Site Located in the

center of the city of Rome, Italy.

The site chosenwas a flat area onthe floor of a lowvalley between theCaelian, Esquilineand Palatine Hillsand it is located just east of the RomanForum.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/Roma_Plan.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/Roma_Plan.jpg


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Site selection After in AD 64, Nero seizedmuch of the area to add to his personal domain

He built the grandiose on the site,an surrounded by pavilions, gardensand porticoes,

The reused the land as the

location for the new Flavian Amphitheatre. and other support buildingswere constructed nearby within the former groof the Domus Aurea.


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Symbol of victory The emperor Vespasian ordered this new

Amphitheatre to be erected from his general's shthe booty.

The Colosseum can be thus interpreted as abuilt in the Roman tradition of

celebrating great victories. Vespasian's decision to build the Colosseum at twas a populist gesture of returning to

people an area of the city. In contrast to many otAmphitheatre's were located on the outskirts of
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Roman_Colosseum_With_Moon.jpg


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Stages of construction The Colosseum had been completed up to thethird story by the time of . The top level was finished and the building

inaugurated by his son, . The building was remodelled further, under

Vespasian's younger son , whoconstructed the .(a series of undergroundtunnels used to house animals and slaves. )

He also added a gallery to the top of theColosseum to increase its seating capacity.


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InaugurationHundred-day games

were held by , tomark the inaugurationof the building in AD80. In the process, some

wild animals wereslaughtered.
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/rome-colosseum-photos/slides/pollice-verso-1872-jean-leon-gerome.htm


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Physical Descriptions


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Its elliptical in plan Length: Width:

Height: Roughlyfour stories tall. with a base area of

(24,000 m2 )

The perimeter originallymeasured 545 meters . A series of help to

distribute the Colosseums

massive weight.


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Entrances 8o entrances at the ground level. 76 of which where used by ordinary

spectators numbered to match visitorstickets.

The northern main entrance was reservefor roman emperor and his aides. Other 3 axial entrances were most likelyused by the elite.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Colosseum-Entrance_LII.jpg


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Exterior

Metal & marble statues of roman gods, goemperors, popular heroes, and famous athllined the Colosseums 1st and 2ndfloors


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Materials A framework of columns wasmade from a limestone called.

The outer wall is estimated tohave required over stone whichwere set without mortar heldtogether by 300 tons of ironclamps

On the top floors,or concrete joined the columns. On the lower floors, a localvolcanic stone calledprovides the filler.

Ceilings are made from a lightvolcanic stone called


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Columns

Columns range fromsimple to heavy Doriccolumns on the lower floor.

Ionic columns on the1 st floor.

Corinthian columns onthe 2 nd floor.

Attic decorated withCorinthian pilasters.


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Awning Masts 240 wooden masts hold the cables that conthe Colosseums canvas awnings used to shade

spectators from Romes hot sun.


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Interior Seating Capable of seating 50,000 spectators The whole amphitheater could b filled an evacuated inonly.


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Podium

Emperors Box The emperor and his

suite sit in the marble

podium. Spectators can bring their own seats to thisarea.

An iron fence isthought to haveprotected this level of seats from wild animalsin the arena.


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Elite Section 20 rows of marbleseats are availablefor prestigious,

wealthy malecitizens.


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Secondary Section 16 rows of marble seats were available for

class male citizens.


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Women Only This tier is designed to protect female spectatothe Colosseums noisy and boisterous crowds. Seats are made of wood.


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Top Gallery Those wooden terrace has standing room slaves, foreigners, and the poor- those wh

not have tickets to the Colosseum.


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Seats Seats are made of marble and inscribed wit

number. A line divides each seat from its neighbor.


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Passageways A passageway separates the stands. Interior stairways let you move to your correct s
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/Colosseum-profile-english.png


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Arena Arena floor size: 287 ft long- 180 ft widesurroundedby a wall 15 ft high, above which rose tiers of se Its a wooden floor covered with sand. Parts of the floor can be lowered and raised to

introduce scenery or animals into the arena.


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Arena Eighty vertical shafts provided instant access to arena for caged animals and scenery pieces conc

underneath larger hinged platforms, calledhegmata , provided access

for elephants and the like.


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Hypogeum0 It consisted of a two-level subterranean network of tunnels and

cages beneath the arena where gladiators and animals wereheld before contests began.

0 Eighty vertical shafts provided instant access to the arena forcaged animals and scenery pieces concealed underneath.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Colloseum-hypogeum-detail.jpg


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Hypogeum0 Substantial quantities of machinery also existed in the hypogeum .0 Elevators and pulleys raised and lowered scenery and props, as well

as lifting caged animals to the surface for release.0 There is evidence for the existence of major hydraulic mechanisms .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Colloseum-hypogeum-detail.jpg


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Velarium The Colosseum was covered with

an enormous awning known as the. This protected the spectators from

the . Attached toand anchored to the ground by

ropes. Velarium consisted of

1,000 men was used to install theawning. It covered two-thirds of the arena,

and sloped down towards thecenter to catch the wind and

provide a breeze for the audience
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:0_Colosseum_-_Rome_111001_%282%29.JPG


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Use Gladiatorial shows (private shows)

(animal hunt) (water games) (recreations of natural scenes )

The arena continued to be used for conteswell into the 6th century, with gladiatorialast mentioned around 435. Animal huntscontinued until at least 523.


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The Colosseum was used to host gladiatorialshows as well as a variety of other events. The shows,

calledmunera , were always given by private individuals rather than the state. They had a strong element but were also demonstrations of power and family prestige, and were immensely poppopulation. Another popular type of show was the animal hunt, or venatio . This utilized a great variety of wild beasts, mainly imported from Africa and the Middle East, and included creatures such arhinoceros, hippopotamuses, elephants, giraffes, aurochs, wisents, barbary lions, panthers, lebears, caspian tigers, crocodiles and ostriches. Battles and hunts were often staged amid elabwith movable trees and buildings. Such events were occasionally on a huge scale;Trajanis said to havecelebrated his victories inDaciain 107 with contests involving 11,000 animals and 10,000 gladiatorover the course of 123 days.

During the early days of the Colosseum, ancient writers recorded that the building was used fnaumachiae (more properly known asnavalia proelia ) or simulated sea battles. Accounts of the inaugural games held by Titus in AD 80 describe it being filled with water for a display of specially traswimming horses and bulls. There is also an account of a re-enactment of a famous sea battlethe Corcyrean(Corfiot) Greeks and theCorinthians. This has been the subject of some debateamong historians; although providing the water would not have been a problem, it is unclear could have been waterproofed, nor would there have been enough space in the arena for the wmove around. It has been suggested that the reports either have the location wrong, or that th

Colosseum originally featured a wide floodable channel down its central axis (which would lbeen replaced by the hypogeum).[12] Sylvae or recreations of natural scenes were also held in the arena. Painters, technicians and ar

would construct a simulation of a forest with real trees and bushes planted in the arena's floowould be introduced to populate the scene for the delight of the crowd. Such scenes might besimply to display a natural environment for the urban population, or could otherwise be usedbackdrop for hunts or dramas depicting episodes from mythology. They were also occasionaexecutions in which the hero of the storyplayed by a condemned personwas killed in one of various gruesome but mythologically authentic ways, such as being mauled by beasts or burned to d
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gladiatorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munera_%28ancient_Rome%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venatiohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trajanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daciahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naumachiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corfuhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corfuhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Corinthhttp://d/8th%20semester/conservation/search_files/Colosseum.htmhttp://d/8th%20semester/conservation/search_files/Colosseum.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Corinthhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corfuhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naumachiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daciahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trajanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venatiohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munera_%28ancient_Rome%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gladiator


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The Colosseum and its activities supported a substantial industry in the area. Into the amphitheatre itself, many other buildings nearby were linked to the gameImmediately to the east is the remains of theLudus Magnus , a training school for gladiators. This was connected to the Colosseum by an underground passage, teasy access for the gladiators. TheLudus Magnus had its own miniature training arena,which was itself a popular attraction for Roman spectators. Other training schooin the same area, including theLudus Matutinus (Morning School), where fighters of animals were trained, plus the Dacian and Gallic Schools.

Also nearby were the Armamentarium , comprising an armory to store weapons; theSummum Choragium , where machinery was stored; theSanitarium , which had facilities totreat wounded gladiators; and theSpoliarium , where bodies of dead gladiators werestripped of their armor and disposed of.

Around the perimeter of the Colosseum, at a distance of 18 m (59 ft) from the pwas a series of tall stone posts, with five remaining on the eastern side. Variousexplanations have been advanced for their presence; they may have been a religboundary, or an outer boundary for ticket checks, or an anchor for thevelarium or awning.[12]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludus_Magnushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velariumhttp://d/8th%20semester/conservation/search_files/Colosseum.htmhttp://d/8th%20semester/conservation/search_files/Colosseum.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velariumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludus_Magnus


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Restoration In 217, the Colosseum was badly damaged by a m

fire (caused by lightning, according towhich destroyed the wooden upper levels of theamphitheatre's interior.

It was not fully repaired until about 240 and underfurther repairs in 250 or 252 and again in 320.

An inscription records the restoration of various pa

of the Colosseum under and(reigned 425455), possibly to repair damage causeby a major earthquake in 443.

More work followed in 484and 508.


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Importance The Colosseum is an of Imperial

Rome. A symbol of the international campaign agains

, which was abolished in Italy in1948.

It is one of Rome's most popular It has close connections with the Roman Catho

Church, as each Good Friday the Pope leads aWay of the Cross" procession near theColosseum.

The Colosseum is also depicted on the Italianversion of the .


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Colosseum now a days Due to the ruined interior, theColosseum can not host large

events; only a few hundredspectators can beaccommodated in temporaryseating.

Larger concerts are held justoutside it, using the Colosseumas a backdrop.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Collisuem_.jpg


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colosseum amphitheater

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