The Colosseum is one of the top tourist attractions in the world, located in Italy, and the largest theater in Rome. This structure has an incredible history, architecture, and engineering, which has now made it a symbol for both Italy and Rome.
The Colosseum Structure
The layout of this complex is elliptical with diameters of 188 meters and 156 meters and a footprint of 6 acres. Its height is about 48 meters. The stage floor is wooden, and underneath it is a series of rooms and passageways for the passage of wild animals and other necessary provisions for staging and performing the shows. A total of 80 walls serve as supports for the vaulted arches, passageways, staircases, and rows of seats. The outer edge of the successive arches connects the various levels and stairways between them. The interior view of the Colosseum consists of three rows of vaulted arches in front of columns and capitals. The columns in the first floor are of the Doric order, the second floor features Ionic style, and the third floor uses Corinthian style, similar to classical Greek architecture. The design of the building made it one of the engineering marvels of its time, facilitating the easy movement of large crowds into and out of the arena. Above these three main floors, there is an attic floor featuring Corinthian-style rectangular columns, with the space between them filled with 40 small rectangular windows. On the upper part, there are wall brackets and anchors holding beams that support the canopies.
The structure was carefully built using various combinations of construction materials: the foundation was made of concrete, while the columns and arches were constructed from limestone (travertine), and the columns in the lower two floors used a porous stone called tuff. The upper levels and most arches were made of concrete bricks.
Today, the Colosseum is considered one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Without a doubt, it stands as a monumental architectural landmark in the history of the Roman Empire in Italy. The Colosseum, with a seating capacity of 45,000, was the largest amphitheater in the ancient world. At various points in time, it hosted gladiatorial combat, wild animal fights, and was a site for executing early Christians. It is no wonder that it is now considered one of the most terrifying places in the Middle Ages.
The construction of the Colosseum dates back to the reign of Emperor Vespasian, with its opening in 80 AD during the rule of Titus, and its completion by his brother Domitian.
In 1990, this magnificent structure, along with Rome's historic center, the Vatican's outer zones, and the Church of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List. In 2007, it was included in the New Seven Wonders of the World.
The Colosseum was built on the site of an artificial lake. This lake, along with the Golden House of Nero (Domus Aurea) and the colossal statue of Nero, was part of the great Nero’s park in the center of Rome. The lake was frequently used for the foundation construction.
The foundation of the Colosseum was constructed using travertine columns, placed in successive concrete rings. Channels were incorporated in the foundation to facilitate the flow of underground water, as otherwise, flooding would have affected the area. After Nero’s death, the colossal statue of Nero was transformed into the sun god by adding a solar crown. Later, this statue was moved to create space for the Temple of Venus and Rome during the reign of Hadrian. Today, the base of this enormous statue is marked by a new base made of tuff stone.
The diameter of the massive elliptical Colosseum is 188 meters (large) and 156 meters (small), with a height of 48 meters. The exterior of this grand structure was covered in marble, and 160 stunning statues adorned its upper arches.
The Colosseum consisted of four floors. The top floor housed seating for women and the lower classes of society. The bottom floor was reserved for prominent Roman citizens. Below the arena, there were rooms with mechanical devices and cages for holding wild animals. These cages could be raised by mechanical devices to bring the animals into the arena.
The emperor used the Colosseum to entertain the people with free competitions. These contests were symbols of power and prestige, offering a way to increase the emperor's popularity. The games would last a full day or even several consecutive days. Ancient Romans typically started the games with comedic shows and strange animals, and concluded with lethal battles between gladiators or between gladiators and wild animals. These combatants were usually slaves, war captives, or convicted criminals, although sometimes free Romans and even emperors participated in these events.
During the inaugural festival of the Colosseum, which lasted 100 days, over 5,000 wild animals were killed. One of the highest death tolls in the Colosseum occurred during a festival in 240 AD, which saw 2,000 gladiators, 70 lions, 40 wild horses, 30 elephants, 30 leopards, 20 wild donkeys, 19 giraffes, 10 reindeer, 10 hyenas, 10 tigers, 1 hippopotamus, and 1 rhinoceros killed.
The Colosseum’s name is likely derived from the nearby colossal statue of Nero, known as Colossus Neronis. It was also known as the Flavian Amphitheater or Flavian Theater. At the time, the Colosseum was located at a major crossroads for travelers between St. Peter's and Lateran, establishing an urban neighborhood.
The Colosseum was used for gladiatorial combat, animal hunts, reenactments of famous battles, and dramatic performances based on ancient myths, providing entertainment for the audience, the emperor, and the aristocracy. It is noteworthy that all Romans could attend the games for free, and food and drink were provided during the events.
Gladiatorial combat was banned by Christian Emperor Honorius in 407 AD, and wild animal hunts were prohibited in 523 AD. The Colosseum was no longer used for these purposes. According to the writings of a church historian named Theodoret, Honorius banned the bloody gladiatorial contests after a monk named Telemachus intervened. Telemachus is the only martyr known to have been killed in the Colosseum.
While there is no definitive evidence that early Christians were executed in the Colosseum during the first to third centuries, executions were likely carried out at other amphitheaters, such as the Lyons Amphitheater or Nero's Circus in the Vatican. The belief that Christians were martyred in the Colosseum emerged due to Pope Gregory the Great’s response to a Byzantine request for Roman relics, which included a sack of Colosseum soil.
The Colosseum was damaged multiple times by fire and earthquakes, and was continuously repaired until the late fifth century. However, it was temporarily left unrenovated in 523 AD. In 526 AD, the barbarian Totila and his army destroyed parts of the Colosseum to extract valuable bronze. Afterward, the Romans used the stones from the Colosseum to build their homes. During this period, the Colosseum also became a burial site for Christians. Christian graves have been found in three areas around the amphitheater: in the building's foundation, on the northern and eastern sides, and in the outer grounds near the present-day exit.
In the 13th century, the Colosseum was occupied by the Frangipani family, and its surrounding area became a lush garden. However, this area later fell victim to malaria and was abandoned. Stone plundering continued until the 18th century, when Pope Benedict XIV declared the Colosseum sacred due to the blood of martyred Christians. After this, the Colosseum was restored, and archaeological excavations began, continuing to this day.
The Colosseum: A Great Tourist Attraction
The Colosseum is one of the top tourist attractions in Italy and the largest theater in Rome. Its architecture, engineering, and fascinating history have made it a symbol of both Italy and Rome. The Colosseum witnessed executions, gladiator battles, and fights between gladiators and wild animals to entertain the audience, the emperor, and the nobility. We hope you enjoyed reading about this remarkable site. Stay with Saed News!
