Symbols+Of+Italy

The Colosseum

When Vespasian became the new Roman Emperor in 69 AD, he wanted every person to know that he cared about the citizens and was going to take care of them and not live expensively as Nero had. He tore down a lot of ‘Nero's Golden House’ and made the property into an open park. Vespasian also used his share of the gold from the looting after the First Jewish Revolt to pay for the creation of a new amphitheater (arena) where the ‘Golden House’ had been. The amphitheater started building in 72 AD. Because Vespasian's architects used the latest technique of building in concrete, he was able to put up the amphitheater promptly and inexpensively. We call this amphitheater the Colosseum, after the enormous sculpture of Nero that stood near it. But its ancient name was the Flavian Amphitheater. Constructing the amphitheater made Vespasian incredibly well-liked in Rome.

The Colosseum was a place where a lot of people could sit and watch activity. The activity was mostly people slaughtering animals, or people killing each other. It was roughly just like a football arena these days. It was built of concrete and marble and limestone.

The reason it looks so terrible in these days is because a lot of the seats were made of marble and people have stolen them for the past years and burned them in lime kilns to make mortar and cement.


 * Facts on The Colosseum**

The Colosseum was completed in AD 80, the year after Vespasian's death.

The oval building is enormous, measuring 188m by 156m and reaching a height of more than 48 meter (159 ft). The Colosseum could have room for some 55,000 spectators who could enter the building through no less than 80 entrances. Above the ground are four storeys, the upper storey had chairs for lower classes and women. The lowest storey was preserved for important citizens. Below the ground were rooms with mechanical devices and cages containing wild animals. The cages could be hoisted, enabling the animals to appear in the middle of the arena.

The Colosseum was covered with an enormous sunshade known as the velarium. This sheltered the audience from the sun. It was attached to large poles on top of the Colosseum and tied to the ground by large ropes. A team of some 1,000 men was used to install the velarium.

Hundred-day games were held by Titus, Vespasian's heir, to mark the opening ceremony of the structure. In the process, 9,000 wild animals were slaughtered.