This is our last day in Rome and there is still much to see.
The Colosseum
was once a private area but then turned into a public space for people to enjoy.
It was known as the “killing field”. (Yes, that is what they enjoyed watching.)
The Colosseum was also called the Flavian Amphitheatre.
The emperor Vespasian built it between 69 and 82 AD. It could hold 55,000-70,000 people at one time. (Sources vary.)
This was an outstanding project done by the Romans.
It is located in the center of Rome just east of the Roman Forum.
http://succesfulcivilization-lisa.weebly.com/roman-aqueducts-and-the-colosseum.html
But first we traveled by bus to The Roman Forum for a walking tour.
Views of the Colosseum from the bus.
It was the largest amphitheatre built in the Roman empire.
On our walking tour of the Roman Forum.
The Arch of Titus,
built to celebrate the triumph of the emperor for the
conquest of Jerusalem.
Our tour guide, Stefano, was very knowledgeable on Roman history.
The Roman Forum.
Some of the ancients aqueducts of Rome.
The Temple of Antoninus and Faustina.
The ruins of the Temple of Vesta in the middle.
So much scaffolding around Rome.
On the right, the Basilica Aemilia remains of the central nave.
The Colosseum.
The arched entrances allow easy access to over 55,000 spectators,
who were seated according to rank from nobles to common men.
It was used for gladiator fights and hunting simulations involving ferocious and exotic animals.
There are 80 arches to enter the Colosseum on the bottom tier.
Each are numbered with a Roman numeral.
We entered under LIV...54.
Spectators were given tickets in the form of numbered pottery shards, which directed them to the appropriate section and row. They accessed their seats via vomitoria (singular vomitorium), passageways that opened into a tier of seats from below or behind. These quickly dispersed people into their seats and, upon conclusion of the event or in an emergency evacuation, could permit their exit within only a few minutes. The name vomitoria derived from the Latin word for a rapid discharge, from which English derives the word vomit.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colosseum
It's a major tourist attraction, playing host to 3.9 million visitors each year.
The Colosseum in Rome is sporting a scaffolded in the fall of 2013 while awaiting renovations to its exterior. Work recently began on a three-year project that will clean the site, rebuild the exterior arches and reportedly open 25 percent more of the Colosseum's tunnels and cages to tourists.
Tod's, Italy's luxury shoe brand, is footing the 25 million euro cost of the project -- that's 33 million dollars! -- in exchange for "promotional opportunities." The restoration should be complete by 2015.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/12/colosseum-renovations-scaffolding-photos_n_4078012.html
The distinctive exterior had three stories of arched entrances–a total of around 80–supported by semi-circular columns. Each story contained columns of a different order (or style): At the bottom were columns of the relatively simple Doric order, followed by Ionic and topped by the ornate Corinthian order. Located just near the main entrance to the Colosseum was the Arch of Constantine, built in A.D. 315 in honor of Constantine I’s victory over Maxentius at Pons Milvius.
Height: 157 feet
Perimeter: 1788 feet
A football field could easily fit in it.
Inside, the Colosseum had seating for 55,000-70,000 spectators,
who may have been arranged according to social ranking but were most likely packed into the space like sardines in a can (judging by evidence from the seating at other Roman amphitheaters).
Awnings were unfurled from the top story in order to protect the audience from the hot Roman sun as they watched gladiatorial combats, hunts, wild animal fights and larger combats such as mock naval engagements (for which the arena was flooded with water) put on at great expense. The vast majority of the combatants who fought in front of Colosseum audiences in Ancient Rome were men (though there were some female gladiators). Gladiators were generally slaves, condemned criminals or prisoners of war.
http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/colosseum
The arena itself was 272 ft by 157 ft . It comprised a wooden floor covered by sand (the Latin word for sand is harena or arena), covering an elaborate underground structure called the hypogeum (literally meaning "underground").
Little now remains of the original arena floor, but the hypogeum is still clearly visible.
It consisted of a two-level subterranean network of tunnels and cages beneath the arena where gladiators and animals were held before contests began. Eighty vertical shafts provided instant access to the arena for caged animals and scenery pieces concealed underneath; larger hinged platforms, called hegmata, provided access for elephants and the like.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colosseum
The hypogeum was connected by underground tunnels to a number of points outside the Colosseum. Animals and performers were brought through the tunnel from nearby stables, with the gladiators' barracks at the Ludus Magnus to the east also being connected by tunnels. Separate tunnels were provided for the Emperor and the Vestal Virgins to permit them to enter and exit the Colosseum without needing to pass through the crowds.
Substantial quantities of machinery also existed in the hypogeum. Elevators and pulleys raised and lowered scenery and props, as well as lifting caged animals to the surface for release. There is evidence for the existence of major hydraulic mechanisms and according to ancient accounts, it was possible to flood the arena rapidly, presumably via a connection to a nearby aqueduct.
Roman gladiators
were usually slaves, prisoners of war or condemned criminals. Most were men, but there were a few female gladiators. These combats were attended by the poor, the rich, and frequently the emperor himself. As gladiators fought, vicious cries and curses were heard from the audience around the Roman Colosseum. One contest after another was staged in the course of a single day. Should the ground become too soaked with blood, it was covered over with a fresh layer of sand and the performance went on. The gladiatorial games continued until Christianity progressively put an end to those parts of them which included the death of humans.
Gladiators
were also revered by ordinary people. They were the celebrities, the pop stars of their day, that the mob flocked to see for their entertainment. Like the Kardshianesque stars of modern day reality and talent shows successful gladiators were known and celebrated throughout the city. The details of the latest fights were spoken about by the mob in the tavernas and winebars long after fights were over while the wealthy commissioned portraits and frescos to commemorate famous matches. Some of the most famous gladiators had what can only be described as fan clubs that celebrated their achievements in graffiti around the city.
http://www.listland.com/top-10-cool-facts-about-roman-gladiators/
Two millennia after sword-wielding gladiators fought to the death
on the blood-soaked sands of the Colosseum,
Italy's culture minister has backed a plan to rebuild the floor of the Colosseum,
allowing visitors to stand where the gladiators once fought.
Over 1 million animals died in the course of the Colosseum games.
The Colosseum has survived many earthquakes one of which caused the south side to collapse.
The last recorded games were held in the 6th century.
Our last views of Rome from the bus.
On to Florence.
"Traveling-
it leaves you
speechless, then
turns you into a
storyteller."
Ibn Battuta
http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/colosseum
Perimeter: 1788 feet
A football field could easily fit in it.
who may have been arranged according to social ranking but were most likely packed into the space like sardines in a can (judging by evidence from the seating at other Roman amphitheaters).
Awnings were unfurled from the top story in order to protect the audience from the hot Roman sun as they watched gladiatorial combats, hunts, wild animal fights and larger combats such as mock naval engagements (for which the arena was flooded with water) put on at great expense. The vast majority of the combatants who fought in front of Colosseum audiences in Ancient Rome were men (though there were some female gladiators). Gladiators were generally slaves, condemned criminals or prisoners of war.
http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/colosseum
Little now remains of the original arena floor, but the hypogeum is still clearly visible.
It consisted of a two-level subterranean network of tunnels and cages beneath the arena where gladiators and animals were held before contests began. Eighty vertical shafts provided instant access to the arena for caged animals and scenery pieces concealed underneath; larger hinged platforms, called hegmata, provided access for elephants and the like.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colosseum
Substantial quantities of machinery also existed in the hypogeum. Elevators and pulleys raised and lowered scenery and props, as well as lifting caged animals to the surface for release. There is evidence for the existence of major hydraulic mechanisms and according to ancient accounts, it was possible to flood the arena rapidly, presumably via a connection to a nearby aqueduct.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colosseum
were usually slaves, prisoners of war or condemned criminals. Most were men, but there were a few female gladiators. These combats were attended by the poor, the rich, and frequently the emperor himself. As gladiators fought, vicious cries and curses were heard from the audience around the Roman Colosseum. One contest after another was staged in the course of a single day. Should the ground become too soaked with blood, it was covered over with a fresh layer of sand and the performance went on. The gladiatorial games continued until Christianity progressively put an end to those parts of them which included the death of humans.
were also revered by ordinary people. They were the celebrities, the pop stars of their day, that the mob flocked to see for their entertainment. Like the Kardshianesque stars of modern day reality and talent shows successful gladiators were known and celebrated throughout the city. The details of the latest fights were spoken about by the mob in the tavernas and winebars long after fights were over while the wealthy commissioned portraits and frescos to commemorate famous matches. Some of the most famous gladiators had what can only be described as fan clubs that celebrated their achievements in graffiti around the city.
http://www.listland.com/top-10-cool-facts-about-roman-gladiators/
Top 10 Cool Facts About Roman Gladiators
10. Women fought as gladiators
9. Gladiators were the celebrity pin ups of their day
8. Roman emperors often toyed with being gladiators to impress the mob
7. Some gladiatorial contests were against animals instead of between people
6. Gladiators were ranked according to performance and according to their fighting method
5. Gladiators had their own trade unions
4. The mob did not use a thumbs down signal to call for a gladiator to be put to death
3. Not all gladiators were slaves
2. Gladiator games were part of Roman life for 700 years
1. Gladiators rarely fought to the death but if they did lose gladiators were expected to submit to death valiantly
More: Gladiators
on the blood-soaked sands of the Colosseum,
Italy's culture minister has backed a plan to rebuild the floor of the Colosseum,
allowing visitors to stand where the gladiators once fought.
Currently only a small portion of the arena is covered by wooden boards,
with the rest exposed to the elements – visitors are able to peer into the labyrinth of narrow tunnels and cramped stone cells that once housed caged animals and gladiators before they emerged into the arena via a network of lifts operated by slaves.
There are no plans to recreate mock gladiatorial battles or fights with lions, leopards and bears.
The minister said that only concerts and other cultural events would be held, insisting that ancient Rome’s monuments should not be turned into a cultural Disneyland.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/11247135/Colosseum-to-come-alive-again-2000-years-after-the-gladiators.html
"Traveling-
it leaves you
speechless, then
turns you into a
storyteller."
Ibn Battuta
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