The Colosseum is an amphitheater from the time of the Roman Empire, built in the 1st century and located in the center of the city of Rome.
It was originally called the
Flavian Amphitheater, in honor of the Flavian Dynasty of emperors who built it,
and it was renamed Colosseum after a large statue that was nearby, the Colossus
of Nero, which has not reached us. Due to its preservation and history, theColosseum is one of the most famous monuments of classical antiquity. It was
declared a World Heritage Site in 1980 by UNESCO and one of The New Seven
Wonders of the Modern World on July 7, 2007.
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| The Colosseum |
In ancient times it had a capacity
for about 50,000 spectators, with eighty rows of bleachers. Those who were near
the arena were the Emperor and the senators, and as you ascended the lower
strata of society were located. Gladiator fights and public performances took
place in the Colosseum. It was built just east of the Roman Forum, and
construction began around AD 70. C. and 72 d. C., under the mandate of the
emperor Vespasiano. The amphitheater, which was the largest ever built in the
Roman Empire, was completed in 80 AD. C. by Emperor Titus, and was modified
during the reign of Domitian. Its inauguration Lasted 100 days, participating
in it all the Roman people and Dying in Its celebration dozens of gladiators
and beasts WHO Gave Their Lives for the pleasure and the spectacle of the
people. The Colosseum was used for almost 500 years, the last game in history
is held in the 6th century, well after the traditional date of the fall of the
Western Roman Empire in AD 476. C... The Byzantines also used it during the 6th
century. In addition to gladiator fights, many other public performances took
place here, such as naumachias, hunting animals, executions, re-enactments of
famous battles, and plays based on classical mythology. The building stopped
being used for these purposes in the High Middle Ages. animal hunts,
executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and plays based on classical
mythology. The building stopped being used for these purposes in the High
Middle Ages. animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and
plays based on classical mythology. The building stopped being used for these
purposes in the High Middle Ages.
History of the Colosseum
The construction of the Roman Colosseum
began around 70 or 72 AD, by order of Vespasian, the first emperor of the
Flavian dynasty. It was a gift from the emperor to the people to win their
support.
The amphitheater would fill the void left
by the amphitheater of the so-called Field of Mars, calcined during the fire of
Rome in the year 64. This had been replaced by works of private use of Nero,
such as the artificial lagoon Stagnum
Neronis, his Palace, and the
Colossus. of Nero.
Vespasian had the Colosseum built on the
artificial lagoon and buried most of the Palace. Only the Colossus was left
standing. Completion of the project was left to his son and successor, Emperor
Titus, who completed the last level.
The inauguration of the Colosseum took
place in the year 80 and was celebrated for a hundred days. Since then, in this
enclosure, many shows were carried out, in which people and animals died for
mere entertainment.
When Domitian came to power, he increased
the capacity of the Colosseum by including an additional gallery in the upper
section. Domitian also built the underground area where gladiators and animals
were held captive, called the hypogeum.
In the centuries that followed, the
Colosseum suffered damage from fire and earthquakes that led to the
restorations ordered by Theodosius II and Valentinian III in the 5th century.
Although the last gladiatorial fight took place in 435, the competitions and
hunting of animals lasted until the sixth century.
In the Middle Ages, the Colosseum ceased to
be an entertainment center. Throughout the centuries, it was the seat of
factories, shelters, and even a religious order. Later, it passed into the
hands of the nobles, who used it as a fortress.
In the Modern Era, already partially
destroyed by earthquakes, it was used as a quarry for other constructions. The
looting of its materials stopped when it was named a sanctuary of Christendom
in the 18th century. In the 20th century, the Colosseum suffered damage, caused
during the Second World War.
The architectural design of the Roman
Colosseum was conceived as an entertainment complex that facilitated the
presentation of large mass shows. For this, it was necessary to develop a
specialized interior and exterior structure.
The great architectural innovation of the
Roman Colosseum was the following: to be the first amphitheater built on flat
ground and not on the slope of a hill, as it used to be done to support the
stands.
This is due to the use of the semicircular
arch, a characteristic feature of Roman architecture. With this, barrel vaults
and groin vaults could be formed, which distributed the weight towards pillars
and columns.
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