Rome Coliseum. From the Italian Coloneus, the famous amphitheater of Rome building created to house gladiators, the construction of his works was of great importance for the empire . The flavian amphitheater or coliseum, was the largest of them all and one of the largest constructions in ancient times. The origin of this since the times of Julius Caesar , the gladiatorial fightsand the like were held in circuses or in removable structures built for this purpose. It was built in a short period of time that put to the test the organizational capacity of the foremen who imposed a system of several shifts, the prefabrication of certain elements and the modular construction, with the help of complex machinery and a hand of specialized work. The materials used were different according to the loads they had to bear; stone and brick were used in the pillars, exterior walls, and concrete was used in the construction, 100,000 m 3 of traverse and 300 tons of metal were used for the staples that held the blocks together.
Unlike the early amphitheaters whose location was concerned that it was on hills to provide support for the walls, the colosseum is a freestanding stone and cement structure 48 meters high and 188 meters long by 156 wide with a capacity of 50,000 spectators that they could access or leave in less than 3 minutes thanks to a complex network of passageways and exits. From the outside it had 4 floors in arcades in which the super position of orders in 3-room columns with decorative function can be appreciated. The facade of the Colosseum is one of the most complete examples of the language architectural classic. Its combination of the architrave system (columns and lintels) with the arcades on pilasters and the use of superimposed orders have served as a model of classical composition throughout the centuries. But the presence of the attic is also relevant, the almost blind finish that housed the masts of the velarium, an immense awning to shade the spectators. This colossal building is considered today one of the 7 wonders of the world 2007 .
Historical review
Roman theaters appeared for the first time at the end of the republican period, their design was fundamentally based on the Greek type. They consisted of a high stage next to a semicircular pit (orchestra) and a surrounding seating area arranged in tiers (cavea). Unlike the Greek theaters, located on natural slopes, the Roman theaters were built on a structure of pillars and vaults that were possible thanks to a new way of building and, in this way, could be located in the heart of the cities. Theaters were popular in all parts of the Empire .
Roman spectacles varied a lot compared to those made in ancient Greece , now they did not need an intrinsic directionality. The bloody fights of gladiators or men against wild animals or wild animals against each other, like any bullfight or today’s football matches , did not have to be viewed from one direction. Therefore, by reasoning and showing the genius and civilization of Roman engineering, two theaters were arranged, one with their backs to the other, to form an amphitheater (literally, double theaters).
The area of the exhibition was embraced by the seats and the base took the form of an elliptical plant with a central track (arena), where fights between gladiators, fights of wild beasts and other shows whose origin was perhaps from ancient Campania were held. and they were introduced to Rome perhaps by the Etruscans, who knew these games. They also had a grandstand around it similar to that of the theaters. In the beginning, the amphitheaters were built originally of wood, and later of stone. The first amphitheater was built is that of Pompeii in 75 BC by the maximum Roman pontiff Gaius Scribonius Curio . The first partial stone amphitheater was built in 30 BC by Augustus , before he first became emperor of Rome.
In Rome , the capital of the Empire, given the fame of the spectacles and the satisfaction that the people achieved when witnessing them, it became necessary to build an amphitheater when the existing one had been destroyed by a fire. The new building had to have the capacity and magnificence to entertain the people and Caesar , so the Flavian Amphitheater, better known as the Colosseum, was ordered to be built.
Flavian Amphitheater (Colosseum in Rome)
The great Flavian amphitheater, today called the Colosseum (probably due to the memory of the colossal statue of Nero that was in the vicinity of the amphitheater), was built by Vespasian after the war with Judea in the year 72 n It was located in the middle of the city of Rome, on a completely flat site, precisely on the site that was known as Stagnum Nerons, which was a kind of artificial lagoon built by an order of Nero under his mandate. Vespasian, despite his efforts, could not see this colossal work finished, and Titus inaugurated it in 80 AD, although it is presumed that it was not yet finished as it had been originally planned, so it is thought that its construction ended during the reign of Domitian. The building’s inauguration party lasted 102 days, in which a large number of different kinds of shows were shown.
The building was 527 meters in circumference and reached a height of 57 meters. The base has an elliptical shape, where its major axis measures 189 meters and its minor axis 156 meters. It was so well designed that all attendees (50,000 commonly) could evacuate it in a few minutes. The secret of this quality lay in the wise arrangement of the barrel vaults and the corridors and stairs leading to the seats. The vaults on the ground floor had 80 doors each marked with a number to make it easier for viewers to find their location. It is a work of daring engineering and of great proportions,where the Romans frequently used brick aggregate embedded in a mixture of lime putty with brick dust or volcanic ash including the use of stone (travertine) and concrete that were the basis of the Colosseum. In addition, to lighten the weight of the huge structures, they often encased empty clay jars in the walls. They also used metal bars as reinforcements in the concrete. This, together with the combination of walls and openings, became a constant in Roman architecture, which later would be based on styles such as Gothic and Baroque. Inside the vaults, it was decorated with fabulous stucco designs, which have been almost completely lost to time.They often boxed empty clay jars in the walls. They also used metal bars as reinforcements in the concrete. This, together with the combination of walls and openings, became a constant in Roman architecture, which later would be based on styles such as Gothic and Baroque. Inside the vaults, it was decorated with fabulous stucco designs, which have been almost completely lost to time.They often boxed empty clay jars in the walls. They also used metal bars as reinforcements in the concrete. This, together with the combination of walls and openings, became a constant in Roman architecture, which later would be based on styles such as Gothic and Baroque. Inside the vaults, it was decorated with fabulous stucco designs, which have been almost completely lost to time.
Building use
The Colosseum hosted shows such as venerationes (animal fights) or noxii (executions of prisoners by animals), as well as munera: gladiator fights. It is estimated that between 500,000 and 1,000,000 people died in these games. It has always been speculated that it hosted the naumachiae, spectacular naval battles that required flooding the sand with water, although if true, it is likely that it was in the early years, before the basements were built under the sand.
The games continued to be held until 404 , in which the last gladiator fight is documented. The rise of Christianity as the official religion gradually put an end to the bloodiest acts, with animal sacrifices remaining until 523 .
Ground
The pitch itself was an oval measuring 87 by 55 meters, and was actually a platform built of wood and covered with sand. The entire subsoil was a complex of tunnels and dungeons (the hypogeum ‘) in which the gladiators, the damned and the animals were housed. The floor had several hatches and elevators that communicated with the basement and that could be used during the show.
The arena plane had a complete drainage system, connected to four imposing sewers. It has been suggested that they are due to the need to evacuate the water after the naval shows. However, it seems that Domitian , abandoning the idea of the naumaquia, paved the sewers and placed the forklifts in the sand for the gladiatorial combats. The wooden deck is no longer preserved, so the whole maze underground remains today the air free.
Dig
The wide interior bleachers were differentiated into “gradus”, floors reserved for different social classes:
On the podium , the first of them, sat the most illustrious Romans: the senators, magistrates, priests and perhaps the Vestals. At both ends of the minor axis there were two separate boxes: the imperial tribune (pulvinar), and another reserved for the magistrate who sometimes presided over the games. Since this floor was the closest to the beasts, there was a metallic protection net and archers posted regularly.
- The maenianum primum, for aristocrats who did not belong to the senate,
- The maenianum secundum, divided into the imum for rich citizens and the summum for the poor.
- At the top was the maenianum summum in ligneis, made of wood, probably without seats and reserved for poor women.
In addition, some social orders, such as the tribunes, priests or the militia, had reserved sectors. Access from the internal corridors to the stands was through the vomitories, so called because they allowed a huge number of people to get out in a short time.
Facade
The façade is articulated in four orders, whose heights do not correspond to the interior floors. The three lower orders are formed by 80 arches on pilasters, and with attached semi-columns that support a purely decorative entablature. The room is formed by a blind wall, with attached pilasters, and windows in one of every two openings. The orders of each floor are successively Tuscan, Ionic and Corinthian. The top floor has an undefined style that was listed in the 16th century as a composite. It was common to superimpose different styles on successive floors, but it was unusual to make buildings with four overlapping orders.
Velario
The Colosseum had a pull-down fabric cover powered by pulleys. These covering, made first with sailcloth and then replaced by linen (lighter), rested on a network of ropes about which little is known. Each fabric sector could move separately from those around it, and were operated by a detachment of sailors from the Roman fleet.
In the upper part of the façade, the holes in which the 250 wooden masts that supported the cables were placed have been identified. The ropes were apparently anchored to the ground, otherwise the masts would support too much weight. To this end, there was a concentric ring of stones or cipos located 18 meters from the façade on the outer esplanade, which also allowed the control of the public to avoid crowds. The strip between the façade and the cipos was paved with travertine.
Works and repairs
The Colosseum was severely damaged in 217 by a fire caused by lightning. It was reopened in 222 , although it was not fully repaired until the mandate of Gordiano III . It suffered fires again in 250 .
Following the invasion of Rome by Alaric I in 410 , an inscription was carved on the lower tier of the steps in honor of the Emperor Honorius . This inscription was later rewritten in 442 to remember the great reconstruction work after the damage suffered by an earthquake. It would not be the only one because in 523 another earthquake forced the prefect Venancio Basilio to finance new repair works, which were incomplete due to lack of resources.
Decline
During the papacy of Gregory I the Great many of the ancient monuments passed into the hands of the Church, which was the only effective authority. However, it lacked the resources to maintain them, so they fell into abandonment and pillage. During the Middle Ages , the decline of the city affected all the imperial monuments. The earthquakes of 801 and 847 caused great damage to a practically abandoned building on the outskirts of the medieval city.
When Pope Gregory VII was expelled from the city in 1084 , many monuments fell into the hands of noble Roman families, who used them as fortresses. This is the case of the Colosseum, occupied by the Frangipane , who made it the center of their area of influence. The Colosseum was changing hands until 1312 , when it returned to the Church. During the Middle Ages it was mistakenly believed that the Colosseum had been a temple dedicated to various gods, such as the Sun. The confusion could come from the colossus of Nero , whose head Vespasian had changed for that of the Sun god.Rome Coliseum
Throughout the 15th and 16th centuries , the travertine that covered it was torn off to be reused in other constructions. Among others, it was used for the Barberini Palace and for the Port of Ripetta . A well-known Latin saying reads Quod non fecerunt Barbari, fecerunt Barberini (what the Barbarians did not dare to do, the Barberini did). It was also used to burn it and obtain lime. The looting of stones continued until 1749 , when Benedict XIV consecrated the monument as a public church in memory of the martyrs executed there (although it is believed that most of these were martyred in the Circus Maximus).
In the 19th century , on the other hand, they began a series of works to stabilize many ancient monuments. In 1820 several buttresses were completed that are clearly distinguishable today, and without which the building would probably have collapsed. Consolidation and improvement works were carried out throughout the century, in a process that still continues.
Nowadays
The Colosseum is undoubtedly one of the great tourist attractions of the city. It has been taken to the cinema on multiple occasions, highlighting the digital reconstruction that we could see in “Gladiator”. Since 2000 , the authorities have kept the building illuminated for 48 hours every time somewhere a death sentence is commuted to or postponed to a convicted person.