The Roman Colosseum

Early gladiator fights took place in funerals of wealthy Romans, but their main purpose was to give the people a good show. As the gladiator games grew in popularity, the funeral ritual tradition was eventually dropped and the games were staged for what they were—a display of wealth and entertainment for the masses. By approximately 90 B.C., gladiator games began taking place in circuses and forums. Circuses were elongated arenas with a spine down the middle, designed for chariot racing. In a circus, the audience had good seats but a poor view of the event. Since circuses were built for chariot races, their long and narrow shape made it difficult for someone sitting on one end to see an event going on at the other end. A good example of a circus is the Circus Maximus. This structure was the first and largest circus built by the Romans and it could hold up to 250,000 people. Forums were open gathering places in the center of a town, often with a monument in the middle. Audiences watching a gladiator event in a forum still experienced problems because the ground was flat, so only the people in the first few rows could see anything. Over the years, the gladiator games became even more elaborate to the point where some fights included fights with wild animals. So the Romans now had a problem on their hands: how to fit a large number of people in a way that let them see everything that was

Keegan (2005) elaborates on the brutal events held within this structure, also questioning the morality of these civilized people who enjoyed viewing murderous games. He explains that these actions are a complex representation of their culture’s architectural achievement and human barbarism seen through gladiator combats. There was a large amount of effort and preparation put into organizing and maintenance, worth it as the Colosseum continued to be rigorously used for the next four centuries. Eventually, these activities were phased out and the site later turned into a ruin, to be scavenged for its materials. Natural phenomena such as lightning and earthquakes contributed also contributed to this. It’s impressive how although the Colosseum’s function drastically changed over time, it continues to provide benefit to people.

Roman architecture has influenced our modern-day society in many ways. One of the ways is by the construction of the Roman Colosseum in 72 A.D. The Roman Colosseum was the first major stadium or amphitheater to ever be built. Without the planning, construction, and techniques used for Roman Colosseum, we would not have some of the famous stadiums and amphitheaters that exist today.

The Roman Colosseum was built throughout 70-80 A.D. It was a large, circular stone arena and was a very popular attraction in Rome. The Colosseum was used as a place of entertainment for the Romans (Doc 5). The Colosseum was the entertainment center of Rome and it was used as an amphitheater, arena, held gladiatorial events and people socialized there. The Colosseum influenced the U.S because in the U.S we have entertainment centers including movie theaters, wrestling matches, and sports games where people socialize and are entertained.

It was Rome's most popular building. The Colosseum was a large outdoor stadium that could seat thousands and thousands of people. The people were entrained by battles, plays, and games. The Colosseum was a free standing building as shown in Document E, it had many different levels and floors in which people could sit and enjoy the entertainment. Many natural disasters occrued in The Colosseum

Roman Gladiators were a highly trained group of people who fought against other gladiators and animals in the Roman coliseums. Most gladiators were slaves captured from other countries that Rome fought. Once Rome conquested their lands, the gladiators were taken prisoner and escorted back to Rome. Once in Rome, they went to the ludus gladiatorius, or Gladiator school, to be trained. Training was supervised by a lanista, or “butcher” who frequently abused the gladiators both physically and mentally, usually using a whip. Many thought that gladiators were only slaves. However, criminals, people in debt, and other rule breakers who were sentenced to death were also sent to the ludus gladiatorius. The gladiators were trained based on the

Throughout this report, the uses and the importance that the arena had on Roman society will be discussed as well as the various factors in which it was allowed to do so. Using historical documents and sources the goal is to inform the reader in why the arena was so important to Roman society. The Colosseum, known as the Flavian Amphitheater and located just east of the Roman forum, is a massive stone arena that was commissioned around A. D. 70-72 by Emperor Vespasian. The iconic arena would not have been as popular as it is today if it wasn’t for the gladiatorial combats and wild animal fights which took place. The arena had a very important role in Roman society having a huge influence on the political side of Rome; the social ranking system and it gave the people a source of entertainment.

The Ancient Roman’s had a wicked idea of entertainment. The Colosseum or Coliseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, is an elliptical amphitheater in the center of the city of Rome, Italy. Built of concrete and stone, it is the largest amphitheater ever built and is considered one of the greatest works of architecture and engineering. The Roman Colosseum, constructed in 79 AD, is a visual representation of the importance of physical strength and military proficiency in Ancient Roman civilization, this is because it was constructed to revel Rome’s military accomplishments and to provide entertainment for Roman citizens. Many events prompted the construction of the Roman Colosseum.

The ancient Roman Colosseum is perhaps the most astonishing wonder in the history of Architecture known to man kind. The Colosseum served to provide a place of entertainment for the people of Rome and dole out harsh punishments portrayed through shows ending with death to menaces of society. The basis for the idea behind the Colosseum began with the Roman Emperor Vespasian who overtook the Emperor Nero to gain control of the Roman Empire. Much like Nero and other emperors during his time, Vespasian developed a reputation for conveying harsh punishment upon the citizens that jeopardized law and order in the empire. Therefore in 69 A.D. he ordered master craftsman to employ gangs of slaves to construct a facility that would satisfy the

The bread and circuses offered many events that the public adored; such as, the distribution of food, public baths, gladiators, exotic animals, chariot races, sports competition, and theater representation but none more extravagant than arena they were held in, the Colosseum. The Colosseum, a massive stadium that could hold more than 50,000 spectators, was located in the center of the city. It was commissioned around 70-72 A.D. by Emperor Vespasian at a time when Rome was rapidly expanding, and was finished by his son Titan in 80 A.D. For the Flavian Amphitheater opening, its official name because Tian and Vespasian were part of the Flavian dynasty , Titan held 100 days of games, including gladiatorial combats and wild animal fights to win public’s approval. People piled in to this 620 by 513 feet arena, the largest amphitheater in the Roman empire, through the 74 arches, in which 4 were elaborately engraved in marble, that surrounded the Colosseum and sat by social ranking. The Colosseum had three stories and was constructed of mostly marble.

Gladiators were the athletic superstars of Ancient Rome. Their battles in the arena drew thousands of fans, often including the most important men of the day. One of the most famous places the gladiators fought was the Colosseum. The Colosseum was one of the biggest buildings of its time it was 157 feet tall and could seat up to 55,000 people. Thousands of people came to watch the Gladiators fight wild animals, condemned criminals, and other Gladiators.

Historians have always used great structures from the ancient world to find out information about the kind of lives they used to live. The Colosseum in Ancient Rome, Italy was one of the most famous structures. The Colosseum in Rome gives historians a number of insights to the type of civilization that existed during the time of the ancient empire, through the gory battles and violent games that took place. This can be proven by the purpose of the Colosseum and the context surrounding its construction, the political and economic benefit of the Colosseum to the empire, the types of games which were held in the arena and the values which the structure suggests were important to the civilization at the

Historical buildings play an important role in describing the social and cultural beliefs and values of a place of its establishment. People visiting the historic buildings are able to develop a proper insight into the community beliefs and practices that exist at the time of construction of a building (DuTemple, 2003). In this context, the present essay examines and evaluates the way in which the architectural building of ‘The Colosseum’ describes the societal and cultural values of Rome. In addition to this, the essay also demonstrates the technical and spatial features of the buildings and illustrates the way through the building is able to develop a language of classical architecture in Rome. The thesis statement of the present essay can be stated as ‘The extent to which the architectural building of ‘The Colosseum’ in Rome depicts the cultural and societal values and principles practiced in Ancient Roman Society’.

The Colosseum was first built in 70-80 CE in Regio IV Templum Pacis, which is in Rome Italy today. Measuring some 620 by 513 feet, the Colosseum was the largest amphitheater in the Roman world. Unlike many earlier amphitheaters, which had been dug into hillsides to provide adequate support, the Colosseum was a freestanding structure made of stone and concrete. The Colosseum could seat up to 80 thousand people. The Colosseum was a gift to the Roman people from Emperor Vespasian.

The Roman Colosseum, a colossal amphitheater, was built in the first century under Flavian's rule. Many events such as gladiator games, beast fights, naval battles, and much more took place inside the huge elliptical arena. People of all ages and classes attended these well-known spectacles. The Colosseum is a huge Roman architectural achievement and the fact that it is still standing today only amplifies the importance of this structure. Hundred of thousands of people attended the ancient games, and even more continue to visit the arena today.