El Coliseo Romano. Walking Tour. Vlog Italia. Roma
Traveling to Rome is, without a doubt, one of the great experiences you can have in life. The city is full of imposing vestiges of Roman civilization that dazzle all its visitors and abound in every corner.
But, among all of them, there is one that stands out above the rest due to its magnificence: the Roman coliseum (located next to the Roman forum). This amphitheater, a world heritage site and one of the new seven wonders of the modern world,
Is the jewel in the crown of the Italian capital and a center of attraction for tourists. But beyond its beauty, what history does this work of ancient Rome have? Who built the Roman coliseum Although Rome, before the construction of the coliseum, had its own amphitheater that provided entertainment for the population,
It would be consumed by the ravenous fire that devastated the city in the year 64 AD and would never return. be used. The need for leisure prompted the Romans to build another one. Emperor Nero, remembered for his tyrannical character and for imposing the cult of his personality,
Took advantage of the flames to rebuild the city in favor of his interests. This is the case of the Domus Aurea, the great residence of the emperor, which had many extravagant luxuries, including a huge golden statue of him that would be known as the Colossus of Nero (hence the name coliseum).
Nero’s joy would not last long and, after a military uprising, he committed suicide in the year 68, putting an end to his reign and palace, which would be demolished to make way for the construction of the new amphitheater and its facilities by the Emperor Vespasian. .
When was the Roman Coliseum built? A work of this caliber required a large amount of resources. Fortunately, Rome had at its disposal the treasures it obtained after the Jewish-Roman war, which would be invested in this triumphant work.
It is estimated, therefore, that the year of construction of the Roman coliseum, or at least of the beginning of the work, would be between 70 and 72 AD (it is located within the Ancient Age). They would be completed in the year 80 under the reign of Titus (son of Vespasian),
Beginning an inauguration that would last 100 days and in which more than 9,000 animals were killed in exhibitions. Characteristics of the Roman Coliseum Below we will tell you what the Roman Coliseum was like,
From its dimensions to the main materials with which it was built. Furthermore, we do not forget the parts that make it up. Dimensions of the Roman coliseum Measurements: 187.75×155.60 meters. Area: around 24,000 square meters. Height: 48.5 meters. Arena length: 86×54 meters. Capacity: 65,000 spectators distributed in 8 rows of stands.
Materials of the Roman coliseum It was made of travertine blocks, concrete, marble, brick and stucco. Parts of the Roman coliseum Arena: it was a wooden platform covered with sand. Hypogeum: complex made up of dungeons and tunnels in which gladiators, the condemned and animals were located.
Cávea: it was the interior stands, which differed according to social classes. Facade: stands out for the use of arches. Velario: deployable fabric cover that was powered by pulleys. What was the Roman coliseum used for Gladiator combats It is impossible to think of the coliseum and the gladiatorial combats do not come to mind,
Where bloodthirsty spectators enjoyed the fight of men in which death always accompanied them. Only a gesture from the emperor could save their lives: a thumbs up was a sign of respect, since the emperor spared the life of the defeated after having fought agilely. While a thumbs down meant the death of the defeated.
Animal hunting But not only these human combats took part in the amphitheater, events where animals were hunted were also popular. For the Romans it was very attractive to see the varied amount of imported species that showed their ferocity in the arena.
Lions, elephants, hippos and many other species guaranteed the capacity of the coliseum. Animal fights and executions of prisoners by animals also served to entertain the public. Naval battles There has even been a lot of talk about the possibility that simulations of naval battles were carried out at the facilities,
Although there is no clear evidence that this has occurred and it has been the subject of debate by historians. Whether real or not, it allows us to have an idea of what was done in the Roman coliseum and the possibilities it could offer its spectators.
Facts and curiosities about the Roman coliseum The Roman plebs were delighted with the events that took place in the coliseum. It was so exciting to see men and beasts fight that the crowd was always full and it became the biggest celebration in the city.
When Emperor Trajan won the victory over Dacia (present-day Romania) in the year 107, such was the celebration that some 11,000 animals and 10,000 gladiators participated in a period of 123 days. It is estimated that approximately 200,000 people, including gladiators and prisoners, died to provide spectacle to the population.
Although imposing, the coliseum was not indestructible. In the year 217 it suffered a large fire due to lightning that destroyed the wooden floor, and in the year 443 an earthquake caused damage to the structure, which was later repaired.
Decline of the Roman coliseum The main problem of the coliseum and its activities was its high cost. Due to Roman prosperity, expenditures on gladiatorial combat continued to grow uncontrollably. The interest in the events was such that no emperor attempted to contain these expenses (with the exception of Marcus Aurelius).
The Roman crisis of the 3rd century meant allocating most resources to military issues to safeguard the empire, so financing combat was no longer a priority (although they continued to be subsidized). Added to this, Christianity, the growing religion that continued to expand, had no appreciation for gladiators,
Since their combats were considered murders and morally harmful. However, the games could not be stopped (they even became popular among Christians, who were already the dominant population of Rome). Finally, its prohibition would be ratified in 438 by Valentinian III and, later, the hunting and fighting of animals.
The last recorded spectacle was in the year 523, during the time of Theodoric the Great. The ruins of the Roman coliseum Although the coliseum would remain standing, its structure would be affected when the quarry was used to construct other buildings. A fate that other Roman structures would face.
As the centuries passed, it had different uses: church, cemetery, fortress and headquarters of a religious order, and even homes. The looting of the facilities would continue until 1749, when the monument was consecrated by the church in honor of the Christian martyrs who were executed in the coliseum. Despite looting and natural disasters,
The coliseum remains impressive today as a symbol of Roman power and its architecture. Although it no longer provides the shows for which it was built, it continues to generate interest in all its visitors, who guarantee its capacity almost 2,000 years later.
El Coliseo Romano. Walking Tour. Vlog Italia. Roma