Really called the flavion amphitheater meaning two theaters the Colosseum was something that would give back to the people and keep them happy but also to get the people to forget Nero.
Nero spent money on himself and not his people which made him extremely unpopular. When money got really tight he was said to have actually made people write a will saying that he would receive the money and then he would make them kill themselves. Nero eventually flees when his unpopularity gets too bad and he commits suicide. The facade of the Colosseum appears broken but this is because stone from it was plundered to build other buildings.
From the outside you can see numerous entry ways with numbers on their tops so many people could attend the fights. Each level has different styles of columns probably just to make the facade more dramatic. The name Colosseum is from Nero's Colossus statue which used to stand in front of the area where the Colosseum stands.
Inside deadly gladiatorial fights and wild animal combats were staged free of charge for the citizens. Even though the design seems practical enough it really is quite beautiful. In the interior the design is in the from of an ellipse with seats around a vast central area as all stadiums are today.
Looking in you can see in the center the stadium exposed underground rooms which is most likely where the animals were kept. Animals usually began the show with slaves, prisoners of war, or condemned criminals. Most were men but there were a few female gladiators. These gladiators had to fight to the death and of they were badly wounded surrender their fate to the crowd.
- The founder of the Colosseum- Vespasian was a professional soldier who became emperor in AD 69, founding the Flavian dynasty.
- Colossus of Nero- The Colosseum may have acquired its name from this huge gilt bronze statue that stood near the amphitheater.
- The podium- was a large terrace where the emperor and the wealthy upper classes had their seats.
Examples of armor worn:
No comments:
Post a Comment