The Colosseum
The Colosseum is the largest amphitheater in the world. It is at the center of Rome in Italy. Some people call it the Coliseum while others call it the Flavian Amphitheatre. The name, “Flavian Amphitheatre”, was derived from Flavian dynasty, who oversaw the construction of the amphitheater from sand and concrete into a large oval shaped structure as it is seen today. The Flavian dynasty refers to the three emperors of Rome who reigned between 69 CE and 96CE. They were Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian. They constructed and modified the Colosseum for nearly 10 years. That was between 70 CE and 80 CE. This answers the common question, “when was the Colosseum built?”.
The Purpose and Influence of the Colosseum
The Colosseum had a capacity of approximately 80,000 spectators. Its average audience was estimated at
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The Greeks built their theaters into hillsides. In contrast, the Colosseum architecture showed that the Romans built theaters that stood freely without the support of the hills that surrounded them.
The Colosseum had two walls, the inner and the outer wall. The outer wall was meant to support the inner wall and its structures. It rose 48 meters high. The Colosseum had a central arena that had a length of 87 meters and a width of 55meters. Its floor was made of wood and was covered with sand. Below it was a network of tunnels and cages, known as the hypogeum. The central arena was enclosed by a wall, which was 5 meters high. Tiers of sitting rose above the wall that enclosed the central arena.
Approximately 100,000 m3 of travertine stones were used to construct the Colosseum. The builders used iron clamps to hold this stones together. The approximate amount of iron clamps used was 300 tons. Unfortunately, the Colosseum suffered damages due to earthquakes that occurred during the succeeding centuries that followed its
The Circus Maximus was a tremendous money maker for Rome. Rome made a lot of money and happiness for their citizens. The Circus Maximus started in 549 BC and ended in 50 BC, bringing in about 270,000 people each race. Lots of ideas and practices that they did in the Circus Maximus we still do today. For example, we still use the shape of the track, the stadiums, and multiple sports today are based off the Circus Maximus. The Circus Maximus was so popular for its competition, thrill. A tremendous amount of people went to these races. This was because the citizens of Rome were greatly involved the happiness of competition.
Pantheon and Hagia Sophia Pantheon and Hagia Sophia are two extremely outstanding architectural pieces of their times. They have been built according to the traditions of those particular times. The materials used to built these buildings and the purpose for which they were used are all very important aspects and have been briefly covered in this report. Pantheon The statesman Agrippa built pantheon in 27 B.C. Then it was completely rebuilt by the emperor Hadrian. The Pantheon is remarkable for its size, its construction, and its design. The dome was the largest built until modern times. The present structure was probably originally built as a temple for all the pagan gods. We do hear of it as being a law-court and a reception area for Emperor Hadrian meeting his quests too. Some say that the rotunda of the building was once a Roman bath. Due to all this mystery, the Pantheon is often referred to as the Sphinx of Rome. The visitor will probably not appreciate the construction as much as the Flavian amphitheatre, but it is still a great masterpiece of engineering and well worth a visit. Most Roman and Greek temples at the time of the Pantheon's construction were large, colonnaded, rectangular enclosures with sanctuaries situated in their centers. The Pantheon was different. It consisted of a large circular drum topped with a hemispherical dome. It is a masterpiece of both engineering and art a lasting memory of Ancient Rome’s might. Roman architecture is architecture of wall and enclosed tactile space. Individual column with entablature is no longer the basic architectural unity. Spatially, it shows a development from closed, simple space units and regular articulation to more complex spatial relations, more fluid interpenetrati...
In Rome the buildings were constructed under Roman Empire. The Roman Colosseum was constructed between 69 to 79 CE by the Vespasian emperor, The Circus Maximum was built in the 2nd century B.C by the high emperor, in 31 B.C the fire destroyed it that led Emperor Augustus to rebuild the Circus in 82 AD, Ludus Magnus was a gladiatorial training school in Rome and it was originally built between 81-96AD by Emperor Domitian. The emperor’s theme was large public stone buildings that would bring the people of Rome together and also the emperor was rich and they had manpower. The emperors also patron towards the workers and also to prove that they are the great leaders. The emperors had money, a lot of workers to build the buildings to the Emperor’s satisfaction. The buildings were used by the public as entertainment where they would go and watch all sorts of races & fights.
From the Egyptians to Romans, architecture achievements of the ancient world have left a huge impression on todays modern world. They all have left a tremendous impression on modern civilizations. There are numerous architectural monuments to write about. In this essay I will be discussing about the Pantheon and Colosseum, the famous architectural buildings of the Roman Civilization. I will discuss the history, significance, and analyze the qualities of the architecture.
When discussing the historical and cultural aspects it is important to take into consideration the culture, religion, political, social, economic and artistic aspects of the time period.The construction of the Colosseum occurred during the Flavian Dynasty, between 69 CE to 96 CE. The construction of this massive amphitheater began in 70 CE under the reign of emperor Vespasian and ended sometime around 80 CE under the reign of his son Titus (Vespasian, 2013). During this time period Vespasian was greatly known for his reorganization of the army and the expansion of the membership of the senate, which ultimately dealt with the political, economic and military aspect of the Roman history and culture.
"Roman Colosseum - Rome, Italy - Great Buildings Architecture." Architecture Design Architectural Images Drawings History and More - ArchitectureWeek Great Buildings. Web. 12 Feb. 2012.
Built to appease the Romans and as a promise of a new era of responsible and compassionate rule, it was a symbol for the power of the people over the emperor. It is precisely for this reason that the image of the Colosseum has been reiterated over time. During antiquity, as the Colosseum was nearing completion, the senatorial mint under Titus honoured the architectural wonder by representing it on a bronze sesterce coin. This coin, shown in figure 2.1, is highly detailed and accurately depicts the architectural structure and layout of the Colosseum. On close
Colosseum was used just for gladiatorial battles, the Colosseum was also filled water so the
Another difference in these civilizations is in the architecture of each region. The architecture of the Romans was also more advanced than that of the Greeks; they used concrete and placed emphasis on arches, vaulted ceilings, and domes while Greece emphasized balance and symmetry. Greek temples aimed at impressing by designing intricate, aesthetically pleasing outer views, while Roman architecture's goal was to impress by enclose a vast amount of space.
The two ancient civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome were the best of the best during their time periods. Ancient Greece began around 2000 B.C. by the inhabitants known as the Mycenaean’s, followed by the Minoans. The Minoans built the foundation of Greece. The Roman Empire was founded around 753 B.C. by the two twins, Romulus and Remus. Romulus ended up killing Remus and built the city of Rome on one of seven rolling hills. Architecture was very important to both civilizations and they were always trying to out due the other. The architectural style of the Ancient Greeks and Romans was overall constructed and used differently.
The Architecture of the Colosseum is very grand, with the capacity to hold up to 80,000 people. The Colosseum is over 160 feet tall, it “has a length of 620 feet and was close to 513 feet wide” (“Colosseum Architecture.”). Because the Colosseum was so big, it would have been very difficult to get so many people in and out of it had it not been for the various arches and stairs built within it. In total there are about 80 arches that each led to various stairways. These stairways then led to all the different levels of the Colosseum, which in turn made it a lot easier and more comfortable for a lot of people to exit it in a short amount of time. The Colosseum also had many arches of which four were “reserved exclusively for royalty and nobles” and the others were for the rest of the people (“Colosseum Architecture.”). Unlike other amphitheaters which had a circular shape, the Colosseum had the unique shape of an oval, which helped the people watching have a better view of the arena. This added to the overall different feel that the Colosseum had.
The Colosseum, one of Rome’s most famous structures, is located east of the Roman Forum in Piazza del Colosseo in Rome, Italy. As a gift to the Roman people, Emperor Vespasian of the Flavian dynasty commissioned the Colosseum around AD 70-72. Titus, Emperor Vespasian’s son and successor, opened it officially in AD 80. The Colosseum is able to hold roughly 50,000 spectators, making it the largest amphitheater in Rome. The Colosseum is a symbol of how advanced Romans were in architecture and building. This monument represents strength, power, cruelty and violence. Thousands of people, most commonly criminals and professional fighters, even animals, have been killed inside the walls of the Colosseum.
Another example of Roman’s Amphitheater is Verona Arena in Verona city, Italy. It is the world’s third-largest amphitheater survived from Roman’s period before the middle ages. The arena was built in 30 AD and 30,000 spectators. The structure is white and pink limestone which was destroyed during an earthquake in the 11th century but the inside of the arena is still well maintained. This arena was used for shows and games like gladiator fights during Roman’s
Construction was very expensive. Just the external wall of the Colosseum would cost about $50 million dollars, today. About the size of a professional football stadium, the Colosseum could hold over 50,000 spectators. Upon entering, the audience climbed sloping ramps to their seats. These seats were separated according to gender and social class. The women and the poor sat at the top of the Colosseum, on wooden benches.
Starting with the Roman Colosseum, which is located in the center of Rome. It is a ginormous amphitheater of huge 80 arched entrance and seating arrangements for 55,000 spectators. The Colosseum was built over 2000 years ago, which was commissioned by Emperor Vespasian and completed by his son Titus. Originally it was known as Flavian Amphitheatre. The designs of sport stadiums all over the world are still influenced by the Roman Colosseum to this very day!