The Colosseum And The Ball Court During The Roman Era

During different historical eras there is an overall theme that follows it. And during these periods art and architecture is created and represents that theme. For example take The Colosseum and The Ball Court, Copán. Each of these structures were created to bring entertainment, but has violent undertones. The Colosseum was made as a gift to Rome, and a way for the emperor to build the Roman peoples trust in him, but even though it was created as something positive, it was responsible for millions of human and animal deaths. The Ball Court, Copán was used for a game that was popular across Mesoamerica called the Ball Game. But like the Colosseum it was more than just entertainment. This game had religious significance and in certain cultures it was a gladiator contest as well.

The Colosseum was build after the death of the Roman emperor Nero during A.D.

68. The Roman people did not like Nero, but the biggest factor that leads to his death was during A.D. 64 there was a fire that started to burn down Rome, and basically Nero just let it burn. He did not assist in putting the fire out, and some suggest that he was behind it. Shortly after the fire died down Nero than had an enormous palace build for him called the Golden Palace on the land where the fire had clear a path for him. The people of Rome rebelled shortly after the palace was built and demanded Nero pay for his misdeeds. Rather than to be publically executed, he killed himself.

During A.D. 70 The Flavian came into power. To gain the respect of the people the new emperors decreed that the Golden Palace would be ripped down and there would be built a new amphitheater. After a decade of construction Titus officially declared the Colosseum open. It was meant be a gift to the people of Rome where the public could enjoy forms of

entertainment.
The Colosseum was not only a promise of progress for Rome, but it was a beautiful piece of art. It was the largest amphitheater during that time period. It was unlike many other amphitheaters built, because most of them had to be built into hillsides, The Colosseum on the other hand was one of the first freestanding amphitheaters. The size and decor was not the only thing that made The Colosseum so great, but the entertainment it held got the Colosseum its impressive reputation.
Rome was often said to be a violent state. The Roman people including the government were known to be unmerciful to not just each other, but to other surrounding countries. One of the things that were considered most unethical was the gladiatorial contest held in The Colosseum. They would take prisoners of war, soldiers, citizens, pretty much anyone they felt like and forced them to fight, or else they wer thrown to wild beasts to be eaten alive. The events that occurred in the Colosseum were so horrendous that most preferred public executions instead of becoming a gladiator.
The Ball Court, Copán like the Colosseum was a contest of sorts. It was created just as a simple game and overtime progressed to a game of survival. The games origins are estimated sometime around 2500-100 BCE. The mythology behind the game is the story between two gods Hunahpú and Vucub Hunahpú. The two gods were brothers and were constantly fighting and causing trouble. The gods in the underworld noticed the brothers and came up with a plan to lead the brothers to the underworld. When the brothers arrived they were challenged to the Ball Game. In the end Hun Hunahpús lost the game and had his head cut off and Vucub Hunahpú returned home brother less.
The rules of the game have not been discovered, but the overall idea of the game is to not let the ball fall, and on later adaptations the goal is to get the ball into rings placed above the Ball Court floor. The players could be professionals or amateurs. They were not allowed to use their hands and could only use their padded elbows, knees, thighs and shoulders. In earlier versions of the game there was no padding resulting in serious injuries and sometimes death.
The Mayans adapted the game and made it more about their religious beliefs than most other cultures. In the ball game if a team lost the captain and/or even the entire team, were sacrificed to the gods. They even created a game based off the Ball Game where captives (this game had numerous players that were war captives who were forced to play, just like the Colosseum) or losing teams, once they lost the game, were tied up, they head cut off and used as the ball, while they bodies rolled down a flight of steps.
While the losers of the games where killed, the winners on the hand were treated with respect. They would receive trophies such as a hacha, which was a sculpture that was a representation of the human head. Some theories suggest that early cultures would give actual heads of the losing team. The hacha had a handle attached and could be worn by the victor. These trophies were important to the Mayan culture that they are frequently found in graves to send a reminder of their victory in the underworld.