The building's true name is the Flavian Amphitheatre, but has always been known as the Colosseum for its size and the fact that it was in the vicinity to the Colossus of Nero - a huge statue of the emperor Nero. (Which makes me wonder why that statue was still standing, as Nero had been kicked out of Rome and labeled a villain by the Senate.) Around 60,000 spectators could fill the amphitheater. There are four stories with Doric, Ionian and Corinthian columns decorating the exterior arches. The fourth story has Corinthian pilasters. There are 80 arches on the ground floor, of which four were entrances for the emperor and his family and the vestals. Only the entrance of honor reserved for the emperor remains. The entrance one went through for admission depended on one's class. Patricians in one entrance, plebians in another.
Similar to a modern giant stadium, the Colosseum was the origin of the professional gladiators, who were trained to fight to the death - although there had been similar fighting factions/units before the Colosseum was built. While the killing of Christians had come to high frenzy in the days of Nero in his Ager Vaticanus, this practice was still in place in the Colosseum. One fact that I did learn while in the Colosseum was that women were not allowed in, unless one was related to the emperor. The killing orgies that took place were for men only. Historians believe that nearly 9000 animals were killed during the first 100 days of celebrations held to inaugurate the amphitheater! The arena could also be filled with water to stage naval battles! The Colosseum was usually uncovered, but in case of rain, a huge velarium was maneuvered by two squads of sailors belonging to the fleets of Ravenna and Cape Misenum. These two squads also took part in the naval battles that were staged. (How much water they used, and how they got it in the Colosseum, I never did learn.)
The Emperor Constantine, who allowed Christianity, tried to end the gladiator fights, but the Romans did not want to give up their shows. At the beginning of the 5th century, a monk named Telemachus came to Rome. One day he entered the stadium and tried to put himself between the gladiators. He begged the people to give up their bloody and inhumane games. The crowd hurled insults, sarcasm, and rocks, ultimately stoning Telemachus to martyrdom. That day the games were brought to an end.
By the mid-500s, the amphitheater was abandoned. It was used as a cemetery, a fortress, and after the earthquake of 1349, as a quarry for building materials. The marble that once covered the building was appropriated for the building boom that came during the Renaissance. In order to save what was left of the amphitheater, Pope Benedict XIV (1740-1758) consecrated the Colosseum by setting up a Way of the Cross and raising a cross on the site. The cross was dedicated to the thousands of Christian martyrs who died in Rome.
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| Note the large plaque with a cross on it. There is a close up of that area a few pictures down. |
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| Close up of the plaque with the cross. This is the dedication of the Way of the Cross |
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| Notice the two brides? Having the Colosseum as a backdrop for bridal pictures is very popular for Roman brides. |
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| This picture shows how the floor would look, and what was underneath, which is where the gladiators and animals were kept prior to fighting. |
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