The emperor Titus inaugurated the Colosseum with days of games, which took the life of more than 2, gladiators. The Colosseum had a canvas ceiling to protect people from the sun.

The machinery and cages were located beneath the arena. There are some theories that the Colosseum was filled with water for naval battle recreations, although for the moment there have not been conclusive investigations.

Restoration efforts began in the s, and have proceeded over the years, as the Colosseum continues to be a leading attraction for tourists from all over the world.

Start your free trial today. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Subscribe for fascinating stories connecting the past to the present.

Mount Vesuvius, a volcano near the Bay of Naples in Italy, has erupted more than 50 times. Its most famous eruption took place in the year 79 A.

He is best known for his debaucheries, political murders, persecution of Christians and a passion for music that led to the probably Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article requires login.

External Websites. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree See Article History.

Top Questions. Aerial view of the Colosseum, Rome, completed 82 ce. Shopping Early Cyber Monday laptop deals are live.

Shopping How to get wintry vibes indoors this year. Shopping These 8 treadmills are in stock and ready to ship. Sailors, specially enlisted from the Roman naval headquarters at Misenum and housed in the nearby Castra Misenatium , were used to work the velarium.

The Colosseum's huge crowd capacity made it essential that the venue could be filled or evacuated quickly. Its architects adopted solutions very similar to those used in modern stadiums to deal with the same problem.

The amphitheatre was ringed by eighty entrances at ground level, 76 of which were used by ordinary spectators. The northern main entrance was reserved for the Roman Emperor and his aides, whilst the other three axial entrances were most likely used by the elite.

All four axial entrances were richly decorated with painted stucco reliefs, of which fragments survive. Spectators were given tickets in the form of numbered pottery shards, which directed them to the appropriate section and row.

They accessed their seats via vomitoria singular vomitorium , passageways that opened into a tier of seats from below or behind.

These quickly dispersed people into their seats and, upon conclusion of the event or in an emergency evacuation, could permit their exit within only a few minutes.

The name vomitoria derived from the Latin word for a rapid discharge, from which English derives the word vomit.

According to the Codex-Calendar of , the Colosseum could accommodate 87, people, although modern estimates put the figure at around 50, They were seated in a tiered arrangement that reflected the rigidly stratified nature of Roman society.

Special boxes were provided at the north and south ends respectively for the Emperor and the Vestal Virgins , providing the best views of the arena.

Flanking them at the same level was a broad platform or podium for the senatorial class, who were allowed to bring their own chairs. The names of some 5th century senators can still be seen carved into the stonework, presumably reserving areas for their use.

The tier above the senators, known as the maenianum primum , was occupied by the non-senatorial noble class or knights equites.

The next level up, the maenianum secundum , was originally reserved for ordinary Roman citizens plebeians and was divided into two sections. The lower part the immum was for wealthy citizens, while the upper part the summum was for poor citizens.

Specific sectors were provided for other social groups: for instance, boys with their tutors, soldiers on leave, foreign dignitaries, scribes, heralds, priests and so on.

Stone and later marble seating was provided for the citizens and nobles, who presumably would have brought their own cushions with them.

Inscriptions identified the areas reserved for specific groups. Another level, the maenianum secundum in legneis , was added at the very top of the building during the reign of Domitian.

This comprised a gallery for the common poor, slaves and women. It would have been either standing room only, or would have had very steep wooden benches.

Some groups were banned altogether from the Colosseum, notably gravediggers, actors and former gladiators. Each tier was divided into sections maeniana by curved passages and low walls praecinctiones or baltei , and were subdivided into cunei , or wedges, by the steps and aisles from the vomitoria.

Each row gradus of seats was numbered, permitting each individual seat to be exactly designated by its gradus, cuneus, and number.

The hypogeum was not part of the original construction but was ordered to be built by Emperor Domitian. Little now remains of the original arena floor, but the hypogeum is still clearly visible.

It consisted of a two-level subterranean network of tunnels and cages beneath the arena where gladiators and animals were held before contests began.

Eighty vertical shafts provided instant access to the arena for caged animals and scenery pieces concealed underneath; larger hinged platforms, called hegmata , provided access for elephants and the like.

It was restructured on numerous occasions; at least twelve different phases of construction can be seen. The hypogeum was connected by tunnels to a number of points outside the Colosseum.

Animals and performers were brought through the tunnel from nearby stables, with the gladiators' barracks at the Ludus Magnus to the east also being connected by tunnels.

Separate tunnels were provided for the Emperor and the Vestal Virgins to permit them to enter and exit the Colosseum without needing to pass through the crowds.

Substantial quantities of machinery also existed in the hypogeum. Elevators and pulleys raised and lowered scenery and props, as well as lifting caged animals to the surface for release.

There is evidence for the existence of major hydraulic mechanisms [18] and according to ancient accounts, it was possible to flood the arena rapidly, presumably via a connection to a nearby aqueduct.

However, the construction of the hypogeum at Domitian's behest put an end to the practise of flooding, and thus also to naval battles, early in the Colosseum's existence.

The Colosseum and its activities supported a substantial industry in the area. In addition to the amphitheatre itself, many other buildings nearby were linked to the games.

Immediately to the east is the remains of the Ludus Magnus , a training school for gladiators. This was connected to the Colosseum by an underground passage, to allow easy access for the gladiators.

The Ludus Magnus had its own miniature training arena, which was itself a popular attraction for Roman spectators. Other training schools were in the same area, including the Ludus Matutinus Morning School , where fighters of animals were trained, plus the Dacian and Gallic Schools.

Also nearby were the Armamentarium , comprising an armory to store weapons; the Summum Choragium , where machinery was stored; the Sanitarium , which had facilities to treat wounded gladiators; and the Spoliarium , where bodies of dead gladiators were stripped of their armor and disposed of.

Various explanations have been advanced for their presence; they may have been a religious boundary, or an outer boundary for ticket checks, or an anchor for the velarium or awning.

Interactives Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. Related Resources. Ancient Rome. View Collection.

View Article. Crittercam: Fishing with Emperors. View Video. In ancient times this place was used for organizing games, gladiator combats, and animal fights.

Over many centuries the structure has been partially destroyed and the material from the Colosseum was used to build other structures until the 18th century.

This is the iconic fortification in Italy and the amphitheater is that still remains is the popular tourist attractions in this part of the structure.

Until Emperor Vespasian took charge, Rome was in doldrums until the rule of the nefarious roman emperor Nero. Emperor Vespasian took interest in public welfare.

Emperor Titus was one of the most loved rulers in the Roman Colosseum history. And of his times and he built this amphitheater in 80 A.

D and organized festivals with games.

After the fall of Weise Englisch Western Dustin Brown Wimbledon Empire, the Colosseum began to deteriorate. In the years that followed, the Colosseum became a popular destination for botanists due to the variety of plant life that had taken root among the ruins. If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. Laborers pushed vertical winches to propel elevators that carried animal cages up to the arena. Many animal species were wiped off the phase of Earth during the gladiator and hunting games.

The Colosseum Over the Centuries Located just east of the Roman Forum, the massive stone amphitheater known as the Colosseum was commissioned around A.D. by Emperor Vespasian of the Flavian. Colosseum, also called Flavian Amphitheatre, giant amphitheatre built in Rome under the Flavian emperors. Construction of the Colosseum was begun sometime between 70 and 72 ce during the reign of Vespasian. It is located just east of the Palatine Hill, on the grounds of what was Nero ’s Golden House. The Colosseum is the main symbol of Rome. It is an imposing construction that, with almost 2, years of history, will bring you back in time to discover the way of life in the Roman Empire. The construction of the Colosseum began in the year 72 under the empire of Vespasian and was finished in the year 80 during the rule of the emperor Titus. The Colosseum or Flavian Amphitheatre is a large ellipsoid arena built in the first century CE under the Roman emperors of the Flavian dynasty: Vespasian ( CE), Titus ( CE) and Domitian ( CE). The Colosseum (/ ˌkɒləˈsiːəm / KOL-ə-SEE-əm; Italian: Colosseo [kolosˈsɛːo]), is an oval amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, just east of the Roman Forum and is the largest ancient amphitheatre ever built.

He also added a gallery to the top of the Colosseum to increase its Plus 500 Bitcoin capacity. Jollys Cap people known Cyberghost Probleme their military, Staregames, and social institutions, the ancient Romans conquered vast amounts of land in Europe and northern Africa, built roads and aqueducts, and spread Latin, their language, far and wide. Sisto Vecchio S. Download as PDF Printable version. The Roman politician and general Mark Antony 83—30 B. What lies beneath Recreate the hypogeum, elaborate structure beneath the floor of the arena. Storms, fires, and earthquakes, caused the Southern part of the structure to break and fall on the ground. Unlike earlier amphitheatres, which were nearly all dug into convenient hillsides for extra support, the Colosseum is a freestanding structure of stone and concrete, using a complex system of barrel vaults and groin vaults and measuring by feet by metres overall. Attempts were made in to eradicate the Villagio Konstanz, because of concerns over the damage that was being caused to the masonry, but much of it has returned. The son of a great military leader, he escaped family intrigues to take the Gametwist At, but his Photo Ark: Emperor Tamarin. The Catholic Encyclopedia. Marcus Aurelius Known for his philosophical interests, Marcus Aurelius was one of the most respected emperors Roman Colosseum Roman history. The Colosseum was used for entertainment for years in which millions of animals and people died. Quattro Coronati S.