The Roman Coliseum

In a world boasting jet planes, fast trains and luxury automobiles, the Roman Coliseum, which is located in the centre of Rome, Italy is very imposing if nothing else. It stands as a glorious and some would say troubling monument to Roman imperial power and yes, cruelty. For behind those arches and columns, the Roman people for nearly 400 years cold-bloodily and with considerable doses of glee, watched the slaughter of thousands of people. only some whom they considered criminals; such activities included countless professional fighters such as gladiators and hundreds of animals as well.

After the great fire of Rome in AD 64, Nero (he was emperor at the time) had a huge pleasure palace built for his personal use (the Golden House) right in the centre of the city, no less, for all citizens to see, and they despised him for it. Such actions along with many other abuses led to the favourable result (least ways in the eyes of the typical citizen) of his suicide.  But his untimely death left the empire in a sticky situation  regarding leadership, as he had not named a successor.  Even in death, you might say, he continued to fail the people of Rome.

Several years after Nero’s suicide, Vespasian (emperor from 69 AD to 79 AD) gained power, he decided to shore up his shaky regime by building an amphitheatre, what many of the day called a pleasure palace for the people, thus the concept for the coliseum would continue.  It was an especially popular idea since the amphitheatre that was being used at the time was considered to be small as well as being too old; after all, it had been built a way back in 28 BC. Plus as a little extra PR effort he chose to build it in the middle of the lake which was a part of bad ol' Nero’s “Golden House”.

As fate would have it, Vespasian didn’t live to see the coliseum completed.  But when it was completed, it was the largest amphitheatre that had been built in the Roman world, and was capable of holding some 50,000 spectators.  Although Emperor Vespasian started the works in 72 AD his son and successor Titus dedicated it in the year 80 AD with included the first games of the coliseum which lasted one hundred days.

The Coliseum served the public, for who it was built, four and a half centuries; the last gladiatorial combat is recorded as being in 404 AD and the last hunt in 523 AD.

Upon the arrival of the middle ages, houses and churches were built inside the Coliseum area, it was even used as a fortress by some of the barons of Rome. Its further ruin was hastened by the use its building stones as a source of building materials for Roman popes and aristocrats who were anxious to use its once glistening stone for their palaces and churches.                              .

As a result of such pillage, and because of fires and earthquakes, two thirds of the original structure has been destroyed, so today the present Coliseum is only a shadow of its former self, and can best be classified as a dignified ruin.         

The amphitheatre was truly a Roman invention which was used to entertain the citizens of Rome by way of many games; the most popular being the hunts and the gladiatorial games but also sponsored were events such as plays of the theater and chariot racing which would most likely be receptive to audiences of today.

Sources ...                                                                                                    http://www.the-colosseum.net/history/h1.htm                                                         http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colosseum                               http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/colosseum_01.shtml