Roman Colosseum Research Paper

Great Essays
Daniel Pagan
Professor Thurmond
7 April 2016
Greek/Roman
The Colosseum and its glory!
Blood, death, animals, and gladiators, this is what the ancient romans loved! The the terrifying Arena of Death, the Flavian Amphitheater, or better known as the Roman Colosseum. This is one of the greatest architectural achievements in history. It is an oval amphitheater in the center of the city of Rome, Italy. The Colosseum was designed for gladiatorial contest and public spectacles. Earlier Roman theaters were usually built into hillsides, the Colosseum on the other hand is a free-standing structure that is essentially two Roman theaters built back-to-back. Built of concrete and sand, it is the largest amphitheater ever built. The outer wall required
…show more content…
Nero, the emperor during the Great Fire of Rome, used the area for his personal use. He built the Domus Aurea, with gardens, pavilions, and even with a lake. To make sure the area was supplied with water, a complicated system of aqueducts was made. He also placed a bronze statue in the arena called “Colossus of Nero”. Under Vespasian and his successors, the Colossus was preserved, but the Domus Aurea was not as lucky, it as destroyed. The place became the location for the Flavian Amphitheater or as we know it the Roman Colosseum, was made as a monument to celebrate great victories. Vespasian wanted to give the area to the people so the people could use it and enjoy it, unlike Nero who used it for his own personal interest. It was built in the middle of the city, which was unusual for amphitheater because they were usually located in the suburbs. This showed how important the Colosseum was because it was in the middle of the …show more content…
The Colosseum was used for nothing more then just a battle field to the death for gladiators. The building was extremely impressive, especially the dimensions. It was 156 meters wide, and 189 meters long, with the area of 6 acres. The height of the wall is 48 meters tall. The oval shaped arena is 287ft long and 180ft, that arena was surrounded by a wall about 15ft high. The historical Colosseum could fit around 60,000 Romans who could come in through 80 different entrances. Above the wooden arena, there were four floors, each one having complex and having different rooms, staircases, halls, and a lot of seats. The floors above were for the women and lower classes, and the lower floors were for the devoted citizens of Rome. There were various different hallways between the arena floor and cages, where the animals could appear to the visitors. The colossal monument was covered with a huge awning (a sheet of canvas or other material stretched on a frame and used to keep the sun or rain off a storefront, window, doorway, or deck), the Velarium. 1,000 men or more were used to install it and it had to be installed by anchoring it to the ground. The Velarium was used to protect the visitors from the heat and from getting any sun

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Over different periods of time and different civilizations common themes have emerged throughout the area of entertainment, especially entertainment with violent undertones. The Roman Colosseum and the Mayan Ball Court in Copán are two prominent examples of this. The Roman Colosseum was a popular place of entertainment for the Romans, as was the Ball Court for the Mayans. However, there is a large difference between the activities of the two forms of entertainment. The Colosseum, first of all, was a large amphitheater designed for gladiatorial contests and combats between men and animals, or even between animals alone.…

    • 1034 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    It was where the Romans went to watch gladiatorial fights, slaughter of animals, and plenty of criminal executions. The large structures were a big tool in keeping Rome in order, for it provided a form of escapism. If you were a poor Roman, you could go and watch the killings and cheer for blood and death with others. Gladiatorial games went on until the early fifth century AD, even though philosophers and later Christians strongly disapproved. The games continued on with wild-beasts executions until the sixth century.…

    • 745 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    “The Colosseum could hold, it is estimated, between 50,000 and 80,000 spectators…”(“Colosseum”1). It was used for the entertainment of the romans, which is why it became very popular. It is one of the many ancient artifacts that remind us of the Roman Empire and their culture today. “Construction of the Colosseum began under the rule of the Emperor Vespasian in around 70–72 AD...” (“Colosseum”1).…

    • 989 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Pompeii Research Paper

    • 814 Words
    • 4 Pages

    These buildings include the Basilica, the municipal offices, the market and the sanctuaries of various gods. Close by to the north and west are the public baths. To the south of the Forum is a second group of buildings which includes the Large Theatre, the Odeon and a triangular colonnade housing the oldest temple in the city. In the west of the city a third group of buildings consists of the Amphitheatre and the Large Palestra. Pompeii and Herculaneum offer us an (excellent/very unusual) understanding of Roman life in the first century AD, no more so than what it tells us about the houses the residents lived in.…

    • 814 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Since the Colosseum is an amphitheater the light-source is always external, making the arches use more for structural and decoration then a light-source, as well multiple exit ways. The arches used on the Colosseum are called vaulted Roman arches. Made of concrete, these arches added strength to the building without adding excessive weight. The windows on the courthouse are not vaulted but, keystone. This arch function was to make voussoir, blocks; it presses firmly against the surface of neighboring blocks and conducts loads uniformly, in which central voussoir, keystone, withholds against the gravity.…

    • 654 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    The Colosseum was built where it was Nero’s lake. Vespasian choose this places for obliterate Nero’s memory with a huge monument for the public entertainment, and for give back to popular space where Nero had for his own. After the civil war people wanted entertainment. The Colosseum was built as a place where entertain people. The Colosseum offered spectacles for the romans.…

    • 138 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Roman Empire took pride in all of their Architecture and when they wanted entertain, they held activities in what is known as the Amphitheater. Amphitheater comes from the Greek word Amphitheatron meaning “on both sides” or “around” There are there types of Roman Amphitheatre: The Colosseum, The Amphitheatre Campania, and the Amphitheatre of El Djem. The Colosseum is considered to be one of the greatest works of architecture due to its elliptical appearance, its capability to hold anywhere between 50,000- 80,000 spectators, and its use of a variety of materials to give it its unique style. Materials used for this included: Wood, terracotta…

    • 1432 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Some of the gladiators came from raids along the borders of the Roman Empire. Romans would attack villages in the neighboring countries. Women and children fled, but the men stayed and fought, despite the low chance of winning. Survivors were taken back to the Roman Empire, to become slaves. Some of these slaves were recruited by the owners of the schools of gladiators.…

    • 537 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Ancient Rome, at its greatest extent, was 2,509,663 square miles. Everything they did helped the city grow. The Romans used art to help build the empire by showing power, advancement, and religion. These influences helped shape Ancient Rome.…

    • 394 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The history behind the Roman Colosseum spans through eras of father and son emperors, and sheds light on why the famous building looks the way it does today. The Colosseum is officially known as the Flavian Amphitheatre since it was the work of Emperor Vespasian who was a part of the Flavian dynasty era in Rome. Around 70-72 A.D., Vespasian constituted the Colosseum be designed and built as a gift to the people of Rome (“Colosseum”, 2009). Construction on this masterpiece took just about a decade but unfortunately, Vespasian died before the Colosseum opened. His…

    • 1424 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Ancient Rome was a clear picture of dichotomy; Rome was considered as one of the most civil societies in the Ancient world- so it would come as a surprise that Ancient Rome’s foundations were built on bloodshed, tyranny by Emperor Lucius Commodus, savagery and slavery. Although to the Roman people, bloodshed was not viewed as a cruelty but rather as a source of entertainment. This is how the Gladiatorial Games were brought upon the Roman Empire. Entertainment in any modern or ancient society has always been a crucial part of its culture.…

    • 1336 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The emperor Vespasian built the coliseum,now it is a place for the public. It took 8 years to build,and it's about 160 feet tall.its the tallest ancient structure. Gladiators,slaves,animals were all used in the ring to kill for entertainment. We see them in concerts and many football games and other sporting event happen in stadiums like the Coliseum. A dome is a vault in the shape of a half circle that rests on a circular wall.…

    • 435 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Colosseum Research Paper

    • 670 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The Romans are known for their architecture. One of their greatest pieces of architecture is called the Flavian Amphitheater also known as the Colosseum. It was made from 70 to 80 ce in the city of Rome itself. The Colosseum is a massive arena in the shape of an oval. This an amazing design that allowed for around 50,000 people to come and watch entertainment.…

    • 670 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    The Roman Colosseum was the work of a brilliant and energetic civilization. The Roman Colosseum was the work of a cruel and brutal civilization. The Roman Colosseum interweaves the impressive story of the construction of this remarkable building and the sobering tales of the "games" that went on inside it. In doing so, it reveals an entire civilization in all its genius and its…

    • 65 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Essay On Roman Concrete

    • 589 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Perhaps the most well-known building made with concrete is the Colosseum. Many amphitheaters were built in sides of hills to provide support, but the Colosseum could support itself because of concrete. It was three stories tall and was a very large stadium where the Roman public could enjoy gladiatorial games. Another great building made of concrete is the Pantheon. In order to construct the dome ceiling, the Romans had to use light rocks as they got higher.…

    • 589 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays