The Colosseum stands as a testament to the grandeur of Roman architecture and engineering. It is the largest amphitheater ever constructed by the Romans, and despite facing numerous challenges, including fires, earthquakes, and human neglect, it remains standing today, a symbol of resilience.
A Symbol of Power and Populism
The Colosseum’s construction began in 70 AD under the Flavian Emperors, Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian. Its original name, the Amphitheatrum Flavium, reflects the dynasty’s patronage.
Vespasian, known for his pragmatic and populist approach, commissioned the Colosseum in part to appease the Roman people, who were dissatisfied with the imperial institution after the reign of Nero. The choice of location, on the site of Nero’s extravagant Domus Aurea, was a deliberate symbolic gesture, marking a break with Nero’s excesses and showcasing a commitment to public works.
A Monument Built by Labor
A significant portion of the labor for the Colosseum’s construction was provided by Jewish slaves. These individuals, captured during the First Jewish-Roman War, were forced to work on this monumental project, highlighting the brutal reality of Roman society.
A Colossal Structure
The Colosseum was an oval-shaped structure, its main axis measuring 189 meters and its shorter one 156 meters. Imagine, that’s almost twice as long and 1.5 times as wide as a modern football field!
Materials and Construction
The Colosseum was built with an estimated 100,000 cubic meters of travertine stone, a type of limestone quarried near modern-day Tivoli. This was supplemented with Roman cement, bricks, and tuff blocks.
To bind the enormous blocks together, an estimated 300 tonnes of iron clamps were used. These clamps were later scavenged during periods of neglect, leaving visible pockmarks on the building’s walls.
A Majestic Structure
The Colosseum, a symbol of Rome’s power, was the most complex man-made structure of its time. Its white travertine stone walls, towering nearly 50 meters high (at a time when most buildings were single-story), would have shone brightly in the sun, inspiring awe in any beholder.
Architectural Elegance
The Colosseum showcased all three major architectural orders of the time: Tuscan, Ionic, and Corinthian. The ground floor featured Tuscan columns, a Roman adaptation of the austere Greek Doric style. The second floor showcased more elaborate Ionic columns, while the third floor employed the intricate and decorated Corinthian style. This progression from bottom to top demonstrated a growing stylistic complexity.
Each half-column was the centerpiece of an arch, with a total of 80 arches forming the building’s external perimeter. These arches were largest on the ground floor, measuring 4.2 meters wide and 7.05 meters tall. On the upper floors, they were slightly shorter, standing at 6.45 meters tall.
The fourth floor, unlike the others, lacked arches and columns. Instead, it featured flat panels, which, thanks to recent cleaning efforts, are known to have been adorned with carvings and insets of azurite and bronze.
Gates of Triumph and Mourning
The Colosseum had two main entrances: the Porta Triumphalis on the northwest, used for triumphal processions and the entrance of gladiators, and the Porta Libitinaria on the southeast, named after the Roman goddess of funerals and burial, Libitina. This gate was used to remove the bodies of those who perished in the arena.
The Arena: A Stage of Death
The Colosseum’s most distinctive feature was the arena, where gladiators, prisoners, and wild animals engaged in violent contests. This space, measuring 83 meters in length and 48 meters in width, was covered with a layer of sand, drawn from the nearby Monte Mario hill, over a wooden floor.
The arena floor was equipped with trap doors for introducing and removing scenery and creating special effects. It was surrounded by a 10-foot wall leading to the first level of seats.
The arena wall, made of red and black stone blocks, provided a stark contrast with the white travertine of the rest of the building, mirroring the dramatic events that took place within its walls.
A Segregated Audience
Surrounding the arena were the terraces or bleachers, collectively known as the cavea. The cavea was divided into three tiers reflecting the social hierarchy of Roman society: the podium, gradatio, and the porticus.
The podium, closest to the arena, was reserved for the elite, including senators and high-ranking officials. As you climbed higher, you encountered individuals of lower social standing, with the top tier occupied by Roman citizens of lesser means.
Each seat, made of travertine stone, was approximately 40 centimeters wide. Wealthier attendees would bring cushions for added comfort. It is believed that the Colosseum could accommodate as many as 80,000 spectators.
The cavea was also divided horizontally by scalaria, stairs leading to the stands, and vomitoria, passages leading to the exterior. Contrary to popular belief, vomitoria were not spaces for vomiting. The name refers to their function of “spewing forth” spectators, not the contents of their stomachs.
The Hidden World of the Hypogeum
While the Colosseum’s most distinctive feature was the arena, its most crucial element was the hypogeum, its underground area. This network of tunnels and chambers, distributed over two levels, served as a holding area for gladiators and animals before their entrance into the arena above.
The hypogeum was not part of Vespasian and Titus’s original design, but was added on orders of Emperor Domitian after the Colosseum’s inauguration in 80 AD. Eighty vertical shafts connected the hypogeum to the arena, providing access for gladiators and animals.
Some of these shafts incorporated hegmata, large moving platforms, used to transport large beasts like elephants. The hypogeum was linked to the outside through a network of tunnels, leading to gladiators’ barracks and nearby stables where animals were kept.
The Colosseum even had a private access tunnel for the Emperor, allowing him to enter and exit the building safely, avoiding the crowds. The addition of the hypogeum made it impossible to flood the arena, ending the practice of naumachia, mock naval battles, which were held twice before its construction.
A Legacy of Spectacle and Brutality
The Colosseum, with its grandeur and spectacle, stands as a complex symbol of Roman society. It was a testament to the Romans’ architectural prowess, a stage for gladiatorial contests and wild animal hunts, and a reflection of the social hierarchy of the time. While its history is intertwined with entertainment and spectacle, it also reminds us of the brutality and exploitation inherent in ancient Roman society.