The Colosseum is one of the new wonders of the world. The Colosseum in Rome: interesting facts that few people know about The structure of the Colosseum

It is difficult to find a person who has not heard anything about him in our time. This is one of the most grandiose buildings in the entire era of human existence, a universally recognizable symbol of the Roman Empire. We are talking about the famous Colosseum amphitheater in Italy (Rome).

Amphitheater Colosseum in Rome: history and interesting facts

The Colosseum in Rome was built in 80 AD under the Roman Emperor Titus of the Flavian family. The building itself was called the Flavian Amphitheater. The Golden House of Nero, or rather his artificial lake, located in the city of Rome. The construction of the building took only 8 years.

Colosseum is Latin for colossal. It is not surprising that it was this name that replaced the official version of the amphitheater among the people. And although by this time it was already difficult to surprise the ancient Roman architects with the construction of huge amphitheaters, the Colosseum in Rome surpassed all its competitors by an order of magnitude and quickly became associated as a new wonder of the world.

The size of the building is impressive. The oval-shaped arena occupies an area of ​​86 by 54 meters, the entire building has an axial diameter of 156 and 188 meters, and the wall height is 48 meters. 80 entrances and 50 thousand seats confirmed the enormity of the Flavian amphitheater.

The architect of the building was Quintius Aterius. Slave labor was used to build such a huge structure. Construction went on both day and night.

The building was erected on a 13-meter concrete foundation, which was made in a drained lake. The reliability of the structure was ensured by a frame made up of 80 radial walls and 7 ring walls.

What is the Colosseum made of? During the construction of the Colosseum in Italy, a variety of materials were used: marble for seats, travertine for circular walls, concrete and tuff for radial walls, brick for arches. Marble cladding was made separately.

In its original form, the Colosseum amphitheater had 3 floors. On the first there was the emperor's box and marble seats for the Senate. On the second floor, marble benches were installed, intended for citizens of Ancient Rome. On the third floor there were places for all other spectators, made in the form of wooden benches and just standing places. In the 2nd century, the last fourth floor was completed.

On bad days (heat or rain), the arena of the Roman Colosseum could be closed with an awning stretched over the masts. It is worth noting the floor of the arena itself. It was made of wood, usually covered with a layer of sand, and was... movable. For naval battles, the arena could be filled with water from a suitable aqueduct.

The main purpose of the Colosseum in Rome was to host gladiator fights. The amphitheater arena could accommodate up to 3 thousand fighters. What stands out in history is the celebration of the opening of the Colosseum, which lasted for 100 days. In addition to gladiator fights, hunting scenes were also staged here, with special decorations pulled out from the wooden floor. Another date in the history of the Flavian Amphitheater is the celebration of the millennium of Rome in 249. Thousands of gladiators and animals also died here. The bloody massacres came to an end only in 405.

With the fall of the great Roman Empire, the building of the Colosseum amphitheater in Italy began to decline and began to collapse. In the Middle Ages, the Colosseum was referred to as a castle. During the Renaissance, local residents began to dismantle the amphitheater for the construction of local structures. Even later, homeless people found shelter here.

The end to the overgrowth and destruction of the Colosseum amphitheater was put in the 18th century by Pope Benedict XIV. On his initiative, a cross was erected here in memory of the shed blood, and church events began to be held. And nowadays, on Good Friday, the Way of the Cross takes place here, uniting thousands of Christian believers.

And although the Colosseum in Rome is half destroyed these days, it still makes a huge impression and proudly holds the title of symbol of Rome.

The Colosseum in Rome (also known as the Flavian Amphitheater) is the largest arena in the history of mankind and one of the most famous attractions in the whole world. It is difficult to find a person who has never heard of the Colosseum.

In this article I will tell you the most interesting information about this symbol of the Roman Empire and ladies useful tips travelers who want to visit it.

Interesting information about the Colosseum:

Useful information for travelers who want to visit the Colosseum:

The history of the creation of the Colosseum in Rome

The history of the amphitheater is extremely interesting, because it was not an ordinary construction of an attraction for the amusement of the people; this place has a whole backstory.

Background of construction

It all started with the reign of Emperor Nero. In the first half of his reign, the ruler showed himself to be excellent towards the people. He reduced taxes from 4.5% to 2.5%, successfully fought corruption and often organized entertainment events.

But everything changed in the second half of his reign: after the death of his mentor, Nero became embittered, and a period of despotism and tyranny began. Persecution of Christians began, hundreds of unjustified executions began, and the climax was the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD. e.

K. Piloti “Nero looks at burning Rome”

In short, this fire completely devastated 4 of the 14 quarters of Rome and caused enormous damage to another 7. Then rumors spread that it was Nero ordered the arson.

The thing is that the emperor had long wanted to build a palace in the very center of Rome, but there were already residential buildings, shops and historical buildings there. People were against demolishing everything, and a fire would greatly help the emperor.

In addition, a few days before the fire, Nero left for the town of Antium, 60 kilometers from Rome.

It looked very suspicious, but a few years later the emperor nevertheless laid the foundation for the palace, which he wanted to build, but did not complete the construction.

The palace was named "The Golden House of Nero"

But he didn’t complete it because of the rebellion against him.

The restoration of Rome after the fire, the construction of a palace for Nero, the plague that swept through the city in those years - these events literally destroyed the people's faith in the emperor.

In 68 AD e. an uprising arose and, after unsuccessful attempts to stop him, Nero committed suicide.

Construction of the Colosseum in Rome

Almost 2 years later civil war The military leader Titus Flavius ​​Vespasian ascended the throne. One of Vespasian's first decrees was to destroy Nero's palace and build something that would calm the angry people - no one needed new uprisings.

The Colosseum became this calmer.

The amphitheater was founded in 72 on the site where the pond of the Golden House of Nero was located. 100 thousand slaves captured after the war with Judea were recruited for construction. By the way, it was in this war that Vespasian destroyed the Jerusalem Temple, from which the famous Wailing Wall remained.

The Colosseum took 8 years to build, from 72 to 80 AD. e.

Where did the name of the Colosseum come from?

The original name was Flavian Amphitheater in honor of the dynasty of Flavian emperors, who founded and built the Great Arena. It was called that way for more than 6 centuries.

The Colosseum received its modern name only in the 8th century. The most truthful theory is that people named the arena in honor of the 35-meter sculpture of Emperor Nero, made in the form of the Sun God - Helios.

The same statue of Helios was among the 7 Wonders of the World, it was the Colossus of Rhodes.

This is where it comes from: Colosso (Colossus) → Colosseo (Colosseum).

Today the statue has long disappeared, and no one knows where it is.

But now near the amphitheater you can see the original pedestal of the statue of Nero

Architecture of the Colosseum in Rome

The amphitheater, like other similar structures, is an ellipse, in the middle of which the arena itself is located. The main difference between the Colosseum and other amphitheaters is its size and the technological innovations that were used here.

Dimensions of the Colosseum in Rome

The amphitheater has an oval shape with a length of 188 meters and a width of 156, and the height of the amphitheater at the highest point is 50 meters - this is approximately the same as a 16-story building. For such a huge structure as the Colosseum, it is very important to maintain strength, so arches became the main element in the construction.

Due to its structure, the arch prevents the structure from collapsing and can withstand a very heavy load; moreover, this way the architects saved a lot of material, the transportation of which cost a lot of money.

The Colosseum was and remains the largest amphitheater in the world.

How many people could the Colosseum accommodate?

The main feature of the amphitheater in the 1st century AD. e. was its capacity. At the same time, the Colosseum could accommodate up to 50,000 people. Few stadiums today can boast of such capacity.

The capacity even became a source of admiration for pilgrims and guests of Ancient Rome. People shared their delight far beyond the borders of Italy, which further increased the fame of the arena.

How gladiator fights were held in the Colosseum

A terrible fact: during the entire existence of the Colosseum, about 1 million animals and almost 500 thousand people were killed in its arena.

As soon as the amphitheater opened, the emperor held a celebration and declared 100 days of gladiatorial battles. During this time More than 9 thousand animals and 2 thousand people died.

30 years later, Emperor Trajan held 123 days of games, in which thousands more people and animals died.

Wild animals were brought here from all over the Roman Empire: from lions, tigers and bears to horses, ostriches, rhinoceroses and crocodiles.

The demand for animals over the hundreds of years of the Colosseum's existence was so great that some animals completely disappeared from their natural habitat. As a result, this led to the extinction of entire species.

However, one should not overly dramatize the events that took place in the arena. For the Romans, these performances were more like sports, and gladiators for them were like sports stars for us.

Many gladiators entered the arena voluntarily to gain money and fame.

Naval battles in the Colosseum

One of the most exciting spectacles was naval battles. They were held directly in the arena, pre-filled with water.

To fill the arena with water, a water canal was built to the Tiber River; in this state, the arena was filled in a maximum of a day. Then the ships were launched and bloody battles began.

There were no guns then, so rams, bows and boarding guns were used in these battles.

A short video about how naval battles took place:

After the spread of Christianity, fights between gladiators were banned in 404. But gladiator fights against animals were carried out until the end of the 6th century.

When the fighting stopped, the amphitheater lost its original purpose and was henceforth used in any way: stables, warehouses, a place for the homeless - all this was on the site of the former arena.

Why was the Colosseum destroyed?

The main reason for the destruction of the Colosseum in Rome is repeated earthquakes and fires.

The Romans kept and protected their main symbol of the city, but after the ban on gladiator fights in 404 AD. e. The townspeople began to lose interest in the arena.

Due to major earthquakes in 442 and 486, cracks appeared in the amphitheater, and in 1349, after a major shock, the southern part of the wall collapsed.

Since the arena had long ceased to fulfill its original functions, no one was interested in restoring the amphitheater.

To see what the Colosseum was and what it became, click on the yellow circle in the center and drag left or right

There is also a theory that one of the reasons for the destruction was the barbarians, who were taken from their native lands to fight in the arena. As retaliation, they made holes in the wall of the amphitheater to destroy the main symbol of the great Rome.

It sounds nice, but it was unlikely to be true.

Here's what the arena looked like then and what it looks like now

We can talk about the amphitheater for a very long time, but I have chosen 7 of the most interesting facts that will be really interesting.

1. Visiting the Roman Colosseum was completely free

50,000 people could come to the Colosseum and no one would pay a coin for it. However, there were some unique tickets.

Spectators received numbered clay tablets as tickets. They were marked with the appropriate section and row where they sat, depending on their social status. For no amount of money could a slave sit among the nobility.

To get inside, the architects provided 76 entrances for spectators, all of them were numbered. These numbers can still be seen today.

Another 4 entrances were designed for the emperor and other important persons. This system of 80 entrances helped the amphitheater let citizens through very quickly, so that there were no crushes or crowds of people.

2. Not all events and games ended in death

The Colosseum created a daily schedule of events, for example:

• In the morning there was a show with animals;
• In the evening, gladiator fights were held, but they did not always fight to the death. They simply fought, or if they fought with weapons, they did not finish off other gladiators;
• Military parades were also held here when a major victory was won over external enemies;
• They held music festivals, performed magic tricks, gathered for chants, joked, and distributed food to the homeless;
• Organized sports competitions.

This is reminiscent of modern stadiums, which can be easily transformed for football, concerts, skating rinks, and any other events.

3. The Colosseum was covered with a huge awning

The Romans did not want to stop the performance due to the scorching sun or bad weather, so they decided to cover the amphitheater with a tent. But just imagine the size of the tent given the size of the arena!

Drag the slider left and right

Entire ships on the nearby Tiber River were used to stretch such huge canvases. The awning was attached to the ship's mast with ropes, and as the ship moved, the canvas was stretched.

To keep the canopy taut, cables were used that were attached to stone pillars around the Colosseum.

4. The Colosseum was built without cement.

Yes, yes, during construction no mortars were used to hold the blocks of stones together. Instead, metal staples and rods were used.

By the way, this is why there are so many holes and holes in the destroyed part - these are traces of the rods.

5. The Colosseum was the first in the world to construct an elevator system

The Romans brought animals and gladiators into the arena, located in the underground floor.

In combination with the elevator system, they created trap rooms that made the performances even more spectacular: people and wild animals appeared on stage as if out of nowhere.

This trap was restored according to old drawings

6. The destroyed wall of the Colosseum was used to build other structures in Rome

After the earthquake, the collapsed part of the Colosseum could be restored. But instead, the city residents began to take the stone for their needs. Some took away bricks at a time, others took so many that they built entire houses. The rulers and people close to power took the most. Interesting fact, from the stone of the former arena, by the 15th century they built:

• 23 large aristocratic houses;
• 6 churches;
• Most of the bridges being built at that time.

Video about the Colosseum

Video from National Geographic telling the history of the amphitheater. Very exciting and interesting, I recommend watching it.

Where is the Colosseum

The Colosseum is located in the center of Rome, Italy. Exact address: Piazza del Colosseo, 1, Rome, Italy.

Colosseum on the map of Rome

How to get to the Colosseum in Rome

You can get there in several ways:

• . Line B, Colosseo station, you will see the attraction immediately when you exit the metro;
• Bus. Colosseo stop at numbers 60, 75, 85, 87, 175, 186, 271, 571, 810, 850;
• Tram. Line 3.

Tickets

I recommend booking tickets in advance. The most interesting ticket option is with access to the arena. Can be booked on tiqets. The ticket is valid for 2 days. You can also walk along it to and.

Every first Sunday of the month, admission to the Colosseum is free. However, please note that at this time the queues are much longer than usual.

Times and opening hours of the Colosseum in Rome

Opening hours depend on the time of year: the earlier the sun sets, the earlier the amphitheater closes. Therefore, the Colosseum is open every day at the following hours:

• From 08.30 to 16.30: from the last Sunday in October to February 15;
• From 08.30 to 17.00: from February 16 to March 15;
• From 08.30 to 17.30: from 16 to the last Saturday in March;
• From 08.30 to 19.15: from the last Sunday in March to August 31;
• From 08.30 to 19.00: from September 1 to September 30;
• From 08.30 to 18.30: from October 1 to the last Saturday of October.

You can go inside no later than an hour before closing.

I advise you to visit the amphitheater early in the morning, come at 8.10-8.15. It's better to arrive a little earlier so as not to meet crowds of tourists and not waste hours of your holiday in Rome in line.

How to get the most out of your visit

The main problem when visiting the Colosseum is that you risk not understanding the beauty of the amphitheater and it will remain just a “pile of stone” for you.

Therefore, there are 3 options that will help with solving this problem: individual excursions, group excursions and audio guides.

Of course, you can walk around Rome on your own, but there will be little emotion from this. For example, I get impressions in historical places only from the awareness of how powerful this place is, and what exactly happened here.

First option: individual excursions are the most interesting option, so you will definitely get the most. I recommend booking excursions with the team. This way you work directly and do not overpay to agencies and platforms.

Second option: group excursions. I don’t recommend this format, since it’s not much cheaper than individual ones, but the time it takes to organize fees and the route itself is shortened and quite boring. But, of course, there are those who like it.

Click on the picture and fly

There are many similar theories about , and . Again, you can remember and or for example

Who doesn't know business card Rome, but when, by whom and for what was the Colosseum built in Rome - Italy? The history of the Roman Colosseum or how it turned from the Flavian Amphitheater into the Colosseum. But too much in the history of ancient Rome does not fit together without thinking about this new wonder of the world and its origin.

One close look at the Colosseum is enough to discover that it was immediately built as an “ancient ruin.” But examples of its rather late construction are clearly visible. It is known that “The Colosseum is built of stone, concrete and brick.” Isn't it strange that CONCRETE was used in such a supposedly very ancient structure? Historians may argue that concrete was invented by the “ancient” Romans more than 2 thousand years ago. But why then was it not widely used in medieval construction?

Rather, all supposedly “ancient” concrete buildings are of much more recent origin than historians think.

First, let's remember the official version:

Photo 1.

The Colosseum (Colloseo) was built during the reign of the emperors of Ancient Rome Titus Vespassian and his son Titus from the Flavian dynasty. Therefore, the Colosseum is also called the Flavian Amphitheater. Construction began in the 72nd century AD. e. under Vespassian, and ended in 80 under Titus. Vespassian wanted to perpetuate the memory of his dynasty and strengthen the greatness of Rome, adding to this the triumph of Titus after the suppression of the Jewish revolt.

The Colosseum was built by more than 100,000 prisoners and captives. Building stones were mined in quarries near Tivoli (now a suburb of Rome with beautiful palaces, gardens and fountains). The main building materials of all Roman buildings are travertine and marble. Red brick and concrete were used as know-how in the construction of the Colosseum. The stones were hewn and held together with steel staples to strengthen the stone blocks.

The amphitheaters of antiquity were marvels of architecture and engineering, which modern specialists continue to admire. The Colosseum Amphitheater, like other such buildings, has the shape of an ellipse, the outer length of which is 524 m. The height of the walls is 50 m. Along the major axis, the length of the stadium is 188 m, along the minor axis – 156 m. The length of the arena is 85.5 m, its width is 53.5 m. The width of the foundation is 13 m. To build such a grandiose structure, and even on the site of a dried-up lake, Flavian engineers set a number of important tasks.

Photo 2.

First, the lake had to be drained. For this purpose, a system of hydraulic drains, slopes and gutters was invented, which can still be seen today once inside the Colosseum. Drains and gutters were also used to divert storm waters that flowed into the sewer system of the ancient city.

Secondly, it was necessary to make the megastructure so strong that it would not collapse under its own weight. For this purpose, the structure was made arched. Pay attention to the image of the Colosseum - there are arches of the lower tier, above them there are arches of the middle, upper, etc. It was an ingenious solution, capable of supporting colossal weight and also giving the structure an appearance of lightness. Here it is necessary to mention one more advantage of arched structures. Their preparation did not require super-skilled labor. Workers were mainly involved in creating standardized arches.

Thirdly, there was the question of building materials. We have already mentioned here travertine, red brick, marble, and the use of concrete as a durable bonding mortar.

Photo 3.

Surprisingly, the ancient architects calculated even the most favorable angle of inclination at which seats for the public should be placed. This angle is 30'. On the highest seats, the recline angle is already 35’. There were a number of other engineering and construction issues that were successfully resolved during the construction of the ancient arena.

The Flavian Amphitheater in its heyday had 64 entrances and exits, which made it possible to let the public in and out in a matter of time. This is an invention ancient world used in the construction of modern stadiums, which can simultaneously admit streams of spectators through different passages into different sections without creating a crowd. In addition, there was a well-thought-out system of corridors and steps, and people could climb the tiers to their seats very quickly. And now you can see the numbers engraved above the entrances.

Photo 4.

The arena at the Colosseum was covered with boards. The floor level could be adjusted using engineering structures. If necessary, the boards were removed and it became possible to organize even naval battles and battles with animals. Chariot races were not held at the Colosseum; for this purpose, the Circus Maximus was built in Rome. There were technical rooms under the arena. They could contain animals, equipment, etc.

Around the arena, behind the outer walls, in the basements, the gladiators waited to enter the arena; cages with animals were placed there, and there were rooms for the wounded and dead. All rooms were connected by a system of elevators raised on cables and chains. There are 38 elevators in the Colosseum.

The outside of the Flavian Theater was lined with marble. The entrances to the amphitheater were decorated with marble statues of gods, heroes and noble citizens. Fences were put up to hold back the onslaught of crowds trying to get inside.

Currently, inside this miracle of the ancient world, only the grandiose scale of the structure testifies to its former greatness and amazing adaptations.

Photo 5.

The arena was surrounded by rows of seats for the public, arranged in three tiers. A special place (podium) was reserved for the emperor, members of his family, vestals (virgin priestesses) and senators.

Citizens of Rome and guests were seated on three tiers of seats, strictly according to the social hierarchy. The first tier was intended for city authorities, noble citizens, horsemen (a type of class in Ancient Rome). On the second tier there were seats for Roman citizens. The third tier was intended for the poor. Titus completed another fourth tier. Gravediggers, actors and former gladiators were prohibited from being among the spectators.

During the performances, merchants scurried between the spectators, offering their goods and food. Particular types of souvenirs were details of gladiator costumes and figurines depicting the most prominent gladiators. Like the Forum, the Colosseum served as the center of social life and a place of communication for citizens.

Photo 6.

The beginning of the destruction of the Colosseum was provoked by the invasion of barbarians in 408-410 AD, when the arena fell into disrepair and without proper maintenance. From the beginning of the 11th century until 1132, the amphitheater was used by the noble families of Rome as a fortress in the fight among themselves, the Frangipani and Annibaldi families were especially famous. Who were forced to cede the Colosseum to the English Emperor Henry VII, who handed it over to the Roman Senate.

As a result of a powerful earthquake in 1349, the Colosseum was severely damaged, and its southern part collapsed. After this event, the ancient arena began to be used for the extraction of building material, but not only its collapsed part, stones were also broken out of the surviving walls. Thus, from the stones of the Colosseum in the 15th and 16th centuries the Venetian palace, the Palace of the Chancellery (Cancelleria), and the Palazzo Farnese were built. Despite all the destruction, most of the Colosseum survived, although overall the great arena remained disfigured.

Photo 7.

The attitude of the church towards the old monument of ancient architecture has improved since the mid-18th century, when Pope Benedict XIV was elected. The new pope dedicated the ancient arena to the Passion of Christ - the place where the blood of Christian martyrs was shed. By order of the pope, a large cross was placed in the middle of the Colosseum arena, and several altars were installed around it. In 1874, church paraphernalia was removed from the Colosseum. After the departure of Benedict XIV, church hierarchs continued to monitor the safety of the Colosseum.

The modern Colosseum, as an architectural monument, is protected, and its ruins, if possible, were installed in their original places. Despite all the trials that befell the ancient arena over thousands of years, the ruins of the Colosseum, devoid of expensive decoration, still make a strong impression today and provide an opportunity to imagine the former grandeur of the arena.

Today the Colosseum is a symbol of Rome, as well as a famous tourist attraction.

Photo 8.

And now the conspiracy theory itself:

If you look closely at the brickwork of the interior walls of the Colosseum, you will notice that the edges of the bricks are upholstered, very orderly, and the upholstery was done before the masonry, and not over the centuries, as they tried to depict, and the bricks are fastened together with a composition very reminiscent of cement XIX century. All the brickwork appears to be approximately the same and is constructed from uniform bricks. It seems that during the construction of the Colosseum, the appearance of supposedly centuries-old deterioration of the structure was immediately faked.

This can be seen even better in places where the brick wall allegedly “collapsed.” These masonry sites are undoubtedly unreal, built in today’s “collapsed” form. If the brick wall had truly collapsed, then its exposed “remains of ancient vaults” would look unnatural on the smooth brickwork of the Colosseum. All these “alterations” were built immediately during the initial construction, so they were confused to show the antiquity of the structure. Real alterations of the vaults are inevitable in ancient houses buried in the ground; they look completely different.

Photo 9.

For example, the Church of St. Irene in Istanbul-Constantinople. Countless traces of real alterations are perfectly represented there. Moreover, the upper part of the walls looks much newer than the lower part, in which more remodeling is visible. But in the Colosseum the walls are strangely identical: what is above is what is below.

In real ancient structures, the bottom of the structure is usually located underground or in a pit if archaeological work is being carried out. The Church of St. Irene goes underground to a depth of 4 meters. And we are talking about a medieval building. And around the Colosseum there is no noticeable subsidence into the ground. It turns out that for two thousand years, the arena was immersed in some kind of vacuum and the rules of nature, which apply to all other places on the planet, and are, by the way, the main dating milestone in archeology, had no power over it.

Photo 10.

But what can we say if, under the guise of reconstruction, absolutely openly, in full view of tourists, with the help of portable scaffolding, the completion of the Colosseum is taking place in our time.

The Vatican does not hide the history of the building much. In the Vatican Palace you can see a fresco depicting the newly designed ruins of the Colosseum! An angel with a compass and a construction angle is drawn next to it. He helps build the Colosseum. But to whom? Is it really possible for a pagan emperor, which would be inappropriate for an angel? Not at all. The name of the builder, as well as the year of construction, are directly indicated on the fresco. Next to the image is written: “THE SEVENTH YEAR OF POPE Pius VII” (<

Since Pope Pius VII reigned from 1800-1823, we are talking about 1807! The same year is repeated once again in the inscription under the fresco:

AMPHITHEATRUM FLAVIUMA, PIO VII CONTRA, RUINAM EXCELSO FULCIMENTO SOLIDATUE ET PLURIFARIAM SUBSTRUCTIONE MUNITUM ANNO MDCCCVII.

Translation: FLAVIAN AMPHITHEATATER BY Pius VII, THE RUINS REST EXTREMELY ON A STRENGTH AND, IN ADDITION, ON VARIED FOUNDATIONS, BUILDED IN THE YEAR 1807.

Photo 11.

So, the construction of the Colosseum as an “ancient” ruin begins in 1807. True, 1807, according to the fresco, is only the beginning with the creation of the project, after which the construction of the ruins was to begin. Perhaps you are interested in knowing the year this scam ended? Oddly enough, this can be read on a marble tablet that hangs above the entrance to the amphitheater. Which shows the year of the so-called reconstruction of the Colosseum as 1852, the seventh year of the reign of Pius IX (1846-1878). This is the real date of completion of the Colosseum - 1852, a century and a half ago.

After its construction, the Colosseum was heavily advertised. And on July 7, 2007, it even made it onto the list of the so-called “new seven wonders of the world,” taking second place there after the Great Wall of China.

But if the Colosseum was erected in the 19th century, then on what basis was it attributed to the Emperor Flavius ​​Vespasian, who allegedly lived in the 1st century? Let us turn to the generally accepted traditional history.

Photo 12.

“The Colosseum is the largest ancient Roman amphitheater and one of the wonders of the world. Located in Rome on the site of a pond. The construction was started by the emperor Flavius ​​Vespasian, and his son finished it in 80 AD. Emperor Titus Flavius... Initially, the Colosseum was called, after the name of the Flavian emperors, the Flavian Amphitheater, its current name (in Latin Colosseum, in Italian Coliseo) was assigned to it later... This place was a place of fun and spectacle for the citizens of Rome... The barbarian invasions marked the beginning of the destruction of the amphitheater. In the 11th-12th centuries, the amphitheater was used as a citadel by the Roman families of Annibaldi and Frangipani. Then the Flavian amphitheater passed to Henry VII, who presented it as a gift to the Roman people. Back in 1332, a bullfight was held here. But most likely, in 1332, bullfights took place not in the current Colosseum, but in that city amphitheater of Italian Rome, which was later converted into the Castel Sant'Angelo, but from then on its regular defeat began...

Maarten van Heemskerck, Self-Portrait of the Painter with the Colosseum in the Background

The word “amphitheater” itself combines two Greek words meaning “double theater” or “theater on both sides” and very accurately conveys the architectural features of this type of ancient Roman architecture. As for the name “Colosseum”, according to one version it comes from the Latin “colosseum”, which means “colossal”, and according to another it is associated with the nearby gigantic statue of Nero, which was called “Colossus”. Both versions have equal rights to existence , fortunately they agree on one thing - they emphasize the cyclopean dimensions of the Colosseum. It is not without reason that more than 100 thousand cubic meters of natural stone were used for its construction, with 45 thousand for the outer wall. It is not surprising that a special road was built for the transportation of marble. Well As for the name "Flavian Amphitheater", it is due to the fact that the Colosseum became a collective structure of representatives of this imperial dynasty - Vespasian, Titus and Domitian built it for 8 years, from 72 to 80 AD.

Photo 13.

Construction was started by Vespasian after his military victories in Judea, and the construction was completed by his son Titus, according to the famous historian Suetonius - “At the consecration of the amphitheater and the baths hastily built nearby, he (Titus - author’s note) showed a gladiator fight, amazingly rich and lush; He also arranged a naval battle in the same place, and then there he brought out gladiators and released five thousand different wild animals in one day.” This beginning of the history of the Colosseum to some extent determined its future fate - for a long time it was the main place for specific entertainment spectacles that are so familiar to us from modern cinema and fiction - gladiatorial fights and baiting of animals, only a small part of the fun that attracted Romans to the arena. The reign of Emperor Macrinus was marked by a severe fire for the Colosseum, but by order of Alexander Severus it was restored, and in 248, under Emperor Philip, the celebration of the thousand-year existence of Rome was held there with great solemnity.

According to surviving eyewitness accounts, 60 lions, 32 elephants, 40 wild horses and dozens of other animals such as moose, zebras, tigers, giraffes and hippos were killed during the “celebrations”. In addition, it was not limited to animals and enthusiastic spectators were able to watch the fights of a total of 2,000 gladiators. Centuries passed, and the Colosseum still retained the status of the main cultural center of Ancient Rome, and the nature of the performances for the townspeople practically did not change - only in 405, Emperor Honorius imposed a ban on gladiatorial fights, since this was contrary to the spirit of Christianity, which, since the time of Constantine Great, became the state religion of the Roman Empire. However, animal persecution continued to delight the Romans until the death of Theodoric the Great. The Middle Ages was the time of decline of the Colosseum - in the 11th-12th centuries, it served as a fortress for the noble families of Rome competing with each other; Frangipani and Annibaldi were especially successful in this field, who eventually were forced to cede the Colosseum to Emperor Henry VII. The latter donated the famous arena to the Roman Senate and people, thanks to which, until the first third of the 14th century, various games were still held in the Colosseum, including bullfights.

Photo 14.

Paradoxically, the reason for the further decline of the Colosseum was its splendor. The fact is that the walls of the Colosseum were made of large blocks of travertine marble, which was mined in the city of Tivoli. The marble blocks were fastened with steel staples; fortunately, they were carefully ground together and did not require mortar for better adhesion. The materials used, as well as the construction technology itself, led not only to the fact that the Colosseum was able to exist for many centuries, but also to the fact that for the Romans of the 15th-16th centuries. it has become a source of valuable materials, which can also be easily disassembled into separate parts. The marble of the Colosseum contributed to the construction of the Venetian Palace, the Palace of Chancellery and the Palazzo Farnese.

Only in the 18th century did the popes change their utilitarian approach to the Colosseum, so Benedict XIV took it under his protection, turning it into a kind of Christian sanctuary - a huge cross was installed in the middle of the arena, which was framed by altars in memory of the torture, the procession to Calvary and the death of the Savior on the cross. This complex was dismantled at the end of the 19th century.

The outer side of the Colosseum consisted of three tiers of arches, between which there were semi-columns, in the lower tier - Tuscan, in the middle - Ionic, and in the upper - Corinthian style. The surviving images of the Colosseum from the time of its glory allow us to conclude that the spans of the arches of the middle and upper tiers were decorated with statues. A fourth floor was built above the upper tier, which was a solid wall, which was cut into compartments by Corinthian pilasters and had a quadrangular window in the middle of each compartment. The cornice of this floor had special holes for installing wooden beams that served as support for the awning stretched over the arena. At the ends of the major and minor axes of the ellipse there were four main entrances, which were three-arched gates, two of which were intended for the emperor, and the rest were used both for ceremonial processions before the start of performances, and for transporting animals and necessary machines to the Colosseum.

Photo 15.

Spectators were located in the stands according to their social status:
- the bottom row, or podium (lat. podium) was intended for the emperor, his family and the highest nobility of Roman society.

Note that the emperor's place rose above the rest.
- further, in three tiers, there were places for the public. The first tier belonged to the city authorities and persons from the equestrian class. The second tier was reserved for citizens of Rome. The third tier was occupied by the lower classes.

Under the arena there was a complex labyrinth for the movement of gladiators and the maintenance of predatory animals that were used for performances.

In general, the structure of the Colosseum alone, even without taking into account its scale, would be enough to rightfully call this structure one of the “wonders of the world.” It organically combines the symbolism of the power of Rome, the architectural complexity that speaks of high technological culture and the pagan riot of the pre-Christian past of the empire. One building embodies a huge layer of the history of one of the most ancient states, the cradle of European history. The Colosseum is a true heritage of world culture, one of those few threads that makes visible the connection between times and eras.

Photo 16.

Let's return to the probable story. So, in the XV and XVI centuries. Pope Paul II used material from the amphitheater when building the Venetian palace, Cardinal Riario - when building the Palace of the Chancery, Pope Paul III - the Farneze Palace. The Colosseum has nothing to do with it - just the stone and brick of the old city of the 14th century. was used for papal buildings, after which the old part of Italian Rome turned into ruins. However, most of the amphitheater was preserved; Sixtus V wanted to use it and built a cloth factory, and Pope Clement IX used the amphitheater building as a saltpeter factory. In the 18th century the popes came to their senses or decided that they could earn more from pilgrims than from saltpeter. Benedict IV (1740-1758) ordered the installation of a grandiose cross in the arena, and around it a number of altars in memory of the death of the Savior on the cross, who removed the cross and altars from the Colosseum only in 1874. Probably, they too much contradicted the imaginary antiquity of the Colosseum, giving it openly Christian appearance, that’s why they were removed.

So, under Clement IX (1592-1605), a cloth factory operated on the site of the Colosseum, and before that there was probably just a pond there. There was most likely no trace of anything like this in those days. Probably the first person who came up with the idea of ​​erecting some kind of grandiose structure was Pope Benedict XIV (1740-1758). But he clearly intended to erect not an “ancient amphitheater”, but a monument to Christian martyrs. However, his successors took things in a different direction. It was under them that the actual construction of the modern Colosseum began, portrayed as an allegedly “easy restoration of the ancient amphitheater.”

This is what the Encyclopedic Dictionary reports: “The popes who reigned after Benedict XIV, in particular Pius VII and Leo XII, strengthened the walls that threatened to collapse with buttresses (we read between the lines: they built walls), and Pius IX repaired a number of internal passages in the amphitheater (we read between the lines : built the inside). The Colosseum is protected with considerable care by the modern Italian government. By his order, under the leadership of learned archaeologists, basement rooms were excavated in the arena, which were once used to bring people and animals and decorations into the arena, or by damming the arena to organize “naumachia”.

Photo 17.

Particularly absurd is the idea of ​​historians about “naumachia” - naval battles presented in the water-filled arena of the Colosseum. At the same time, no intelligible explanations are given - how exactly and with the help of what mechanisms water could fill the Colosseum arena? Where are the drain and fill pipes? Water pumps? Waterproof walls with traces of water filling? All this is missing in the Colosseum.

Now let's look at the history of the Roman Colosseum in historical sources, and what they tell us about this ancient amphitheater, and even Flavian. After all, they were supposed to tell about such a remarkable structure as the Colosseum. But it so happened that not a single chronicle mentions anything about the Colosseum. Here are two of the most striking examples.

The facial chronicle code is a detailed account of world and Russian history, usually dating back to the 16th century. The second and third volumes describe in detail the history of ancient Rome. Moreover, which is fortunate, especially much space is devoted to the reign of Emperor Flavius ​​Vespasian, who, according to historians, founded the Colosseum amphitheater. In general, the Facial Chronicle is a very detailed chronicle and contains more than sixteen thousand beautiful color drawings, made especially for the kings. Therefore, even if there is no mention of the Colosseum - neither in the text nor in the drawings - then we have to conclude that in Moscow in the 16th-17th centuries. they knew nothing about the Colosseum. Surprisingly, there really are no such references.

Photo 18.

But maybe the Facial Vault is silent about the Colosseum simply because it does not concern the buildings erected by the first Flavius ​​in Rome at all? No, that's not true. The Facial Vault tells in sufficient detail how Vespasian, having returned to Rome from the Jewish War, immediately began the construction of huge and amazing buildings. But the Colosseum is not mentioned among them. And in general, nothing is said about the theater. We only talk about temples, treasuries, libraries. Here's an excerpt:

“Vespasian thought about how to create an altar to an idol and soon erected something that surpassed all human imagination. And he put all the valuable garments there, and everything wonderful and inaccessible was collected there and laid out in plain sight. For all this, people all over the world travel and work, just to see it with their own eyes. He hung the Jewish curtains there, as if proud of them, and all the gold-embroidered vestments, and ordered the books with the laws to be kept in the chamber.”

The facial vault tells the story of Vespasian's remarkable buildings in Rome, built after the end of the Jewish War. But the Colosseum is not mentioned among them.

Photo 19.

Nothing is reported about the Colosseum and the Lutheran Chronograph of 1680, a world chronicle in which all Roman incidents are described in detail. It, just like the Facial Vault, reports only on the construction by Vespasian of a certain “temple of peace” at the end of the Jewish War: “The year of Christ 77, the temple of peace is being built, and the decorations of the temple of Jerusalem are placed in it, and these are the golden vessels of the Jews. The law and the scarlet veils were preserved in the chambers by the command of Vespesian.”

This is where the description of Vespasian's buildings ends. The Lutheran Chronograph is completely silent about the Colosseum - and in general, about any amphitheater built by Vespasian in Rome. Moreover, in the detailed index of names and titles given at the end of the Chronograph, the name “Colosseum” is not present. There are no similar names either. How is it that the Colosseum is not mentioned in the Lutheran chronograph, as well as in the Facial Vault. Although it was written in 1680 and, it would seem, its author should have known about such an outstanding structure as the Colosseum. And call it exactly “Colosseum”. After all, this name, as historians tell us, has been assigned to the Colosseum since the 8th century. Why is the author of the second half of the 17th century. doesn't know him yet? It turns out that in the seventeenth century. Europe really didn’t know anything about the Colosseum yet.

Photo 20.

Let us now turn to the “ancient” writers. What do they know about the greatest amphitheater of ancient Rome, the grandiose Colosseum? It is believed that Suetonius, Eutropius and other “ancient” authors wrote about the Colosseum. It is also believed that the Colosseum was allegedly sung by an “ancient” poet of the 1st century AD. Martial. And he even tried to classify it as one of the seven wonders of the world, amazingly anticipating the decision of contemporary historians (in 2007) to classify the Colosseum as one of the “seven new wonders of the world.”

But were the “ancient” writers really talking about the Colosseum in Italy, and not about some other amphitheater? But then, maybe the real Colosseum is not in Italy, but in some other place? And one more important question. When, by whom and where were the supposedly “ancient” works that are generally known today and talking about the Colosseum discovered? Isn't it in the Vatican? And after it was decided to build the Roman Colosseum, and it was necessary to create a history for it, to find “primary sources” that “confirm” its existence in the past?

Let's take the book of Suetonius as an example (the others say approximately the same thing). Suetonius reports on the construction in Rome by Emperor Vespasian, upon his return from the Jewish War, of several structures at once: the Temple of Peace, another temple, a certain nameless amphitheater in the middle of the city. Suetonius writes: “... Vespasian also undertook new construction projects: the Temple of Peace... the Temple of Claudius... an amphitheater in the center of the city...”. Modern commentators believe that Suetonius is talking about the Colosseum here. But Suetonius by no means calls the amphitheater the Colosseum and, in general, does not report any details about it. He writes simply about the “amphitheatre.” Why does it have to be the Colosseum? There is no evidence of this.

Photo 21.

Eutropius, in his Brief History from the Founding of the City, attributes the construction of the amphitheater to Emperor Titus Vespasian, son of Emperor Vespasian. But he also does not provide any data that allows us to identify the Amphitheater of Titus specifically with the Colosseum. It is only sparingly reported that Titus Vespasian “erected an amphitheater in Rome, during the consecration of which 5 thousand animals were killed in the arena.”

Another “ancient” historian, Sextus Aurelius Victor writes in the “History of Rome” that under Emperor Flavius ​​Vespasian, the restoration of the Capitol was begun and completed in Rome... the Temple of Peace, the monuments of Claudius, the Forum, and a huge amphitheater was created. But even here there are no details that would allow us to identify this amphitheater specifically with the Colosseum. It is not said what size the amphitheater was, how it was built, or where in the city it was located. And again the question arises: why is this the Colosseum? Maybe Aurelius Victor had a completely different amphitheater in mind?

Photo 22.

As for the “Book of Spectacles” by the Roman poet Martial, where he is believed to have glorified the Colosseum, there is also nothing in it that would clearly point specifically to the Colosseum. And this book itself may turn out to be a fake, since, as has long been noted, it is suspiciously different from the rest of Martial’s works. “From Martial a collection of 14 books of epigrams has reached us, not counting in this number a special book of poems, also called epigrams, but relating exclusively to the games of the amphitheater under Titus Flavius ​​and Domitian.” And even if Martial’s “Book of Spectacles” is original, where is the evidence that it refers to the Colosseum? There is no such evidence.
It may well be that Martial and Roman historians are not talking about the Colosseum in Italy, but about another amphitheater. Moreover, the ruins of a huge Roman amphitheater that fits these descriptions really exist. But this is by no means the Italian Colosseum. Unlike the Colosseum in Italy, this different Colosseum is not advertised by historians at all. They surrounded him with deathly silence and are trying to pretend that he does not exist.

Nowadays, the Colosseum is under special protection of the Italian government; work is underway to collect chaotically scattered marble fragments and install them in places supposedly intended for this. Archaeological excavations and restoration work going hand in hand have made it possible to make a number of remarkable discoveries. However, these days, the defenders of this unique monument are faced with new problems - from numerous tourists, many of whom are not averse to taking something “as a souvenir” with them, to the negative impact on the stone of the Colosseum from atmospheric pollution, vibration caused by city traffic and other factors technogenic nature.

Despite its complex history and difficult existence today, the Colosseum, albeit in the form of ruins, has retained such a majestic appearance that, according to voting results, in 2007 it was recognized as one of the 7 New Wonders of the World.

The Colosseum opens to the public at 8.30 and closes an hour before sunset, at 16.30 - 18.30, depending on the time of year.

How to get to the Colosseum and what you can see nearby.

By metro: line B (blue line) to Colloseo station, buses 60, 75, 85, 87, 271, 571, 175, 186, 810, 850 routes, tram number 3, and taxi.

Next to the Colosseum stands the beautifully preserved triumphal arch of Constantine (Arch of Constantine), erected to commemorate his victory over Maxentius in 315 AD.

Photo 24.

origin of name

Officially, the Roman arena was called the Flavian Amphitheatre. The attraction received its familiar name “Colosseum” only in the 8th century from the Latin word “colosseus”, which means “huge, colossal”. The popular belief that the name comes from the colossal 36-meter statue of Nero that stood nearby is erroneous.

Background to the construction of the Colosseum

To understand the reasons for the construction of the Colosseum, it is necessary to understand the situation that developed during the decade that preceded the start of construction. The Roman Great Fire of 64 AD cleared vast areas of the city, including the valley of three hills (Caelium, Palatine and Esquiline), where the amphitheater is located. Emperor Nero, taking advantage of the fire, seized a huge part of the vacated land for the construction of a palace complex, the size of which still remains a record for all royal residences ever built in Europe. According to various sources, Nero’s palace complex was located on an area of ​​40 to 120 hectares and was so striking in its splendor that it was later called the “Golden House of Nero.” For its construction, the emperor greatly increased taxes. The despotism and arbitrariness of Nero, together with the complete removal from the administration of the empire, led to a state conspiracy. A rare situation arose when the emperor managed to turn all the social strata of ancient Roman society against himself at once. Realizing that his fate was sealed, Nero committed suicide.

The new Emperor Vespasian, being a subtle politician and pragmatist, understood how important it was to gain the support of the Roman crowd. The recipe was simple - you need to provide “bread and circuses.” Where the palace complex for Nero was located, Vespasian decides to build a huge structure for the population of Rome. The symbolism is obvious. The choice fell on the project of building a new grandiose amphitheater. It was especially important to realize the conceived idea in connection with Vespasian’s desire to become the founder of the imperial Flavian dynasty. The amphitheater was to become a family monument for centuries.

Financing the construction

The wasteful Nero ruined the treasury, so Vespasian had to find funds for construction as quickly as possible. At this very time, to their great misfortune, the Jews rebelled against Roman rule. Vespasian and his son Titus took advantage of the opportunity to brutally suppress the rebellion and at the same time plunder Jerusalem. A particularly rich haul was the city's religious complex called the Temple Mount, the main attraction of which at that time was the Second Temple of Jerusalem. 30 thousand captives were sold as slaves, and another 100 thousand were sent to Rome for the most difficult work of extracting stone from the quarry and transporting it to the construction site of the Colosseum. It turns out that the backstory of the Colosseum is as bloody and cruel as the events that subsequently took place in its arena.

Of course, ordinary citizens also felt the grandiose construction of the greatest of Roman buildings. The empire raised old taxes and introduced new ones. There was even a tax on toilets, which gave rise to the expression “Money doesn’t smell.” This is exactly how Vespasian responded to his son Titus when he questioned the moral aspect of the new tax.

Construction and architecture of the Colosseum

Coliseum- the most grandiose ancient amphitheater. Its dimensions:

• length of the outer ellipse - 524 meters;
• major axis - 187 meters;
• minor axis - 155 meters;
• length of the arena (also elliptical) - 85 meters;
• arena width - 53 meters;
• wall height - 48 meters;
• foundation thickness - 13 meters.

Construction of the Colosseum began in '72 during the reign of Vespasian, it was completed and consecrated under his son Emperor Titus in '80. During this historical period, more than one million inhabitants lived in Rome. The amphitheater had to be large enough to accommodate 50 thousand viewers and at the same time strong enough to withstand the weight of its own gravity. The solution to this problem was clearly demonstrated by the genius of Roman architectural thought. Many engineering solutions that were used in the construction of the Colosseum were revolutionary.

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The engineering idea of ​​the amphitheater is simple and ingenious. The frame of the structure is a solid structure of intersecting radial (extending from the arena in all directions) and concentric (surrounding the arena) walls. A total of 80 gradually rising radial and 7 concentric walls were erected. Above them were rows for spectators.

The outer concentric wall of the amphitheater includes four tiers, the first three of which have 80 seven-meter-high arches. The first tier is decorated with decorative semi-columns of the Tuscan order, the second tier - Ionic, the third - Corinthian. The last fourth tier is a solid wall (without arches) with small rectangular windows. Bronze shields were placed in the spaces between the windows, and statues were installed in the arched openings of the second and third floors.

The use of arches, the peculiarity of which is the ability to reduce the weight of the entire structure, was the only correct and possible engineering solution for such high walls. Another advantage of arched structures was their uniformity, which greatly simplified the construction of the entire structure. The arched sections were created separately, and only then assembled together as a construction set.

Construction Materials

The load-bearing radial and concentric walls of the amphitheater are made of natural limestone, known as travertine. It was mined near Tivoli (35 km from Rome). Researchers believe that the same 100 thousand captives captured as a result of the suppression of the Jewish uprising worked at the stage of extraction, delivery and primary processing of travertine. Then the stone fell into the hands of Roman craftsmen. The quality of their processing, as well as the level of construction in general, is simply amazing. Notice how exactly the huge stones fit together.

All the travertine blocks were connected to each other with iron clamps, which were removed in the Middle Ages, which greatly weakened the structure of the entire structure. It is estimated that 300 tons of metal were spent on the brackets holding the walls together. Now in their place there are gaping holes in the preserved walls.

In addition to travertine, used for load-bearing radial and concentric walls, during the construction of the Colosseum, Roman engineers widely used volcanic tuff, brick and concrete, the advantage of which was relative lightness. For example, tuff blocks were intended for the upper tiers of the amphitheater, and concrete and brick were well suited for partitions and ceilings inside the structure.

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Entrances to the Colosseum

The architectural and logistics solution used in the Colosseum is used in the construction of stadiums to this day - many entrances are located evenly along the entire perimeter of the structure. Thanks to this, the public could fill the Colosseum in 15 minutes and leave in 5.

In total, the Colosseum had 80 entrances, of which 4 were intended for senators and members of the magistrate, 14 for equestrians, 52 for all other social categories. The entrances for the horsemen were called southern, northern, western and eastern, while the other 76 had their own serial number (from I to LXXVI). If you look closely, some of them can be seen even today. Each spectator, depending on his social status, received a ticket (report card), which indicated not only his place, but also which entrance he should use.

The more important a person was, the easier it was for him to get to his place. In addition, the corridors and stairs of the amphitheater were planned in such a way that people of different classes did not collide with each other. Such a well-thought-out system practically eliminated crowding.

Seats for spectators

The Roman Colosseum could accommodate up to 50,000 people at a time. The spectators were seated in strict accordance with the social hierarchy. The lower row, or podium, was reserved for senators and members of the magistrate. Here, although on a slight elevation, was the emperor’s box. Behind the podium there was a tier for horsemen, and then a tier with seats for those who had the status of citizens in the Roman Empire. The next tier is for the plebs and women. The last was the standing tier for slaves and non-noble foreigners. It turns out that the Colosseum was a miniature model of Roman society.

Arena and hypogeum

There were two entrances to the arena: the “Gate of Triumph” (lat. Porta Triumphalis), through which gladiators and animals entered the arena and returned back with victory, and the “Gate of Libitina” (lat. Porta Libitinaria), named after the goddess of death and burials, and where the dead or wounded were taken.

Over time, the desire for more majestic spectacles in the arena of the Colosseum only increased. To keep the Roman crowd constantly happy and manageable required constant innovation. Just 5 years after the opening, the arena was completely reconstructed by Domitian, the second son of Vespasian. Domitian created an underground complex of unprecedented scale under the arena - the hypogeum. It consisted of a number of technical and utility rooms with a complex system of special passages and platforms (elevators) for lifting gladiators and animals into the arena. There were a total of 60 hatches and 30 platforms.

Thanks to the unique functionality of the hypogeum, the Colosseum arena could be modified depending on the scenario. Here real theatrical events took place, the purpose of which was to present death and murder even more colorful and vibrant. Decorations were erected to imitate nature or structures. Participants in the show, especially if it was a mass show, appeared at the most unexpected moment in extremely important places, which could seriously change the disposition of the fighting parties in the arena. Hypogeum took gaming to a higher level. Today this part of the Colosseum is the only one that has remained virtually undamaged by time.

Velarium (canopy)

On hot and rainy days, a velarium (canopy made of canvas) was stretched over the amphitheater, which was attached to 240 wooden masts installed in stone console posts of the upper fourth tier of the outer wall. The shed was operated by several thousand specially trained sailors who had previously served in the navy. Unfortunately, detailed information on exactly how the canopy functioned and how it was stretched has not been preserved.

History of the functioning of the Colosseum

The first repairs, as archaeological research has shown, were made after a fire during the reign of Emperor Antoninus Pius (138–161). In 217, as a result of lightning striking the upper floor of the Colosseum, most of the amphitheater burned down. In 222, games were resumed in the arena, but the complete reconstruction of the structure was completed only in 240 under Emperor Gordian III, and a commemorative coin was issued on this occasion.

In 248, Emperor Philip organized grand celebrations for Rome's millennium at the Colosseum. In 262, the amphitheater was able to relatively successfully survive a strong earthquake. The second half of the 4th century was marked by the gradual decline of gladiatorial games under the influence of the spread of Christianity:

• in 357, Emperor Constantine II forbade Roman soldiers from voluntarily enrolling in gladiatorial schools after completing their service;
• in 365, Emperor Valentinian forbade judges from sentencing criminals to death in the arena;
• in 399 all gladiator schools were closed.

The reason for the final ban on gladiator fights was an incident described by Bishop Theodoret of Cyrrhus. In 404, a Christian monk from Asia Minor named Telemachus jumped into the arena and rushed towards the fighting gladiators, trying to separate them. This pious zeal cost him his life: an angry crowd attacked the peacemaker and tore the monk to pieces. However, Telemachus’s sacrifice was not in vain: under the impression of his martyrdom, Emperor Honorius forever banned gladiatorial games.

The capture of Rome by the Goths (410) led to the looting of the amphitheater, from which bronze decorations and decorative elements were removed. The last games (including only baiting of wild animals) were held by Flavius ​​Anicius Maximus in 523. Starting from the 6th century, the Colosseum, under the influence of natural elements, began to rapidly decline, its arena was overgrown with trees and grass, and wild animals found refuge under the stands.

During the Middle Ages, all knowledge about the purpose of the amphitheater was lost. People began to imagine that the grandiose structure was the temple of the Sun God. In special brochures for pilgrims who visited Rome, the Colosseum was described as a circular temple dedicated to various gods, and once covered with a dome of bronze or copper. Gradually, the entire space inside the amphitheater began to be built up with houses of small craftsmen and artisans. Also in the Middle Ages, there was a popular legend that the influential Frangipani family hid their treasures in the Colosseum.

In 1349, a powerful earthquake in Rome caused the collapse of the Colosseum, especially its southern part. After this, they began to look at the ancient landmark as a place of extraction of building material, and not only the stones that fell off, but also the stones deliberately broken out of it began to be used for the construction of new buildings. Many Roman mansions, palaces and temples were built from marble and travertine quarried from the ruins of the Colosseum.

Thus, in the 15th and 16th centuries, Pope Paul II used stone from the Colosseum to build the so-called Venetian Palace, Cardinal Riario - the Palace of the Chancery, and Paul III - the Pallazo Farnese. It is known that Sixtus V intended to use the Colosseum to set up a cloth factory, and Clement IX for a short period of time turned it into a plant for the extraction of saltpeter. Despite this consumerist attitude, a significant part of the amphitheater still survived, albeit in an extremely disfigured state.

Modern architectural studies of the Colosseum began around 1720, when Carlo Fontana surveyed the amphitheater and studied its geometric proportions. At this time, the first tier of the structure was already completely buried under the ground and debris accumulated over many centuries.

The first Pope to take the Colosseum under his protection was Benedict XIV (Pontiff from 1740 to 1758). He dedicated it to the Passion of Christ as a place stained with the blood of many Christian martyrs, and ordered a huge cross and a number of altars to be installed in the middle of the arena in memory of the torture, the procession to Calvary and the death on the cross of the Savior. He (Benedict XIV) put an end to the centuries-old “robbery” of the Colosseum, prohibiting the use of the building as a quarry.

In 1804, Carlo Fea, an archaeologist and curator of antiquities, having examined the architectural monument, drew up a memorandum in which he noted the importance of immediate restoration work due to the danger of the walls collapsing. A year later, excavations and a thorough examination of the amphitheater began for reconstruction, which was led by the architect Camporesi. Throughout the entire period until 1939, the entire territory of the Colosseum was gradually cleared of debris and centuries-old layers of soil. The outer walls were also strengthened and the arena was cleared.

In the second half of the 20th century, the condition of the Colosseum worsened due to rainwater infiltration, atmospheric pollution (mainly from car exhaust) and vibration from heavy urban traffic. Researchers believe that from the 6th to the 21st centuries, the Colosseum lost two-thirds of its original “volume”. Of course, the main role in the destruction was played by the inhabitants of Rome themselves, who used the abandoned arena for a long time as a source of travertine for the construction of new structures.

Spectacles in the Colosseum arena

The arena of the amphitheater offered the public such entertainment spectacles as gladiator fights, baiting of wild animals, the killing of convicted criminals and reenactments of naval battles. Celebrations in honor of the opening of the Colosseum, organized by Emperor Titus in 80, lasted exactly 100 days. During this time, about 5,000 gladiators and 6,000 wild animals took part in the battles. Of these, 2,000 gladiators and 5,000 animals were killed.

People and animals wounded in battle lost a lot of blood, and to prevent the flooring of the arena from becoming slippery, it was sprinkled with a layer of dry sand, which absorbed blood well. Such sand, soaked in blood, was called “harena”, from which the word “arena” came.

Contrary to the opinion that Christians were allegedly executed on a huge scale in the Colosseum, there is another thing - that all this is nothing more than successful propaganda of the Catholic Church, which at one time was in dire need of creating images of suffering and martyrdom. Of course, there were individual executions of Christians in the arena, but their number is considered to be deliberately overestimated.

Traditionally, the action in the Colosseum arena began in the morning with the performance of cripples and clowns, who entertained the audience with fake fights without bloodshed. Women also sometimes competed in shooting and weaponry competitions. Then the baiting of wild animals took place. By lunchtime the executions began. Murderers, robbers, arsonists and temple robbers were sentenced by Roman justice to the most cruel and shameful death in the arena. At best, they were given weapons and had a slim chance against a gladiator; at worst, they were given over to be torn to pieces by animals. Over time, such executions turned into real theatrical performances. Decorations were installed in the arena, and the criminals were dressed in appropriate costumes.

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Gladiator fights

The origins of gladiatorial games are still a matter of debate. There is a version that they are rooted in the Etruscan custom of sacrifices during the funeral of a noble person, when a warrior defeated in a fight was sacrificed in order to appease the spirit of the deceased. Historians believe that the first gladiatorial games were held in 246 BC by Marcus and Decimus Brutus in honor of their deceased father, Junius Brutus, as a gift for the dead.

Gladiators were criminals sentenced to death, prisoners of war, or slaves who were specially bought for this purpose and trained. Professional gladiators were also free people who volunteered to participate in the games in the hope of earning money or gaining fame. By concluding the first contract, the gladiator (if he was previously a free man) received a one-time payment. Each time the contract was renewed, the amount increased significantly.

Gladiators were trained in special barracks schools, originally owned by private citizens, but later became the property of the emperor to prevent the formation of private armies. Thus, Emperor Domitian built four similar barracks for gladiators near the Colosseum. Adjoining them were: training premises, a hospital for the wounded, a morgue for the dead and a warehouse with weapons and food.

It is known that even individual Roman emperors entered the arena. Thus, the historian Aelius Lampridius writes about the Emperor Commodus at the beginning of the 5th century: “He fought like a gladiator and received gladiatorial names and nicknames with such joy, as if they were given as a reward for triumphs. He always performed in gladiatorial games and ordered that reports about each of his performances be included in official historical documents. They say he fought in the arena 735 times.” Emperors Titus and Hadrian also loved to “play” as gladiators.

Archaeologists have deciphered several inscriptions found on the stones of the Colosseum under the arena. One of them says that “the gladiator Flamm received a wooden sword four times, but chose to remain a gladiator.” Handing over a wooden sword after a fight meant that the gladiator was granted freedom, which he had the right to refuse.

Scenarios for gladiator battles were different. Participants fought both one-on-one and in squads for the survival of the fittest. The most spectacular and bloodthirsty was the group battle on the principle of “every man for himself”, which ended when only one of the gladiators remained alive.

The record for the scale of gladiator battles belongs to Trajan. He organized games lasting 123 days, in which 10 thousand gladiators took part. In total, during the years of Trajan's reign, 40,000 people died in the arena.

The lifestyle of gladiators was close to a military one: living in barracks, strict discipline and daily training. Gladiators were severely punished for disobedience and non-compliance with the rules. For those who fought and won well, there were special privileges: a special diet and an established daily routine that allowed them to maintain good physical shape. For victories, concubines were often brought to the gladiators as rewards. Monetary rewards for successful battles went to the school. In harsh everyday life and endless games with death, gladiators, however, were not deprived of women's attention and love. Many women, including many noble persons, burned with passion for strong, courageous warriors.

Also in Rome there were specialized schools that taught how to fight wild animals, various sophisticated tricks and methods of killing them for the amusement of spectators. This category of warriors was called venatores. They were of lower rank than gladiators.

Poisoning of wild animals

The first mention of baiting wild animals in Rome dates back to 185 BC. Most likely, the new entertainment was borrowed during the Punic War with the Carthaginians, who had a custom of putting runaway slaves in battle against wild animals.

For baiting in the Colosseum arena, wild animals were brought to Rome from all over the empire. Not only predators such as lions, panthers and cheetahs were valued, but also exotic non-aggressive animals (for example, zebras). The variety of beasts was primarily a manifestation of imperial power. Over time, the persecution led to dire consequences - some species simply became extinct (elephants in northern Africa, hippos in Nubia, lions in Mesopotamia).

The day before the baiting, the animals were exhibited in a special place for inspection by the public. In Rome it was a vivarium near the port. Then the animals were transported and placed in the hypogeum (under the amphitheater arena), where they waited in the wings to effectively rise to the surface of the arena using a special platform. In some performances, animals fought with each other, such as a lion against a tiger, a bull or a bear. Sometimes the pairs were unequal: lions were placed against deer.

However, most animal persecution took place with human participation. He was either a trained "hunter" (Latin venatores), armed with a spear or sword and protected by leather armor, or a "bestiary" (a convicted criminal who was sentenced to fight with a predatory beast). The criminal, as a rule, was armed only with a dagger, so that his likelihood of surviving in the arena was minimized. Usually the performance ended with the performance of tamed animals specially trained to perform tricks, similar to modern circus performances.

A unique record of bloodshed during persecution, as in gladiatorial battles, belongs to Emperor Trajan. In honor of his victory over the inhabitants of the Balkans, about 11 thousand different animals (elephants, hippos, tigers, horses, lions, giraffes, zebras and many others) were hunted at the Colosseum.

Baiting of animals, the only bloody action of the era of Ancient Rome, which continued long after the fall of the empire, although on a completely different scale. It is generally accepted that bullfighting has its roots in animal baiting.

Navachia (naval battles)

Naumachia (Greek Ναυμαχία) was a reconstruction of famous naval battles, in which the participants, as a rule, were criminals sentenced to death, less often gladiators. The reconstruction required complete waterproofing of the arena and a depth of about two meters. Navachias were too expensive, since ships and all naval equipment were extremely expensive, but the public effect of their implementation was colossal.

The first re-enactment of a naval battle in Roman history was financed by Julius Caesar, who wanted to celebrate his triumphant military victory in Egypt with a grand spectacle. Caesar's naumachia took place in a temporary lake dug in the Campus Martius, where the battle between the Egyptians and the Phoenicians was reenacted. 16 galleys and 2 thousand gladiators were involved in the performance.

For the first time, naumachia were installed in the Colosseum immediately after the opening. They mainly reconstructed famous historical battles, such as the Greek victory over the Persians at the naval battle of Salamis or the defeat of the Spartans in the Aegean Sea in the Corinthian War.

Colosseum today

Having survived all the hardships, the Colosseum has long become a symbol of Rome and one of the most popular tourist sites in Italy. In 2007, the amphitheater was recognized as one of the seven new wonders of the world. In October 2013, restoration work began, which will take place in three stages. As part of this project, the first stage will monitor the dynamic vibrations to which the structure is exposed, being in close proximity to the metro line and the highway. The second stage will be devoted to the restoration of the internal area of ​​the Colosseum and a more comprehensive restoration of the underground premises under the arena. The restoration work at the third stage will also include the construction of a tourist service center.

Photo gallery

Buying tickets to the Colosseum

Throughout the day, there is a long queue in front of the entrance to the Colosseum, in which you can easily stand for several hours. Therefore, it is better to buy tickets in one of the following ways:

1) the fact is that the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine have a common ticket. Thus, buying a ticket to the Forum almost without a queue, you can calmly go to the Colosseum, which is located relatively close. The ticket is valid for 2 days (each attraction can be visited only once). Ticket price - 12 euros.

2) you can buy an electronic ticket in advance on the website rome-museum.com (Russian version of the website is available). This ticket is also comprehensive (except for the Colosseum, it includes visits to the Palatine and the Forum). The only inconvenience of an electronic ticket is that you must indicate the date of your visit, which means your visit will depend on the weather. The ticket is also valid for 2 days, but the price includes a sales commission and is 16 euros. You can also purchase a ticket with an audio guide for 21 euros. iPods with audio and video clips are provided as an audio guide. After payment you will receive an email notifying you of your purchase. The electronic ticket itself will arrive in the next letter a day or two after payment. Attention! The received electronic ticket must be printed! The option of displaying it on the phone screen will not work. Then, when you get there (at the Colosseum), you need to exchange your e-ticket for a standard ticket.

Important! At the beginning of 2014, the administration of the Colosseum announced the launch of a special application for phones, with which it will be possible to buy tickets, but we do not yet have the details. If you know them, we will be grateful for the information provided in the comments.

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schedule

from 02.01 to 15.02 - The Colosseum is open from 8:30 to 16:30
from 16.02 to 15.03 - The Colosseum is open from 8:30 to 17:00
from 16.03 to 31.03 - The Colosseum is open from 8:30 to 17:30
from 01.04 to 31.08 - The Colosseum is open from 8:30 to 19:15
from 01.09 to 30.09 - The Colosseum is open from 8:30 to 19:00
from 01.10 to 31.10 - The Colosseum is open from 8:30 to 18:30
from 01.11 to 31.12 - The Colosseum is open from 8:30 to 16:30

Many historical monuments have been preserved, but the most extraordinary of them is the Colosseum, in which people doomed to death desperately fought and died for the entertainment of free citizens of Rome. It became the largest and most famous of all Roman amphitheatres, and one of the greatest masterpieces of Roman engineering and architecture that has survived to this day. The building had 80 entrances and exits and could seat approximately 50,000 spectators - more than most sports venues today, a testament to its greatness almost 2,000 years after its completion. Having eclipsed with its grandeur the ruins of the Roman Forum (the central square in Ancient Rome), the Pantheon and other attractions of the city, the Roman Colosseum will forever remind visitors of the inhuman past, when the thirst for blood brought spectators to the stands of this building, and nothing excited them so much as deprivation person of life.

The Colosseum is Italy's most famous and most visited tourist attraction, the world's largest structure built during the Roman Empire. It is considered one of the greatest structures in the world of engineering and architecture, an iconic symbol of the Roman Empire during its greatest period of power, and the most famous and instantly recognizable monument preserved from antiquity. Even in today's world of skyscrapers, the Colosseum is impressive. It is a glorious and at the same time mournful monument to Roman imperial power and its cruelty. Inside, behind close-knit rows of arches and columns, the Romans for centuries coolly watched the murder of tens of thousands of condemned criminals, captured warriors, slaves, and animals. Almost two thousand years later, it still attracts great interest from visitors.

History of the Colosseum

The Colosseum was originally called the Flavian Amphitheatre. Its modern name (Colosseum in English) is derived from the word colossus, meaning a huge statue (next to the Colosseum stood a huge statue of Nero, which disappeared without a trace in the Middle Ages). As befits the largest city in the empire, it became the largest amphitheater in the Roman world, capable of seating 50,000 spectators. In total, there were more than 250 of them in the Roman Empire - it is not surprising that the amphitheater and associated spectacles were the main symbols of Roman culture.

Unlike most other amphitheatres, located on the outskirts of the city, the Colosseum was built in the very center of Rome. It was the product of the uncontrollable extravagance of the Roman emperor Vespasian (69-79), who decided to strengthen his position by building an amphitheater at the expense of the huge booty obtained as a result of suppressing the Jewish uprising. The construction, which began in 72, was completed by Emperor Titus in 80. The grand opening of the Colosseum was accompanied by gladiator fights, hunting wild animals and naumachia (reproduction of a naval battle in a flooded arena), the games continued for 97 days.

Emperor Domitian (81-96) significantly modernized the structure, built a series of underground tunnels in which animals and gladiators were kept before entering the arena, and also added a fourth tier, significantly increasing the capacity.

Unlike a circle, the elliptical shape of the Colosseum, measuring 83x48 meters, prevented fighting gladiators from retreating into a corner and gave spectators the opportunity to be closer to the action. This design has been inherited by almost every modern sports facility in the world.

The Colosseum's honeycomb structure of arches, passages and staircases allowed thousands of people to easily take their seats and watch the deadly spectacle. It is strikingly different from most ancient public buildings, inherited from the classical model of Greek temples with their rectangular rows of columns topped by pediments.

History of the Colosseum after construction

With the spread of Christianity, the killing of people within the walls of the amphitheater stopped, and the last hunt for animals took place around 523. But the main reason that put an end to the games was the military and financial crisis in the western part of the empire, accompanied by numerous barbarian invasions. The amphitheater required enormous expenses for organizing the games, and in the absence of them, the need for the existence of the Colosseum disappeared.
With the glory of imperial Rome having sunk into history, the purpose of the Colosseum has changed. No longer a place for entertainment, it was used as a home, a fortress and a religious monastery at various times. It ceased to serve as an arena for the entertainment of bloodthirsty Roman citizens, and began to suffer from earthquakes and the barbaric attitude of the people, who stripped off the rich marble cladding and bricks to build palaces and churches. The famous Cathedrals of St. Peter and St. John the Baptist on the Lateran Hill, Palazzo Venezia were built using brick and marble from the Colosseum. As a result of 2000 years of wars, earthquakes, vandalism and the inexorable action of time, two thirds of the original structure was destroyed. All that remains of the former glory of the Colosseum is a shadow of its former appearance, the famous ruins. The amphitheater's reputation as a sacred place where Christian martyrs met their fate saved the Colosseum from complete destruction (but the legend that Christians were sacrificed to lions here is considered unfounded by historians).

In 1749, Pope Benedict XIV declared the Colosseum a public church. From that moment on, the barbaric removal of stones from the walls of the amphitheater finally stopped. The building began to be restored, and since then reconstruction has continued intermittently until today.

Organization of games at the Colosseum

Invented in the Roman Empire, the amphitheater served as a venue for spectacular fights, the most popular of which were venationes (animal hunting) and munera (gladiator fights). In the first years after the opening of the Colosseum, naumachia (sea battles) was extremely popular. The Roman ruling class was obliged, according to the generally accepted concepts of the time, to organize spectacles in order to earn the respect and favor of ordinary citizens of the empire and to maintain public peace. All free citizens of Rome had the right to visit the amphitheater.

Organizing the games required enormous costs and was regulated by numerous laws. In the first century AD, the emperors created the Ratio a muneribus, something like a “Ministry of Games,” which had the necessary financial resources to organize games.

For the Romans, visiting the Colosseum became not only a way of relaxation and entertainment, but also a meeting place for people belonging to different classes. Roman society was divided into classes, and the amphitheater became a place where the public could meet and even address the emperor.

Gladiators

Gladiators usually became prisoners of war who did not have any rights under Roman law, whose lives were of no value to the state, slaves and criminals sentenced to death. Prisoners of war were trained in gladiator schools for performances in the arena of the Colosseum and other amphitheaters. When there was a shortage of gladiators, runaway slaves began to be sent to schools. They fought on a common basis, and after three years they stopped their performances in the arena. This distinguished the slaves from the condemned criminals who fought in the Colosseum without any hope of survival, like those condemned to ad bestias (to be torn to pieces by wild beasts) or ad gladium ludi damnati (condemned to death by the sword). In the latter case, one armed gladiator killed a disarmed enemy, then he himself found himself disarmed and became the victim of another armed gladiator, and so on, until the last convicted criminal remained.

Beginning in the first century AD, free citizens of Rome (auctorati) voluntarily became gladiators and fought in the Colosseum arena as professionals. These free citizens began their gladiator careers by submitting completely to Lanista's demands. The lanista in the Roman world was considered the most disgusting profession (even below pimps or executioners), had the power of life and death over gladiators, who were required to take an oath of complete obedience as a prerequisite for admission to the school. The gladiator swore to "suffer punishment with a whip, a brand, or accept death by the sword." Such terrible punishments were intended to suppress any hint of disobedience and instilled the belief that overcoming any challenge was the only means of their survival. The public demanded professional spectacles, so training took several years before entering the arena. At the last stage of the Roman Empire, about half of all gladiators were free citizens of Rome.

The gladiators who fought in the arena of the Colosseum were armed equally: a warrior better equipped with offensive weapons had fewer means of defense, or vice versa. The fighting techniques adhered to the traditional battle script, the fight was a show of skill well known to the public, who expected a professional performance. Spectators could approve or disapprove of the gladiators' maneuvers, as we do today when watching sports games such as football. The public did not tolerate monotony and imitation, and highly valued courage and displays of bravery.

In 73 BC, about 70 gladiators under the leadership of Spartacus fled from the school of Capua, created an army of 90,000 people, and for three years the largest slave uprising raged on the territory of the Roman Empire. After the rebellion was suppressed, the Roman Senate took measures to avoid such incidents. A garrison of soldiers stood near each school, delivering weapons there every morning and taking them back in the evening. In case of the slightest disturbance, the soldiers intervened immediately. Schools were considered quite safe, so they were located inside cities. Those held in custody could not escape, and they could only hope to save their lives by fighting valiantly in the arena of the Colosseum in order to attract the attention of influential aristocrats, gain their sympathy and gain their freedom.

Visit to the Colosseum

Games at the Colosseum were considered the privilege of only free citizens (slaves were not allowed), but tickets were not sold for them. Various communities, fraternities, partnerships, leagues, unions, associations and the like had reserved seats in the amphitheater in accordance with their role and rank in society. Those who were not members of any society tried to find a patron and get a place from him on the basis of an invitation. This tradition was observed for a long period of time. Not only in the amphitheater, but also in the circus or theater, each category of citizens was provided with certain places.
All spectators were required to dress appropriately: male citizens must wear a toga. Citizens who did not enjoy a good reputation - bankrupt, depraved or wasteful persons - sat together with the plebs in the upper ranks. In ancient times, even single women were allowed access to the Colosseum. Drinking alcohol in the stands was prohibited; the writer Lampridius criticized Emperor Commodus when he sometimes drank alcohol.

On game day, spectators arrived very early, and some even slept in the Coliseum. To enter the room, spectators presented a tessera (invitation). Tessera was a small plate or cube of marble, which, like today's tickets, indicated the exact location of its owner (sector, row, place). Each seat in the stands had a number. People sat on wooden planks set on marble stones, while the Roman aristocracy sat on more comfortable upholstered seats. The poor, including women, were located on the top tier.

Spectators walked to their seats through arches marked with numbers I - LXXVI (1-76). The four main entrances were not numbered. The best seats were on or behind the podium, which was raised 5 meters above the arena for safety reasons.

Modern scholars argue that the layout of the sites reflected the social hierarchy of Roman society. The two lowest tiers (that is, the most prestigious) stands could accommodate 2,000 and 12,000 spectators, respectively. On the upper tiers of the Colosseum, spectators were crowded together like sardines in a can, each of them having an average of 40x70 cm of space.

The Colosseum arena was covered with a 15 cm thick layer of sand (the Latin word for sand is spelled “arena”), sometimes painted red to hide the spilled blood. And, as seen in Ridley Scott's film "Gladiator", holes opened from below, from where wild animals were released into the arena.

Naumachia

Navachia was a reproduction of famous naval battles, the participants of which, as a rule, were criminals sentenced to death, and sometimes simply trained warriors and sailors. Such shows (mostly held in Rome) were extremely expensive. The ships were no different from warships and maneuvered in battle like real ones. The Romans called such spectacles navalia proelia (sea battles), but they became famous from the Greek word naumachia (naumachia), a term indicating that the spectacle took place in a specially equipped place.

Naumachia often tried to recreate famous historical battles, such as the Greek victory over the Persians at the Battle of Salamis, or the destruction of the Athenian fleet at Aegospotami. During the show, the sequence of historical events that took place was followed, and the audience received great pleasure from the skill of the warriors and their equipment.

Sources claim that the naumachia was staged in the Colosseum immediately after the grand opening of the amphitheater. During the reign of Emperor Domitian (81-96), a system of tunnels was built under the arena and the naumachia was abolished.

Animal hunting

Hunting scenes were extremely popular in the Colosseum and other amphitheaters of the empire. This was the only chance for the Romans to see wild animals unfamiliar to them in those days. At the very beginning, hunting for wild animals was demonstrated in the morning, as a prelude to gladiatorial battles. In the last period of the republic, hunting in the arena was organized in broad daylight, sometimes lasting several days. All types of wild animals - elephants, bears, bulls, lions, tigers - were captured throughout the empire, transported and kept for the day of the games.

To ensure the safety of spectators in the Colosseum, the height of the fence around the arena was 5 meters. Most of the pairings were classic: lion versus tiger, bull or bear. Sometimes the pairs were clearly unequal: dogs or lions were released on deer, in this case the outcome was predictable. To break the monotony, the Romans resorted to strange combinations of animals: bear versus python, crocodile versus lion, seal versus bear, and so on. Sometimes the animals were chained to the Colosseum arena to prevent them from maneuvering.

Most martial arts were animals against trained men (venatores) armed with spears. Animal hunting has become extremely popular among wealthy citizens. The venatores involved in this type of fighting became so famous that their names can still be read on some mosaics and graffiti.

A huge number of wild animals died in the Colosseum arena (sources say that 9,000 animals were killed in the first days of opening alone). Even if this figure is exaggerated, we can say with confidence that a large number of animals died for fun in the arenas of Roman amphitheaters. Bears were captured in Caledonia (Scotland) and Pannonia (now Hungary and Austria); lions and panthers - in the province of Numidia in Africa (currently Algeria and Tunisia), tigers in Persia, crocodiles and rhinoceroses in India.

Capturing animals and transporting them in good condition over thousands of kilometers was extremely expensive. The animals had to be caught alive, and this posed the main danger. The animals were caught in traps, put in cages, and fed all the way to their destination to ensure they arrived in good condition. The hunt for large animals is reflected in numerous mosaics and paintings depicting the search, capture, transportation, and finally the kill. The costs were enormous, so the provinces of the Roman Empire were subject to special taxes so that Rome could organize hunting in the amphitheater arenas.

Tourism

Today the Colosseum is Rome's main tourist attraction, welcoming millions of tourists every year. Thanks to reconstruction in 2010, for the first time in the modern history of the amphitheater, the underground tunnels in which shackled gladiators once waited to enter the arena are open to the public. Also restored and reopened (for the first time since 1970) was the third tier of the Colosseum, from where Rome's middle class watched the desperate battles in the arena. Tours are for groups of 25 people and must be booked in advance. The wooden walkway in the center that you see in the last photo is the result of the latest renovation.

Although the Colosseum has lost its former grandeur, it is still used for various events. From time to time the Pope holds services here. Famous performers held their concerts under the shadow of the ancient monument: Paul McCartney, Elton John, Ray Charles, Billy Joel. On July 7, 2007, it was included in the list of one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, the only European nominee.