Architecture of the ancient Roman Empire is one of the most extraordinary constructions of all time. The Romans made great use of many architectural shapes such as arches and columns. Using these they were able to build monstrous buildings of worship, entertainment, and other services. The one of these building is the Flavian Amphitheater or commonly known as the Colosseum. Although many people perceive the great structure from the outside and admire it to be a magnificent building of the ancient world, its past has a gruesome activity which can be said to be the symbol of bloodlust of the Romans.
Considered to be the most famous building Roman architecture, the Colosseum was initially built by the Emperor Vespasian in AD72 and took only 8 years to finish the construction in AD80 in the time of his son, Emperor Titus. Building this gigantic construction within a few years shows the great power that Roman Empire had in that time. Imagine that two thousand years ago, there was no specialist in engineering and no technology of construction such as machinery, still they could build this unbelievable amphitheater which could seat more than 50,000 spectators. It was such a greatest feat in that time.
Besides, the Colosseum was decorated from the lowest floor to the highest one which all of them were decorated in Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian style at the first floor to the third floor respectively and the forth floor have a huge awning which shades spectators from the sun. There are about 80 gates for entry and exit that all of spectators could go out in less than 15 minutes. Interior of the Colosseum was built in the form of an ellipse that made a vast central arena. The floor was made of wood covered with sand. There were many underground chambers below that floor which can be easily seen with the naked eyes nowadays. All of these things indicate the wealthiness of the Roman Empire.
But in behind-the-scene facts, there was a purposeful reason of building this magnificent theater. It was for watching people killing each other as an entertainment for the spectators. That was the cruelest sports ever existed in this world watching, cheering the gladiators – slaves that were forced and trained to fight to their death for entertaining upper class people. For the first 100 days after finishing building the Colosseum, there was a bloody ceremony letting those slave gladiators fighting to their deaths all day all night long. Moreover, there was a fight between a gladiator and wild African beasts such as lions, tigers, giraffes, hippopotamus, and others. A slave fighter was given only a dagger or a small sword to fight and survive, of course there were many of them got killed by those beasts. Some times the Emperor wanted to see the Sea Battle in the arena so the Colosseum were flood with tons of water inside and the gladiators had to fight each other by using small ships. That was not only a play but a real battle. A large number of slave gladiators were killed in that arena. The Romans seemed to love what they were participated with.
All of these bloody sports showed the negative side of the people who called themselves civilized. Although the Colosseum was built to be a glorious architecture of the Roman Empire, its purpose showed the low level of moral standard of the Roman people who watched other human being died as an entertainment. However, this is the view looking from a modern. If it was seen from the ancient Romans view, it would absolutely be in the different way as they could do everything with slaves. At that time, one might have not much choice but to participate with the crowds to the games as not knowing any better.
Considered to be the most famous building Roman architecture, the Colosseum was initially built by the Emperor Vespasian in AD72 and took only 8 years to finish the construction in AD80 in the time of his son, Emperor Titus. Building this gigantic construction within a few years shows the great power that Roman Empire had in that time. Imagine that two thousand years ago, there was no specialist in engineering and no technology of construction such as machinery, still they could build this unbelievable amphitheater which could seat more than 50,000 spectators. It was such a greatest feat in that time.
Besides, the Colosseum was decorated from the lowest floor to the highest one which all of them were decorated in Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian style at the first floor to the third floor respectively and the forth floor have a huge awning which shades spectators from the sun. There are about 80 gates for entry and exit that all of spectators could go out in less than 15 minutes. Interior of the Colosseum was built in the form of an ellipse that made a vast central arena. The floor was made of wood covered with sand. There were many underground chambers below that floor which can be easily seen with the naked eyes nowadays. All of these things indicate the wealthiness of the Roman Empire.
But in behind-the-scene facts, there was a purposeful reason of building this magnificent theater. It was for watching people killing each other as an entertainment for the spectators. That was the cruelest sports ever existed in this world watching, cheering the gladiators – slaves that were forced and trained to fight to their death for entertaining upper class people. For the first 100 days after finishing building the Colosseum, there was a bloody ceremony letting those slave gladiators fighting to their deaths all day all night long. Moreover, there was a fight between a gladiator and wild African beasts such as lions, tigers, giraffes, hippopotamus, and others. A slave fighter was given only a dagger or a small sword to fight and survive, of course there were many of them got killed by those beasts. Some times the Emperor wanted to see the Sea Battle in the arena so the Colosseum were flood with tons of water inside and the gladiators had to fight each other by using small ships. That was not only a play but a real battle. A large number of slave gladiators were killed in that arena. The Romans seemed to love what they were participated with.
All of these bloody sports showed the negative side of the people who called themselves civilized. Although the Colosseum was built to be a glorious architecture of the Roman Empire, its purpose showed the low level of moral standard of the Roman people who watched other human being died as an entertainment. However, this is the view looking from a modern. If it was seen from the ancient Romans view, it would absolutely be in the different way as they could do everything with slaves. At that time, one might have not much choice but to participate with the crowds to the games as not knowing any better.
2 comments:
A.Jasper. What happen about his blog! That's my name, Verawat J. 4918864 Sec.883, not Ekkawit K. 4918823 Sec.882. Please change his blog's name. He isn't me! we're not twins!
I changed it already. My apologies.
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