It was
definitely not the place where the good Christians were thrown to the lions.
Nevertheless it is one of Rome's most spectacular structures. The place where
the rulers 'garnered' approbation of the public, it featured endless games specially
designed to tickle the sadistic nature .And as the Empire became larger and the
problems became more acute and immediate, the games increased their cruelty
quotient. After all, a public, distracted from the quotidian problems proves to
be an invaluable asset. So before you get out of an owners direct in Italy you are staying at, you should read these
facts first.
History
Originally
called the amphitheater Flavian or the Colosseum, it was built by the Flavian
emperors to appease the Roman citizens. The existing facility was getting
dilapidated and the Flavian dynasty needed to buy peace. So the land taken by
Nero was snatched back and a coliseum built at the side of an artificial lake
at his residence. It was in use for about 4½ centuries and went through many
vicissitudes including thunderbolts and earthquakes and before wounding up in
523. The changing public taste played a part, but it was more of a case of
financial crunch. The growing military crises needed deployment of vast
resources, and the invasions were draining the empire. The games had become
more or less financially unfeasible.
Structure
It is almost
an eclipse. The structure stands at base of 2 steps and above it 3 floors of
arcades constructed in travertine stone and a fourth story with windows. 80
arches adorn every floor and are divided by pillars with a half column. The
main entrances were the 4 arches on the axes and are marked by a statue and a
porch. Only 31 arches remain out of these. While the Doric style pre-dominates
in the ground floor, the Ionic style is clearly visible on the second. The
arena of the games is 76 x 44 mts and is made of wood covered by yellow sand.
Other building material includes -Tufa blocks, bricks and opus cementicium (concrete made of small lumps of tufa in mortar).
The passages
were decorated with paintings and stuccos. Inside the seating was done in
travertine and was raised at 3.6 mt above the arena. All services needed for the
games were nearby including the cages lifts and trap doors. The gates, stairs
and corridors were designed to allow easy entry and exit to the spectators.
On your
travel to Italy you can only see the north side of the outer walls and
practically the whole skeleton as well as the structure between the inner wall
and the arena.
Games
In this amphitheater
were held the games, the most popular being venatories (hunts) and numera (gladiatorial
games). The ruling class by ambition and law had to organize the games. The
emperor often organized the game to get social sanction to his policy of inaction
elsewhere.
The Ludi
Circenses, or chariot races topped the popularity charts with naval battles
reproduced within special facilities or Naumachiae, coming a close record. Ludi
Gladiatori or Gladiatorial conquests were less frequent but enormously popular
- reproductions. The Naumachiae were reproductions of famous naval battles and
were abominably expensive. Floods as well as ships were often brought in and
the real sailors employed. The Numera became a symbol of the power of aristocrats
and were often used by the nobles to appease the public. Special days were set
aside for the games though eventually everyday became a Sunday.
The greatest
amphitheater is the symbol of both the grand and the cruel. It is indeed an
architectural wonder and has seldom been matched since. On your travel to
Italy, stop at the arch of Constantinople and take a snap shot of history.
0 comments:
Post a Comment