 It is a marvellous architectural complex that
doesn't find examples in Roman art. Its real name is Flavian
Amphitheater. It was built in 72 A.D. by an unknown architect. The
Coliseum rises among the Palatine hill, the Celian hill and the Oppian
hill. Its construction was begun by emperor Vespasian and was completed
by his son Titus in 80 A.D. At first, in the amphitheater, gladiatorial
shows, consisting in fights to the death between men and beasts, took
place: it is there that, later on, the first Christians were cruelly
killed by beasts. Afterwards the Coliseum was neglected, which provoked
its rapid deterioration. Pope Benedetto XIV's edict consecrated it to
the memory of the Christian martyrs, putting an end to its slow
destruction. In 1808 it was restored by Pope Pious VII. The Coliseum
consists of four floors: the first three of them have 80 holes shaped
like archs, while the fourth is taller than the others and is
characterized by a more compact building mass with windows. The archs
are separated by pillars with semi-columns of Doric, Ionic and
Corinthian order. Inside, the staircases had a capacity of around 50.000
people, who, in case of bad weather, were sheltered by a system of
coverage consisting of striped cloth, maneuvered by one hundred sailors.
It is the greatest amphitheater of the Roman world. |
