| When Rome dominated the world, one of the most | | | | Colossus showed the face of whatever emperor was |
| popular places for Romans to go for entertainment | | | | in power. When you visit the Colosseum, you will still be |
| was the Flavian Amphitheater. This huge elliptical | | | | able to find the base of the Colossus between the |
| stadium could hold crowds of up to 50,000 citizens in | | | | Venus and the Temple of Roma nearby. |
| the six acres it covered. But it went by another name | | | | The opening of the Colosseum launched a celebration |
| of Il Colosseo or as we call it, The Colosseum. | | | | that lasted 100 days as noblemen and barbarians alike |
| The famous scenes of humans and animals fighting in | | | | visited the stadium. It was quite common when coming |
| the Colosseum that we see in movies are accurate to | | | | for a night of entertainment at the Colosseum to see |
| the kinds of things that went on there in the first | | | | gladiators fight until only one survived or to witness the |
| century. But the centuries have erased any evidence | | | | brutal Roman approach to lion taming and other |
| of those games except for the passageways and | | | | performances that were just as violent to our modern |
| vaults underground where participants in those | | | | minds. |
| spectacles entered the Colosseum or were stored | | | | Where you sat during these spectacles reflected your |
| until it was their time to fight. | | | | rank in society. Naturally the Emperor had the best |
| The Colosseum has taken a lot of damage from fires | | | | seat in the house near the base. The highest levels of |
| and earthquakes since it was active in Roman times. | | | | the stadium were occupied by women who had no |
| But if you visit it, you can still get a feel for the majesty | | | | connection to the Emperor's party. While that is pretty |
| of that original structure. | | | | high up, those citizens could still see the brutal games |
| When you visit the Colosseum and see how large it is | | | | happening on the floor below. The exotic animals such |
| from the top of the structure 157 feet up, you can | | | | as hippopotami, elephants and rhinoceroses that were |
| almost see the huge spectacles that happened there | | | | all part of the huge show going on each night would be |
| so many years ago as though they just happened last | | | | easy to view from anywhere in the stadium. |
| week. Of course the days when slaves and warriors | | | | The more important officials who had the good seats |
| and lions passed through those red brick arches that | | | | in the Colosseum got to sit under masts and velarium |
| are now crumbling are far in the past. But as you walk | | | | which were canopies that helped shade them from |
| the passageways of this fascinating Roman attraction, | | | | the sun as the combat occurred before them. But |
| you can sense the ghosts of those who fought there | | | | those things have long since disappeared to the |
| in the past mixing with the other tourists around you. | | | | ravages of time. The huge columns and walls have |
| The layout of the stadium is by layers - each of which | | | | survived, including the Doric columns at the lowest level, |
| has a great view of the different levels of arches all | | | | to the Ionic columns on level two and then finishing with |
| around the huge space of the Colosseum. As you sit | | | | the Corinthian at the third level. |
| on those ancient seats, it's easy to hear from the past | | | | As a tourist, you will be overwhelmed at all of the |
| the crowd explode with excitement when the | | | | architecture you see at the Colosseum site and you |
| Emperor came in with his entourage through one of | | | | will recognize the designs because they have been |
| the four gates that were only for him. There are 76 | | | | used in stadiums all over the globe. The Colosseum |
| other entrances around the stadium that average | | | | was the first arena of this kind and it was also the |
| citizens of Rome were allowed to use. | | | | biggest and most famous structure of its kind. Before |
| It is interesting that it was a 130 foot tall statue named | | | | the building of this mighty stadium, previous arenas |
| "the Colossus" that gave the stadium its common | | | | were hollowed out of hillsides for smaller events. You |
| name way back in 80 AD when it finally opened for | | | | can still see some of those stadiums around Rome as |
| public use after 15,000 slaves labored for 8 years to | | | | well. |
| build it. The reason that statue was so popular is many | | | | Your visit to Rome will be a fulfilling experience for |
| thought it looked like Nero. But over the years the | | | | sure if you include a trip to the Colosseum. |