The Roman Colosseum as Art: Purpose & Layout

Introduction

The Roman Colosseum is an architectural marvel and one of the world's wonders. Situated in Rome, the ruins stand tall that serves as an example of the expertise of the people of those times. The Flavian emperors built this giant theater, and the construction began around 70 and 72 CE. Located on Palatine hill, the artificial lake was the main focus of the place was drained out, and the place was readied to build the massive Colosseum.

It could house more than 50,000 spectators and was used for many entertainment purposes, like gladiator fights and combat by hands between animals and humans.

Name

The Colosseum has a history of more than 2,000 years, but it does not have this original name; it was named Flavian Amphitheatre previously, the great Nero statue was placed at the entrance of the Domus Area named the “ Colossus Rome” under the Emperor Nero.

The Colosseum was built several times, and due to several natural disasters like earthquakes, the structure was destroyed and rebuilt several times under different emperors.

History

The Colosseum's construction started around 72 CE under the Vespasian empire and concluded under emperor Titus in the year 80CE. Emperor Domitian built the remaining structure in the year 82 CE.

After the successful completion of this amphitheater, it became the most famous architectural structure in the world. It is also said that Emperor Titus paid for it from the plunder he gathered from the sack of Jerusalem. The Jewish slaves of the Judea were used to build the Colosseum.

Physical Description

The Colosseum was built for entertainment purposes and, unlike the other Roman Forums built at that time that was built on hillsides, it was built on flat ground and was a free-standing structure; it was elliptical, which was very difficult to build in those times, it could fit in more than 50,000 spectators at once when it was used, the Emperor and his family used to sit and enjoy the spectacle.

A marking system was used to differentiate between classes of people, and they used to sit according to that. It was easy for the upper class to enter and leave the premises at their own will as seats were designed in a way that was bigger than other seats.

The interior of the structure of the Colosseum was 312 feet wide and 620 feet long, and 80 arches supported the three floors. The statutes were situated on the second and third floors in the archway. The emperor and the senate used different entrances, and even the gladiators had different entrances.

Major Greek influences in the Colosseum, Tucson, Corinthian, and doric columns were used on all the floors. The materials used in the construction were concrete for the interior, and to give a polished look, the exterior was in marble and travertine.

Use

The major use of the Colosseum was. made during the gladiatorial fights and private shows called Munera was conducted for private upper-class people as it was considered powerful and portrayed their dominance.

Venatio, another type of entertainment show that included animal hunts, was performed at the Colosseum. There were also human fights, animal fights, charioteer fights, and cosplay as; well humans dressed as animals used to dress as a lion, and they used to fight each other.

Significance in Christianity

According to church history and tradition, Christians typically view the Colosseum as the location of the mass martyrdom of Christians, where the Roman empire oppressed them for their beliefs.

Because they were guilty of atheism, the Christians were categorized as other criminals. Someone who does not believe in God is typically called an atheist. However, those who refused to acknowledge their gods or their emperor as a god were considered atheists by the Romans.

Flora

The Colosseum was also a popular destination for botanists because it was home to 420 different plant species, some unique to Europe. Deakin, a botanist, put in a lot of effort in the 1850s to catalog the numerous plant species growing in the Colosseum.

The climatic changes in Rome over the centuries are used to explain plant variation. In addition, intentional species transport, bird migration, flower blooming, Rome's expansion, which moved the Colosseum from the outskirts of the ancient city to the heart of the modern one, and the growth of Rome are all contributing factors. Another frequently cited justification is the seeds' unintentional transportation on or in animal feces.

Conclusion

The colosseum was built for entertainment purposes, and the Romans at that time took pleasure in deadly sports and were mesmerized by death. Many human beings and animals were killed in this place for fun and in the name of sports.

The brutality was at its prime, and the ruins of the Colosseum are a reminder of the violent past of the Roman empire.

FAQs

Q1. Why was the Colosseum a monument of destruction?

The Colosseum was a monument of destruction as it was used for fighting with gladiators, executions, and killings of animals.

Q2. Why is the Colosseum considered an architectural marvel?

The Colosseum is considered an architectural marvel because of the use of stairs and columns in those primitive times when it was unheard of.

Q3. Why were Christians persecuted in the Colosseum?

The Christians were persecuted in the Colosseum as they did not believe in the emperor as God.