Events of the Colosseum
When Vespasian became the Emperor of Rome in 69 CE he promised to make a difference. He did not want to live the rich life that Nero, a previous Emperor, had. Vespasian tore down Nero 's Golden House and turned the land into a public park. He also tore down Nero 's giant gold statue called the Colossus. With the money from the statue 's gold, Vespasian built an amphitheater. He called it the Colosseum after the statue. But what exactly was it, and what went on there? The Roman Colosseum was a huge amphitheatre built between 69 and 79 CE (Mann). The events that took place there were gladiatorial combats, wild beast hunts, vaudeville acts, and many types of theatrical entertainment. Among these, the gladiatorial combats and wild beast hunts made up most of the program. Originally, gladiatorial fights began as public funerals to show the amount of wealth a person possessed. By 104 BCE, crowds had become so large; they could only be accommodated by state affairs (Dutemple). When Rome 's republic became imperial, the emperors sought to please the people, and they did this by rewarding the plebeians, Roman common people, with entertainment. Although the original purpose of the Colosseum was entertainment, it was transformed into a medieval fortress in the sixth century CE after being damaged by an earthquake.
The Roman Colosseum is situated in Rome, Italy, between the Esquiline and Palatine Hills (The-colosseum.net). Its construction was planned by Nero, who was the ruler of Rome in the beginning of the first century CE. The structure was originally intended as a larger complex, but the idea was never fulfilled and Nero died before its opening. After three more rulers and many years of anarchy, Vespasian, in 69 CE, became the authority in Rome. He supervised the construction of the Colosseum, and his successor, Titus, finally dedicated the Colosseum in 80 CE (Time-Life Books). Vespasian founded a new dynasty called the Flavian Dynasty, which
The Roman Colosseum is situated in Rome, Italy, between the Esquiline and Palatine Hills (The-colosseum.net). Its construction was planned by Nero, who was the ruler of Rome in the beginning of the first century CE. The structure was originally intended as a larger complex, but the idea was never fulfilled and Nero died before its opening. After three more rulers and many years of anarchy, Vespasian, in 69 CE, became the authority in Rome. He supervised the construction of the Colosseum, and his successor, Titus, finally dedicated the Colosseum in 80 CE (Time-Life Books). Vespasian founded a new dynasty called the Flavian Dynasty, which
Cited: Crystalinks.com. "The Roman Colosseum." Crystalinks.com. 4 May 2008 <http://www.crystalinks.com/colosseum.html>. Dutemple, Lesley A. The Colosseum. Minneapolis, MN: Lerner Publications Company, 2003. Mann, Elizabeth. The Roman Colosseum. New York, NY: Mikaya Press, 1998. The-colosseum.net. The Colossevm . 2006. 2 May 2008 <http://www.the-colosseum.net/>. Time-Life Books. "What Life was Like ." Dersin, Denise. When Rome Ruled the World. Richmond, VA: Time-Life Books, 1997. 132-157. Times, Gladiator History &. Gladiators. 1 January 2008. 3 May 2008 <http://www.murphsplace.com/gladiator/main.html>.