Flavian Amphitheatre: The Colosseum Of Rome

The Colosseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, is an enormous “ellipsoid arena built in the first century CE under dominant and influential Roman emperors of the Flavian Dynasty” (Cartwright, 2012) which took place from 69 to 96 CE. The Flavian Dynasty began when Vespasian succeeded the throne in 69 CE, and his reign lasted for twenty-seven years. During the reign of Vespasian in 72 CE, the construction of the Colosseum began “on the site that was once the lake and gardens of Emperor Nero’s Golden House” (Cartwright, 2012). The Colosseum was built so that it could restore Rome to its former glory prior to the disruption of the recent civil war. According to historians, exactly a day before Vespasian’s death, his eldest son Titus became
The terrace was “protected by a wall within which were the prestigious ring-side seats from where the Emperor and other dignitaries would watch the events” (Cartwright, 2012). Behind this area, marble seats were divided into zones. There were marble seats for the “richer private citizens, middle-class citizens, slaves and foreigners, and lastly, wooden seats on the top tier reserved for women and the poor” (Cartwright, 2012). On the top of a flat roof, platform sailors were employed to manage the large awning which protected the spectators from rain or provided shade on hot days. The various levels of seats were accessed via board staircases with each landing and seat being numbered. Overall, the total capacity was approximately forty-five thousand seated and five thousand standing
Executions were often acceptable, particularly the killing of Christian martyrs; happening when several spectators went for lunch. Christians were thrown to lions, shot down with arrows, roasted alive and killed in a myriad of brutally inventive ways as Christians were seen as an unacceptable challenge to the authority of Pagan Rome and the divinity of the Emperor. Indeed, it is unfortunate to learn about these barbarous and inhumane