Research Paper On The Colosseum

The Colosseum in Rome, Italy is an impressive ampitheatre that was built by the Ancient Roman society. It was the biggest ampitheatre constructed during Roman times (Benario 255). It is also the largest surviving ampitheatre in history (Benario 255). The construction of the Colosseum began in 72 A.D. under the Roman emperor Vespasian (Hopkins and Beard 2). Vespasian’s son, Titus, was emperor when the construction was completed (Hopkins and Beard 2). It was estimated to be completed around 80 A.D. (Welch 9). The structure itself is comprised of a series of arches and columns, a symbolic style of architecture for the Ancient Roman civilization. It was built with stone that was mixed with brick, and took up four stories over a span of roughly
six acres (Hopkins and Beard 2). It is estimated that the arena had enough seats to hold 87,000 spectators (Hopkins and Beard 2). The Colosseum was used for gladiator fights, which was a very popular activity for the Ancient Romans. In addition to gladiators, slaves and criminals also fought in the Colosseum, sometimes against each other and sometimes against animals such as lions. Often, they were not given weapons and would have to go up against opponents who had experience and training in combat. Many people gathered in large crowds to watch these battles to the death, making it a big part of Roman culture. In addition to the fighting, there were also other types of shows that took place in the Colosseum.