The Colosseum is probably the most impressive building of the Roman Empire. Originally known as the Flavian Amphitheater, it was the largest building of the era. The monumental structure has fallen into ruin, but even today it is an imposing and beautiful sight.
It is the largest amphitheatre in the world, is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire, built of concrete and stone. It is considered one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and Roman engineering.
The Building
The elliptical building is immense, measuring 188m by 156m and reaching a height of more than 48 meters. The magnificent structure was clad in marble and 160 larger-than-life statues graced the arches on the upper floors.
Exterior
The outer wall is estimated to have required over 100,000 cubic meters of travertine stone. However, it has suffered extensive damage over the centuries, with large segments having collapsed following earthquakes. The north side of the perimeter wall is still standing; the distinctive triangular brick wedges at each end are modern additions, having been constructed in the early 19th century to shore up the wall. The remainder of the present-day exterior of the Colosseum is in fact the original interior wall.
Interior
The Colosseum could accommodate 87,000 people, although modern estimates
put the figure at around 50,000. They were seated in a tiered
arrangement that reflected the rigidly stratified nature of Roman
society.
The tier above the senators, known as the maenianum primum, was occupied by the non-senatorial noble class or knights. The next level up, the maenianum secundum, was originally reserved for ordinary Roman citizens and was divided into two sections. The lower part was for wealthy citizens, while the upper part
was for poor citizens. Specific sectors were provided for other social
groups: for instance, boys with their tutors, soldiers on leave, foreign
dignitaries, scribes, heralds, priests and so on. Stone seating was provided for the citizens and nobles, who presumably
would have brought their own cushions with them. Inscriptions
identified the areas reserved for specific groups.
At night
Today
The Colosseum today is now a major tourist attraction in Rome with
thousands of tourists each year paying to view the interior arena. There is now a museum dedicated to Eros
located in the upper floor of the outer wall of the building. Part of
the arena floor has been re-floored. Beneath the Colosseum, a network of
subterranean passageways once used to transport wild animals and
gladiators to the arena opened to the public in summer 2010.
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