Interesting facts about the Colosseum

The ancient Colosseum building for mass entertainment, located at the base of two of the seven hills of the city - the Capitol and Palatine, is considered one of the symbols of Ancient Rome, and since 1979 is protected by UNESCO.

This article contains interesting facts about the Colosseum, one of the most popular architectural monuments of the Roman Empire. The Colosseum may not have been built, but the Roman Emperor Flavius Titus Vespasianus (senior) decided to eliminate the traces of the reign of Claudius Nero. Construction of the building began on the site of the pond with swans in 70 year. The Colosseum's opening was in the year 80, during the reign of the son of Titus, who was the representative of the Flavian (dynasty Emperor). Therefore, in historical documents the Colosseum was often called "Flavian Amphitheater". By order of Nero, architect Zenodoros was made in the Imperial honor of a statue in the image of the Colossus of Rhodes (big size statue of the Sun God – Helios) and got the name "Colossus of Nero". Initially Colossus was installed in the Palace of Nero. Emperor Adrian, after the death of Nero, near the Colosseum was built a stone Foundation, which was placed transferred from the Palace statue. The sculpture itself before our time have not survived, and the pedestal, the marble was removed from the square of the Coliseum in 1930. Most amphitheaters in Ancient Greece were built by digging a certain area on the slopes of the hills. The Colosseum, having the shape of an ellipse, was built of stone. The Colosseum was built for all the Romans, but the rich estate was seated separately from the rest of the poor population of Rome. The amphitheater could accommodate 50 thousand people. Popular entertainment for the Romans was Gladiator fights, which were forced to participate criminals, slaves, prisoners of war. But also volunteers took part in this kind of competition. In addition to fighting between people of arranged fights with animals. Gladiator, to stay alive and be a winner, had to kill a wild animal released from a cage into the arena. Ancient chroniclers noted that during the Grand opening of the Colosseum, which lasted 123 days, about 11 thousand animals were killed in the arena: elephants, tigers, lions, bears, buffaloes. During the reign of Emperor Troyan in gladiatorial battles and battles with animals killed about 40 thousand people. Among them were thrown into the arena Christians, who at that time considered the perpetrators of the beginning of the decline of the Roman Empire. Before the reign of the younger son of the Emperor Vespasian, before he built an underground floor under the Coliseum arena to a depth of one meter was flooded with water, and the arena turned into a pool where the entertainment took place the simulation of the sea battles (naumachia). For this purpose, a water supply channel (aqueduct) was built. According to historical documents, when the Roman Empire disintegrated, the Colosseum in the V century ceased to play the role of a place for all sorts of social events and gradually collapsed. Beautiful marble and brick after the earthquake in 847 was used for the construction of Church buildings, and the cellars of the Romans used for growing vegetables. The main part of the marble was used for facing the external facade of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican city. For the first time about the Colosseum, as a historical monument of world culture, spoke the priests of the Catholic Church in the XVIII century. Pope Benedict XIV decided the Colosseum is considered a Holy place. After that, the restoration of the amphitheater, which since 2000 is open to tourists and is considered the most visited monument of world culture. Another interesting fact is the quote, which was expressed by the English chronicler, monk Bede the venerable In one of his works that if the Colosseum falls, then follow him and Rome itself.