The World’s Largest Amphitheater
This is The Bloody Colosseum
The Colosseum. For more details on the photo click here.
For 390 years, the Colosseum was a site for death and torture. It was a living horror show involving both animals and humans. Today, it symbolizes a bloody history and a magnificent architectural accomplishment.
The sheer size of the Colosseum is mind-boggling, and its complex structure is a marvel to behold. The grandeur of the amphitheater truly comes to life when tourists enter and exit, their size dwarfed by the magnitude of this structure. The preservation of the Colosseum is equally impressive, with the preserved structure revealing the complexity of the basement and the structure itself.
Believe it or not, there is wildlife. Seagulls and other birds fly around the Colosseum, approaching people without fear.
A Seagull at the Colosseum in Rome Italy.
This beautiful structure, however, has a bloody history.
The Colosseum was used to host gladiatorial shows as well as a variety of other events. The shows, called munera, were always given by private individuals rather than the state. They had a strong religious element but were also demonstrations of power and family prestige and were immensely popular. Another major attraction was the animal hunt, or venatio. This utilized a great variety of wild beasts, mainly imported from Africa and the Middle East, and included creatures such as rhinoceros, hippopotamuses, elephants, giraffes, aurochs, wisents, Barbary lions, panthers, leopards, bears, Caspian tigers, crocodiles and ostriches. Battles and hunts were often staged amid elaborate sets with movable trees and buildings. These events could be huge in scale; Trajan is said to have celebrated his victories in Dacia in 107 with contests involving 11,000 animals and 10,000 gladiators over the course of 123 days. During lunch intervals, executions ad bestias would be staged. Those condemned to death would be sent into the arena, naked and unarmed, to face the beasts of death which would literally tear them to pieces. Acrobats and magicians would also perform, usually during the intervals.
The Colosseum Basement
The Colosseum floor was made of wood and covered in sand. The sand on the floor absorbed blood from the violent battles.
Beneath the sand-covered floor was a complex basement used as an event staging area. The detailed planning and layout demonstrate that this structure is an architectural and structural marvel.
Today, the floor is gone. However, you can see the complex system of the Colosseum floor, which gives you an appreciation of the detailed work performed to construct the amphitheater.
The Colosseum is the world’s largest amphitheater. The restoration of this historic place has been perfect.
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