The Colosseum, or Flavian Amphitheater, was conceived by the Emperor Vespasian, and
construction began under his reign. But it was finished in the year 80 A.D. by his sons, Titus and Domitian.
The Colosseum was the greatest architectural achievement of the Roman empire, and it served as a model
for all other amphitheaters throughout the empire. The upper part of the Colosseum was originally made of
wood, but were converted to stone after the year 223 . Its outer framework and structure were composed of
gigantic blocks of travertine, which is a type of limestone. The rest of the structure was composed of
softer, lighter stone, and was usually faced with marble. To protect the spectators from the sun and rain,
the Colosseum was covered by a removable awning. It was anchored by 240 timber poles that rose above
the outer screen wall and was maneuvered by a special detachment of sailors sent up from the naval base at
Misenum, on the Gulf of Naples.
The Colosseum rises 150 ft, and is divided into four stories. The facade of the Colosseum included
all three types of columns: Doric, Ionian, and Corinthian. The upper part of the structure contained many
statues, but none of these remain. The columns on the outside of the Colosseum followed a strict order: Doric was at the bottom because it was the heaviest, followed by Ionian and Corinthian.
The interior of the Colosseum consisted of the arena, which was a wooden floor that sustained a
bed of sand. It covered an area of about 76m by 46m. The stands were divided by classes, with the places
on the top being assigned to the least important, although everyone enjoyed free entry.
(The pcitures show the floor of the Colosseum and the Arch of Constantine that is next to the Colosseum)
The Colosseum could accommodate about 70,000 people who came to watch the gladiatorial
combats and wild beast hunts. In order to protect the spectators, a metal mesh carried on poles, and spiked
with elephant tusks surrounded the arena. The top of the mesh was covered with ivory rollers so that the
animals could not get a foothold and jump into the stands. But just to be on the safe side, there were
always archers posted in the bottom tiers.
The last show that was held in the Colosseum was held in 523 A.D. under Theodoric, King of
Ostrogoths. It consisted only of animal hunt because gladiatorial fighting was abolished in 438 A.D., almost
40 years before the fall of the Empire.
