Construction started in 72 AD and the first gladiator fight was held in 80 AD! This is also one of the reasons why it’s damaged because much of the stones were moved and used to build other structures in Rome, such as the St Peter’s Basilica. The Colosseum was built on a man-made lake. This famous Roman monument has been the scene of some of the most horrific events in human history. (and let’s be honest, who would?

The Colosseum is one of the new seven wonders of the world, 4.

Romans used to seek pleasure from watching mass executions. After that, the infamous roman emperor Nero built a pleasure palace called Domus Aurea (the Golden House) for himself. The word coliseum refers to any large amphitheater used for entertainment. How many of these Colosseum facts did you know? Leave a comment below! The Colosseum is elliptical, and is 189 meters (615 ft) long and 156 meters (510 ft) wide with a base area of 24,000 m² (6 acres) and a height of 48 meters (157 ft.) The Colosseum was then, and … The audience would arrive through a passageway into the amphitheater called vomitorium. When the Colosseum opened, Emperor Titus celebrated with 100 days of games. In the morning there was animal hunting and punishment by exposure to animals. So in order to have maximum excitement (by dragging out the combat) for the spectators, roman architects built it in oval shape. He gave out pottery shards with numbers for attendees to get their food. You can explore these tunnels in this, The arena was covered in sand to absorb the bloodshed by the gladiators, animals, and criminals sentenced to execution. In 217 CE, a fire broke out due to lightning striking the top floor of the building. They used to call these battles naumachiae, meaning ‘sea warfare’ in Greek. 60,000 slaves (mostly Jewish) built the Colosseum. It was also a source of mass entertainment for romans since they loved spectacles.

This is because exotic animals and gladiators who were killed during the combat were taken away through this gate. Colosseum Facts. But do you know all the facts about the Colosseum? A catalog was compiled of the flora in the Colosseum in 1643- over 300 different species were found. The southern side of this structure was destroyed during the earthquake in 1349.

It was also recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980, and still today it holds the record for being the largest amphitheater in the world. Colosseum is famous for gladiator combats, wild animal hunts and sea battles. It helped people forget Emperor Nero. 2) Made from stone and concrete, this magnificent monument was built with the man power of tens of thousands of slaves. It wasn’t until the year 1000 that Colosseum was used in reference to the Amphitheater. These discs were placed at the upper layer of amphitheater and symbolized the shields that romans had captured. In reality, if a gladiator was stuck to a corner, he would be killed because there was no way he could fight back from there. Vespasian paid for this grand structure out of the booty of war. It took around six to eight years to build this amphitheater. The one in Rome is spelled differently and capitalized. Emperors Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian helped build it. After that, the wooden structures underneath were set on fire and eventually the whole building collapsed. The entire amphitheater consisted of three stories. Emperor Nero made a huge villa. The columns in each level of the building were made up of different designs. Finally, the upper level columns were Corinthian design.

After going through all of the red tape to film in the arena, director Ridley Scott decided that the Colosseum just wasn’t big enough. After that, they were hurled into the arena for real so that they would be killed in an appalling scene. There were moveable shades that covered the entire Colosseum to provide relief from the sun. In the morning, romans would stage sea battles. This was known as Naumachia, which means “naval combat”. The west exit was called the Gate of Death because this was the exit dead gladiators were carried through. Coinage was also minted in order to celebrate the inauguration. There were 160 bronze statues under the arches of the building. What’s more amazing about, Now let’s go back in time and dive right into the, Roman Colosseum History – Complete and Interesting Colosseum Facts for Kids. Copyright 2012 - 2020 Swedish Nomad - Travel Blog | All Rights Reserved, 3.

However, they were about 100 meters away from the arena. Entrance was FREE for all residents. These four special entrance gates were not numbered and located on east, west and north, south of the building. This amphitheater remained as the bloody fighting venue for about 450 years. During the breaks there were executions. Archaeologists discovered the inscription on a marble slab made up of bronze letters. During the breaks there were executions. Since that name doesn’t roll off the tongue, eventually it became known as the Colosseum. In the morning there was animal hunting and punishment by exposure to animals. The grand amphitheater stands more than 160 feet high and with a clear span of up to 2,000 feet, it is arguably the largest amphitheater ever built.

However, he was passed away in 79 CE. Even though it is heavily damaged, it was chosen as one of the new seven wonders of the world in 2007. Perhaps the greatest symbol of the Italian capital, and one of the most well known structures on the planet, t he Colosseum is an architectural & engineering wonder. Gladiators could win their freedom if they served a long time or won many fights, and was granted freedom by the emperor. After the inauguration, the structure was decorated with sparkling bronze discs. Roman builders used iron clamps (instead of mortar) to fix the travertine stones on the outer wall of the amphitheater.

If the event lasted a few days, weeks, or even months, he sometimes provided free food. Colosseum Fun Facts: Glory Days. Seating in the Colosseum was separated by sections for class segregation. At the colosseum, the final gladiator combat was recorded in around 404 CE. The construction began in 72 AD by order from Emperor Vespasian, who died before it was finished. It was a blood arena for humans as well, and more than 500,000 people are estimated to have been killed or died from their wounds. The Colosseum measure 620 feet (189m) long, 511 feet (156m) wide, and 164 feet (50m) tall. It took more than 30 years to rebuild the structure to its original shape. When the Colosseum opened, Emperor Titus celebrated with 100 days of games. During each season, about 11,000 animals were slaughtered. Contrary to many other historical buildings, the Colosseum was not built for the Emperor but rather built as a gift to the Roman people. To further create excitement and surprises for the gladiator games and various battles performed, there were at least 36 trap doors installed. In the colosseum, the best seats were located behind the podium. The Emperor used this as a way to get favor with his subjects. There was also a fourth story that contained holes just like windows.

These letters were inscribed on the orders of Vespasian.