The Other Spot

The symbol of an entire empire. That is the Colosseum in Rome. The sample of the full power of a city ruled over a vast empire to the very limits of the East. The Colosseum, the admiration of the world in a glorious time for Rome, the place where lions and Christians, gladiators, games and entertainment served as a company brags about and aware of his greatness.

To put this in that time and recall days of glory, it’s best to go to the area of the Capitol, the Capitol. From this square, we will access to a balcony overlooking the Imperial Forum, the place where all the past lies the Roman Empire, now in ruins. From there one can admire the Circus Maximus, the Roman Forum, Trajan, the Temple of Saturn and Concord, or the Valley of the Amphitheater with the famous Colosseum. From there, we lose sight to years of struggle, domination, of pomp, grandeur, and revive in imagination the society that had us so well in movies like Gladiator.

Background And after that magical paradise full of history, the Flavian Amphitheater, better known as the Colosseum, situated between the hills Palatino, Esquilino and Celio. Over 50 meters high, almost 188 meters in diameter by its longest side and 156 on the minor axis. Even today, in ruins, impressive elegance.

It was built by Vespasian in 72 AD and inaugurated by Titus in 80 AD, following a series of lavish ceremonies and performances that lasted 100 days. Death occurred gladiator fights, wild animal fights, and entry was free. Nearly 55,000 spectators who came for 80 river mouths and the aisle leading to the 160 hydrants where they reached the stands. This was part of a series of amphitheaters that were built and still preserved, apart from the Roman, of El Jem in Tunisia, Nimes and Arles in France or in Verona, northern Italy. Between the V and VI were banned gladiatorial combats and wild animals, and is in the thirteenth century when the Colosseum became a fortress. The latest show from which it is reported is the year 523 under the Gothic king Theodoric. Subsequently, the Amphitheater, become fortress was abandoned, and even some of its stones, like so many other historic buildings of the Imperial Forums were used as quarries for other more modern buildings. Was in the late nineteenth century when the structure was excavated in the sand, and returned to the importance of today have.

The interior of the Colosseum had a central arena made of wood covered with sand, and under which lay a labyrinth of corridors divided into several apartments, where were the dungeons and cages of animals. The grandstands area was called “Cave”, divided into three overlapping areas, plus a fourth wooden bleachers for spectators on foot. Each sector was reserved for the different social classes. At its top, the Colosseum has “velarium, a large tent that protected spectators from the sun and were handled by a special detachment of sailors from the fleet of Naples. The “podium” is where sat the emperor and the principal members of Roman society.

The exterior walls are made of travertine, and columns that are there are Doric the first floor, the second Ionic, and Corinthian the third. In each of the arches you can see, there was a statue, representative of emperors and gods.

Formerly, near the Colosseum, had a giant gilded bronze statue of over 35 feet high: The Colossus of Nero, Xenodoro sculptor, representing the emperor, and that after he died, he replaced the head Along the sun god of the Roman Colosseum and the Colossus, you could admire the temple dedicated to the goddess Venus founder of Rome and the Arch of Constantine.