6.Day 3(morning): Roman Coliseum and Forum

Nothing can prepare you to see the Colosseum (also known as Flavian’s Ampitheter) and arches in person! They are massive and the intricate detail of the arches and masterful engineering of the colosseum is mind blowing!

Built in 8 years between 72-80 AD, Colosseum means by the colossus because it was next to a giant statue, which once was of emperor Nero.  Romans used it until 523 AD for gladiator games and wild beast games. Sometimes there were public punishments, but it was not used for chariot races.

Our tour guide, Ilia

There were 160 statues in the windows made of bronze but they were later melted down to make weapons

The cross was gift from Pope John Paul II to celebrate the year 2000

There were elevators/lifts made of pulleys and operated by 8 slaves. This is a civic building in comparison to sacred building, like the Pantheon.  It was free to get in for Roman citizens who paid taxes.

Metal clamps inside holes that kept the blocks attached. Through the small holes they welded the metal together.

Roman road (below)



The brick arches weren’t visible and were used to fortify the walls



Original bricks



This herringbone flooring would be covered. Although beautiful, it’s strength is why the romans used the coliseum








A recreation of the floor on the right. To the left you see the subterranean surface which housed wild animals in cages and pulley systems to raise them from trap doors in the floor.  This wass a civic building in comparison to sacred building, like the Pantheon.  

There were numbers on the arches to help delegate seating areas.

Seating was based on social stature: Nobles and sponsors at the low level, then military, followed by middle class men, and plebeians at top and the highest section sat 20,000 plebeians.  There were numbers on the arches so people knew which section to sit in.  Columns and wood and hold pulley system. They also had awnings made of boat sails.  All the people could exit on 15 minutes

A reconstruction of the seating is below.

If you look closely, you can see “tunnels” of the staining system



The true owner of the colosseum, Nero.



















You can see interior wall and the exterior structures in the picture below.  Renewal was done in 1930s and they rebuilt the missing side of colosseum. 





Constantine’s arch was built in honor of Constantine the Great who was the 1st Christian emperor and respected by the pope 












Keon looking like a model walking down the Roman road from1st century AD

Arch of Titus in honor of the Flavius emperor (Titus) who conquered Jerusalem   

Roman forum.

Stairs

Under the tented structure is where ceasar was creamated