colosseumFunctional architecturePaul Artus p.37Workbooks p.38

Location: RomeArchitectural type: functional. Amphitheatre, largest of all.

Purposes: Colosseum was built as a mass entertainment venue. It often held gladiator fights & wild animal hunts. There is a performance area and a seating area for spectators. It provided excellent propaganda for the Emperor Vespasian. (Vespasian wanted to restore popular support by returning public land that had been taken by Nero).

Dates of construction: (Built between 70-80 AD )Built by Emperors of the Flavian Dynasty. The building had reached the top of the 2nd level when Vespasian died in 79AD. His son Titus added the 3rd and 4th levels and celebrated the dedication of the enlardged stucture in AD80. Further minor additions were made by Titus brother, Domitian.

History of the site: Vespasian built the colosseum in the grounds of Neros Golden House.

This was a clever move because Nero had taken land after the fire in Rome. He had built an artificial lake.

Now Vespasian was returning to the Roman people land that Nero had taken for his own pleasure. Vespasian was a humble man who sympathised with his subjects.

Origin of name and variations: The colossuem was originally called the Flavian Amphitheatre (Amphitheatreatrum Flavian), after the Emperors who built it. It was not called the colosseum until the Medieval period, and was perhaps named this because of the large statue of Nero next to it. This statue was later changed to represent the sun god, Apollo.

Dimensions and attendance figures: Arena 86x54m oval shape. Ground floor arches were 7.05m highthe 2nd level 6.45m and 3rd 6.40m highCould take 50, 000 people

Drainage of the site had to be arranged before any construction could beginThe natural flow of water through the excavated hollow was useful for staging mock sea battles in the arenaThe structure goes down 6.08 m to a brick pavement. It has been excavated to reveal the remains of dens for wild beasts & other featuresExcavated site

constructionThe workers had to drain the Stagnum which Emperor Nero had flooded prior.

After the Stagnum was emptied, they had to lay down the foundation.

From there they added many levels and built an amazing system beneath the floor where the warriors battle on.

Beneath it was a massive system of pulleys, levers, ropes, bridge etc. Their Purpose was not only do the warriors fight each other they were forced To fight animals such as tigers and elephants.

The floor of the arena itself was made of wood, covered with sand for gladitorial combats & wild beast fights

It is elliptical (86m x 54m)

For the spectators protection against the wild beast attacks, a fence surrounded the fighting areaBehind this and on a platform about 4m above the arena was the podium for distinguised spectators (usually city officials)Above this was the cavea, where most of the seating was placed, consisting of 2 main sections one of 20 rows of marble seats- One of 16 rows (the tall vaults behind supported the upper level

These sections were divided into wedges by steps and aisles that led down from the internal passages (vomitoria). A wall rose up 5m behind the upper section and was pierced by windows and doors that linked to a corridor behind on this wall was a colonnade with seats for women behind.

On the roof of this area was standing room for 5,000 of the poorest classes.

The emperor had an arena which he entered through a triple archway on the north side. The consuls sat in a box directly opposite to which they also gained access through a triple entrance way, on the south side. Women were only allowed in the top storey of the amphitheatre. Exceptions to this rule were female members of the ruling family and the vestal virgins who sat by the ringside.

Terms:Flavian emperors Vespasian, Titus and Domitian, (from the Flavian Dynasty)Cavea Auditorium the tierd seating areaVomitoria the passage ways into the theatreTravertine the type of marble used for construction

One problem associated with the architecture was how to build a structure capable of supporting its own weight & 50,00 spectators.The architect made extensive use of arch and vault:To lighten the loadTo spread the strainAnd chose his building materials based on their strengthThe stepped seating was 37 degree angle essential to lessen the weightDeep concreteFoundations: 52m wide12m deep

Length of external axis: 188mCapacity: 50,000Shape: ellipticalFunction of columns: decorative3 ways in which the structure was imperial propaganda: Its huge size largest amphitheatre ever builtReturning land taken by Nero made Vespasian more popularMade the people feel better and more important with grand-scale entertainment

What was the role of the Velarium (workbooks p.44)?It was a huge canvas awning that could be rolled into place above the seating area. It was put in to shield the harmful rays of the hotMediterranean sun. It was fastened to a series of poles that ran around the exterior rim of the top storey. 100 sailors from Misenum were employed to erect the awning and to maintain the yards of rigging that was involved, to ensure it worked correctly.

In the picture you can see how the Velarium looks when it isClosed with just a hole in the middle for sunlight.

What was done to ensure that there was ease of access for spectators to their seats?76 out of a total of 80 arches served as the chief entrances and exits. Wooden barriers were set up to funnel the spectators in an orderly manner. There was a number engraved above each external arch. People had wooden tickets with the number of the entrance they were meant to go in.

There were 4 arches at each axis that were not numbered. The two on the north and south were for the imperial family

Materials used:travertine pavement 17.05m wide. Travertine was also used for the piers on the 1st 2 levels.Above the 2nd floor concrete was used, with brick facing, where there was more intense pressureThe fact that the structure exists today, underlines the stability of the original design & materials.The exterior is decorated with a faade of engaged columns & pilasters that serve no structural purpose but that display the use of the old Greek architectural orders the half columns of the 1st 3 levels from the ground floor up are:DoricIonicCorinthianThe top storey has corinthian pilasters

Statues stood originally in the arches of the 2nd and 3rd levels- but have not survived.

Colosseum at night