The most famous ruin in the world, the trademark of ancient Rome, the Colosseum, perhaps never would have been built, had Vespasian not decided to destroy the traces of the reign of his predecessor Nero. As part of this program, a grandiose amphitheater for 70,000 spectators was erected on the site of the pond with swans that adorned the Golden Palace - the largest circus of the Empire ...

Games in honor of its discovery (in 80 AD) continued non-stop for 100 days; during this time, 2,000 gladiators and 5,000 wild animals tore and slaughtered each other. In this review, the most interesting and little-known facts about one of the main attractions of Rome.

Colosseum - "Flavian Amphitheater"

Flavian Amphitheatre.

The Colosseum was built around 70 AD. emperor Vespasian, and it was discovered by his son Titus in 80 AD. Vespasian and his sons Titus and Domitian (who reigned 81-96) belonged to the Flavian dynasty. Therefore, the Colosseum was often called the "Flavian amphitheater".

Giant statue of Nero at the Colosseum

Statue of Nero.

Nero, who went down in history thanks to despotism and the murder of members of his family, ordered the construction of a giant bronze statue in his honor near the place where the Colosseum was later erected.

The statue was made after the model of the Colossus of Rhodes, its height exceeded 30 meters, and it was called the Colossus of Nero. It is because of this statue that the Colosseum got its name.

The Colosseum was built on the site of a former lake

Golden House of Nero. Reconstruction.

Nero's pleasure palace, the so-called "Golden House" (Domus Aurea), was built after a fire in 64 (a number of buildings in Rome burned down and a lot of free space was freed up). Near the palace was an artificial lake.

After Nero's suicide in 68 and a brief period of civil wars, Vespasian became emperor in 69, after which the Golden House was destroyed. The baths of Trajan were built in its place. The lake was filled up, and in its place began to build the Colosseum.

The Colosseum was built in just 10 years

Emperor Titus Flavius ​​Vespasian.

After the siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD, Vespasian used some of the booty from the Jerusalem Temple to begin work on an amphitheater for Roman citizens. Although Vespasian died before the building was completed, his son Titus completed the Colosseum.

The largest ever built

The Colosseum is the largest amphitheater in the world.

The Colosseum was built of concrete and stone, unlike most of the amphitheatres of the time, which were simply dug into the hillsides. The elliptical structure is 188 meters long, 155 meters wide and 48 meters high, making it the largest amphitheater in the world.

The amphitheater had sectors for different classes

The Colosseum was intended for all Roman citizens.

Although the Colosseum was intended for all Roman citizens, both rich and poor, spectators were seated in different sectors based on their social status and wealth.

The lower row, or podium, was intended exclusively for the emperor, his family, senators and vestals, and the emperor had a special, elevated seat. The podium was separated from the arena by a parapet high enough to protect spectators from the attack of animals released on it.

This was followed by places for the public, forming three tiers, corresponding to the tiers of the facade of the building. In the first tier, which included 20 rows of benches, the city authorities and persons belonging to the estate of horsemen sat; the second tier, consisting of 16 rows of benches, was intended for people with the rights of Roman citizenship.

The wall separating the second tier from the third was quite high, while the benches of the third tier were located on a steeper sloping surface; this device was intended to give visitors to the third tier the opportunity to better see the arena and everything that happens on it.

The spectators of the third tier belonged to the lower classes - poor citizens, slaves and women. In most cases, these were standing places.

The Colosseum held 50,000 people

According to the Chronograph of 354, the amphitheater could hold about 87,000 people, but according to modern estimates, the Colosseum can only accommodate 50,000 people.

The width of each seat was about 35 centimeters, but there was always a rush during gladiator fights.

Fights between gladiators were carefully planned

Volunteers fought in the Colosseum for the entertainment of the Romans.

For more than four centuries, thousands of slaves, prisoners of war, criminals, former military personnel and even volunteers fought in the Colosseum for the entertainment of the Romans.

The fights were not at all chaotic, but somewhat similar to modern boxing - gladiators were carefully classified according to their height, strength, experience, skill level and fighting style.

The Colosseum became a graveyard for thousands of animals

Animal fights.

Along with fighting between people, the Romans also had fights with animals such as elephants, tigers, lions, bears, hippos, etc.

During the opening ceremony of the Colosseum, 9,000 animals were killed, and during the 123-day festival held by Emperor Trajan, 11,000 animals died.

Naval battles were held in the Colosseum

The Colosseum was periodically flooded.

Before the underground floor was built during the time of Domitian to house the equipment, animals, fighters and workers of the Colosseum, the arena was periodically flooded to a depth of about a meter to arrange sea battles (naumachia). A special aqueduct was used to supply water.

The building has been abandoned for centuries

The Colosseum was abandoned until the 18th century.

After gladiator fights lost their appeal and the Roman Empire fell in the 5th century, the Colosseum ceased to be the site of large public events, and was subsequently partially destroyed by an earthquake and lightning strike.

It was abandoned until the 18th century, when the Catholic Church decided that a similar site should be preserved.

The Colosseum was partially taken away for building materials

Lateran Basilica.

The beautiful marble that was used in the Colosseum attracted looters and builders, who began removing the stone from the former amphitheater for the construction of the Cathedral of St. John, the Lateran Basilica, the Palazzo Venezia and many other projects.

They wanted to set up a wool factory in the Colosseum

Inside the colosseum.

The hypogeum (underground floor) was eventually filled with mud and earth, and for centuries the Romans planted their vegetable gardens and used the space for cellars there, while blacksmiths and merchants used the archways above.

Pope Sixtus V, who helped rebuild Rome in the late 16th century, planned to rebuild the Colosseum into a wool factory. But after the death of Sixtus in 1590, this project was abandoned.

The most attractive place in Rome for tourists

Palatine hill.

Along with the Vatican and its shrines, the Colosseum is the second most visited site in Italy and the most visited monument in Rome. the amphitheater is visited by about six million tourists a year. A two-day ticket to the Colosseum and Palatine Hill costs 12 euros (about $13).

The Colosseum has been partially restored

$ 33 million for the reconstruction of the Coliseum.

Italian Minister of Culture Dario Franceschini has announced a $20 million renovation of the Colosseum, which will include restoring the floor of the arena.

And in 2013, billionaire Diego Della Valle provided $33 million for a renovation of the Colosseum, which includes repairing the arches, cleaning the marble, restoring the brick walls, replacing the metal railings, and building a new visitor center and café.

Incredible Facts

Forgotten and neglected, the 2000-year-old Roman Colosseum holds many secrets and there are many interesting facts associated with it.

Ancient Colosseum in Rome

1. Its real name is the Flavian Amphitheatre.

The construction of the Colosseum began in 72 AD. e. by order of the emperor Vespasian. In 80 AD e., under the emperor Titus (son of Vespasian), the construction was completed. Together with Titus, from 81 to 96, Domitian (Tito's brother) ruled the country. All three were of the Flavian dynasty, and in Latin the Colosseum was called Amphitheatrum Flavium.

2. There was a time when next to the Colosseum there was a giant statue of Nero - the Colossus of Nero.

The infamous emperor Nero erected a giant bronze statue of himself, 35 meters high.

Initially, this statue was located in the lobby of the Golden House of Nero, but under Emperor Hadrian, it was decided to move the statue closer to the amphitheater. Some believe the Colosseum was renamed after the Colossus of Nero.

3. The Colosseum was built on the site of a former lake.

The golden house of Nero was built after the Great Fire of 64, and on its territory there was an artificial lake. After the death of Nero in 68 and a series of civil wars, Vespasian became emperor in 69.

He nationalized palace of Nero, after which he completely destroyed it, and the ground on which he stood, handed over to the publicthe people of Rome. All the expensive ornaments of the palace were removed and buried in the mud, and later ( in 104-109 years ) on this site were built the Baths of Trajan. The Romans usedcomplex underground irrigation system to drain thezera near the house of Nero, after which it was covered up and, by order of the emperor, the construction of an amphitheater intended for the entertainment of the people of Rome began.

4. The Colosseum was built in 8 years.

After the Siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Emperor Vespasian completely destroyed The Jerusalem Temple, from which only the "Wailing Wall" remains, which still stands to this day. After that, he began the construction of the Colosseum, using materials left over from the destruction of the Golden House.

5. This is the largest ancient amphitheater ever built.

The Colosseum can be called a "double amphitheater" (two half rings connected in the form of an oval). It is made of cement and stone. The length of the outer ellipse of the Colosseum is 524 meters, the major axis is 187.77 meters long and the minor axis is 155.64 meters. The arena of the Colosseum has a length of 85.75 m and a width of 53.62 m, and the walls rise 48 - 50 meters.

The most important thing about this building is that it is completely built from cast concrete, unlike other buildings made from bricks and stone blocks.

6. The Colosseum had 5 tiers and separate lodges.

The building was designed in such a way that there were places for both the poor and the rich. All spectators were divided into tiers depending on their social status and financial situation. Members of the Senate, for example, sat closer to the arena, and the rest of the inhabitants on other tiers, which were distinguished by a lower price. On the very last - the 5th tier - the poor sat. All tiers were numbered I-LXXVI (i.e. from 1 to 76). There were different entrances and stairs for People of different status, and there were also walls that separated them.

7. The Colosseum held 50,000 spectators.

A seat only 35 cm wide was allocated for each person. Today, not all football stadiums can boast of the attendance that the Colosseum had.

Arena of the Colosseum

8. Battles between gladiators were organized with incredible care.

For 400 years, volunteers fought in the arena, former soldiers, military prisoners, slaves and criminals, all of which served as entertainment for the Romans. But the fighters were chosen for a reason. To enter the arena of the Colosseum, competing gladiators were selected for their weight, size, experience, fighting skill and fighting style.

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9. The Colosseum has become a cemetery for a huge number of animals.

In addition to fights between gladiators, the Romans staged battles between animals and demonstrative hunting. Lions, elephants, tigers, bears, hippos and other exotic animals could be seen in the arena killing or being severely injured.

Fights with animals can be seen to this day - this is a bullfight ("tauromachia" - that is, "bullfight"). Fights with animals were called "morning games", and fights of gladiators - "evening games" The winners were awarded medals (bone or metal), and statistics were kept - the number of fights, victories and defeats.

Of course there were deaths or gladiators were injured, which did not allow them to perform further. After a career as a gladiator, the former warrior received a lifetime pension.

More than 9,000 animals died during the opening of the arena and another 11,000 were killed during the 123-day festival hosted by Emperor Trajan. According to conservative estimates, during its existence, about 400,000 people and more than 1 million animals died in the arena of the Colosseum.

10. Grand battles on ships.

Surprisingly, the arena of the Colosseum was specially flooded by about 1 meter so that ship battles could be arranged. Reconstructions of warships were installed in the arena so that great naval victories could be celebrated. Water flowed through special aqueducts directly to the arena. All this could be seen before the emperor Domitian, during which the Colosseum was made into a basement, where there were rooms, passages, traps and animals.

11. The Colosseum has been in disrepair for many centuries.

When bloody gladiator fights lost their spectacle and the Roman Empire began to collapse in the 5th century, the Colosseum ceased to be a venue for large public events. Moreover, earthquakes, lightning strikes and other natural phenomena significantly affected the structure.

It wasn't until the 18th century that the Catholic Church and many priests decided that the site of the Colosseum should be preserved.

12. The Colosseum was dismantled for building materials.

The beautiful stone and marble from which the Colosseum was made attracted the attention of many people. After the earthquake of 847, Roman priests and aristocrats began to collect the beautiful marble that adorned the facade of the Colosseum and use it to build churches and houses. Also, for the construction of various city buildings, rubble stone and crushed stone were used in city buildings.

It is worth noting that the Colosseum was used as a source of building materials for buildings such as the Palazzo Venezia and the Lateran Basilica. Also, the marble of the Colosseum was used for the construction of St. Peter's Basilica - the largest building in the Vatican, and the largest historical Christian church in the world.

13. One priest wanted to turn the Colosseum into a cloth factory.

The underground part of the Colosseum eventually filled with mud, and for several centuries the Romans grew vegetables and stored them inside the building, while blacksmiths and merchants occupied the upper tiers.

Pope Sixtus V, who helped rebuild Rome in the late 16th century, tried to convert the Colosseum into a cloth factory, with living quarters on the upper tiers and a workplace in the arena. But in 1590 he died, and the project was not carried out.

Rome's most popular attraction

14. The Colosseum is the most visited attraction in Rome.

Along with the Vatican and its holy places, the Colosseum is the second most visited attraction in Italy and the most visited monument in Rome. Every year it is visited by 6 million tourists.

15. The Colosseum will finally be updated.

To begin with, it is planned to spend 20 million euros on the arrangement of the arena. Billionaire Diego Della Valle also plans to invest $33 million to restore the Colosseum, which began in 2013 and includes restoration of the arches, marble cleaning, restoration of brick walls, replacement of metal railings, and the construction of a new visitor center and cafe.

The Italian Ministry of Culture plans to restore the Colosseum to what it was in the 19th century. Besides, in the arena they want to make a scenebased on images of the Colosseum from the 1800s, which will cover the underground tunnels that are currently open.

Many historical monuments have been preserved, but the most extraordinary of them is the Colosseum, in which people doomed to death fought and died desperately for the entertainment of the free citizens of Rome. It became the largest and most famous of all Roman amphitheatres, and one of the greatest masterpieces of Roman engineering and architecture that has survived to this day. The building had 80 entrances/exits and seated approximately 50,000 spectators - more than most sports facilities today, a testament to its grandeur nearly 2,000 years after its completion. Eclipsing with its grandeur the ruins of the Roman Forum (the central square in Ancient Rome), the Pantheon and other sights of the city, the Roman Colosseum will forever remind visitors of the inhuman past, when bloodlust led the audience to the stands of this structure, and nothing excited them as much as deprivation man of life.

The Colosseum is the most famous and most visited tourist attraction in Italy, the largest building in the world built during the Roman Empire. It is considered one of the greatest structures in the world of engineering technology and architecture, a cult symbol of the Roman Empire during the period of greatest power, the most famous and instantly recognizable monument that has survived from antiquity. Even in the modern world of skyscrapers, the Colosseum makes an impression. This is a glorious and at the same time mournful monument to the Roman imperial power and its cruelty. Inside, behind close-knit rows of arches and columns, the Romans for centuries coolly watched the murder of tens of thousands of condemned criminals, captive warriors, slaves, animals. Almost two thousand years later, it still arouses great interest of visitors.

History of the Colosseum

The Colosseum was originally called the Flavian Amphitheatre. Its modern name (Colosseum in English) is derived from the word colossus, meaning a huge statue (next to the Colosseum there was a huge statue of Nero, which disappeared without a trace in the Middle Ages). As befits the largest city of the empire, it became the largest amphitheater in the Roman world, capable of accommodating 50,000 spectators. In total, there were more than 250 of them in the Roman Empire - it is not surprising that the amphitheater and the spectacles associated with it were the main symbols of Roman culture.

Unlike most other amphitheaters located on the outskirts of the city, the Colosseum was built in the very center of Rome. It was the product of the irresistible extravagance of the Roman emperor Vespasian (69-79), who decided to strengthen his position by building an amphitheater at the expense of the huge booty obtained as a result of suppressing the uprising of the Jews. The construction, begun in 72, was completed by Emperor Titus in 80. The grand opening of the Colosseum was accompanied by gladiator fights, hunting for wild animals and naumachia (reproduction of a sea battle in a water-filled arena), the games continued for 97 days.

Emperor Domitian (81-96) significantly modernized the building, built a series of underground tunnels in which animals and gladiators were kept before entering the arena, and also added a fourth tier, significantly increasing the capacity.

Unlike a circle, the elliptical shape of the Colosseum, measuring 83x48 meters, did not allow the fighting gladiators to retreat into a corner and gave the audience the opportunity to be closer to the action. Almost every modern sports facility in the world has inherited this design.

The Colosseum's honeycomb structure of arches, passageways, and stairs allowed thousands of people to easily take their seats and watch the deadly spectacle. It is strikingly different from most ancient public buildings, inherited from the classical model of Greek temples with their rectangular rows of columns topped with pediments.

History of the Colosseum after construction

With the spread of Christianity within the walls of the amphitheater, the killing of people stopped, and the last hunting of animals took place around 523. But the main reason that put an end to the games was the military and financial crisis of the western part of the empire, accompanied by numerous barbarian invasions. The amphitheater required colossal expenses for the organization of the games, and in the absence of them, the need for the existence of the Colosseum disappeared.
With the glory of imperial Rome sunk into history, the purpose of the Colosseum has changed. No longer a place for entertainment, it was used as a dwelling, a fortress and a religious abode at different times. It ceased to serve as an arena for the entertainment of bloodthirsty Roman citizens, and began to suffer from earthquakes and the barbaric attitude of people who ripped off rich marble facings and bricks to build palaces and churches. The famous Cathedrals of St. Peter and St. John the Baptist on the Lateran Hill, Palazzo Venezia are built using the brick and marble of the Colosseum. As a result of 2000 years of wars, earthquakes, vandalism and the inexorable action of time, two thirds of the original structure was destroyed. From the former glory of the Colosseum, only a shadow of its former appearance, the famous ruins, remains. The reputation of the amphitheater as a sacred place in which Christian martyrs met their fate saved the Colosseum from total destruction (but the legend that Christians were sacrificed to lions here is recognized by historians as unfounded).

In 1749, Pope Benedict XIV declared the Colosseum a public church. From that moment, the barbaric removal of stones from the walls of the amphitheater finally stopped. The building began to be restored, and since then reconstruction has continued intermittently until today.

Organization of games in the Colosseum

Invented in the Roman Empire, the amphitheater served as a venue for spectacular fights, the most popular of which were venationes (animal hunting) and munera (gladiator fights). In the first years after the opening of the Colosseum, naumachia (naval battles) enjoyed great popularity. The ruling Roman class was obliged, according to the generally accepted concepts of the time, to organize spectacles in order to earn the respect and favor of the common citizens of the empire and to maintain public peace. All free citizens of Rome had the right to visit the amphitheater.

The organization of the games required huge costs and was regulated by numerous laws. In the first century AD, the emperors created the Ratio a muneribus, something like the "Ministry of the Game", which has the necessary financial resources to organize the games.

For the Romans, visiting the Colosseum became not only a way of recreation and entertainment, but also a meeting place for people belonging to different classes. Roman society was divided into classes, and the amphitheater became a place where the public could meet the emperor and even address him.

gladiators

Gladiators usually became prisoners of war who did not have any rights under Roman law, whose lives were of no value to the state, slaves and criminals sentenced to death. Prisoners of war were trained in gladiatorial schools for performances in the arena of the Colosseum and other amphitheatres. When there was a shortage of gladiators, runaway slaves were sent to schools. They fought on a common basis, and after three years they stopped their performances in the arena. In this, slaves differed from the criminals condemned to death who fought in the Colosseum without any hope of survival, like those condemned to ad bestias (torn to pieces by wild beasts) or ad gladium ludi damnati (condemned to death by the sword). In the latter case, one armed gladiator killed an unarmed opponent, then he himself turned out to be disarmed and became the victim of another armed gladiator, and so on, until the last condemned criminal remained.

Beginning in the first century AD, free citizens of Rome (auctorati) voluntarily became gladiators and fought like professionals in the arena of the Colosseum. These freemen began their careers as gladiators in complete obedience to Lanista's demands. Lanista in the Roman world was considered the most disgusting profession (even lower than pimps or executioners), had the right of life and death over gladiators, who were required to take an oath of complete obedience as a prerequisite for admission to school. The gladiator swore "to endure punishment with a whip, brand or death by the sword." Such terrible punishments were intended to cut off any hint of disobedience and instilled the belief that overcoming any trials was the only means of their survival. The audience demanded professional spectacles, so training took several years before entering the arena. At the last stage of the existence of the Roman Empire, about half of all gladiators were free citizens of Rome.

The gladiators fighting in the arena of the Colosseum were armed equally: a warrior better equipped with offensive weapons had less means of defense, or vice versa. Fighting techniques adhered to the traditional battle scenario, the duel was a skill well known to the public, counting on professional performance. Spectators could approve or disapprove of the gladiators' maneuvers, as we do today when we watch sports such as football. The public did not tolerate monotony and imitation, highly appreciated courage and courage.

In 73 BC, about 70 gladiators led by Spartacus fled from the Capua school, created an army of 90,000 people, and within three years the largest slave uprising flared in the territory of the Roman Empire. After the suppression of the rebellion, the Roman Senate took steps to avoid such incidents. Near each school there was a garrison of soldiers who brought weapons there every morning and carried them back in the evening. In the event of the slightest disturbance, the soldiers intervened immediately. Schools were considered quite safe, so they were located inside the cities. The detainees could not flee, and they could only hope to save their lives, fighting bravely in the arena of the Colosseum in order to attract the attention of powerful aristocrats, arouse their sympathy and gain freedom from them.

Visit to the Colosseum

Games in the Colosseum were considered the privilege of only free citizens (slaves were not allowed), but tickets for them were not sold. Various communities, brotherhoods, fellowships, leagues, unions, associations, and the like had reserved seats in the amphitheater in accordance with their role and rank in society. Who was not a member of any society, tried to find a patron, and get a place from him on the basis of an invitation. This tradition has been followed for a long period of time. Not only in the amphitheater, but also in the circus or theater, each category of citizens was provided with certain places.
All spectators were instructed to dress appropriately: male citizens must wear a toga. Citizens who did not enjoy a good reputation - bankrupt, depraved or extravagant - sat with the plebs in the upper ranks. In ancient times, even single women were allowed access to the Colosseum. The use of alcohol in the stands was forbidden, the writer Lampridius criticized the emperor Commodus when he sometimes drank alcohol.

On the day of the games, spectators arrived very early, and some even slept in the Colosseum. Spectators presented a tessera (invitation) to enter the room. Tessera was a small plate or cube of marble, which, like today's tickets, indicated the exact location of its owner (sector, row, place). Each seat in the stands had a number. People sat on wooden boards set on marble stones, while the Roman aristocracy sat on more comfortable upholstered seats. The poor, including women, were located on the highest tier.

Spectators walked to their seats through the arches marked with numbers I - LXXVI (1-76). The four main entrances were not numbered. The best seats were on or behind the podium, which was raised 5 meters above the arena for safety reasons.

Modern scholars argue that the arrangement of places reflected the social hierarchy of Roman society. The two lowest tiers (that is, the most prestigious) stands could accommodate 2,000 and 12,000 spectators, respectively. On the upper tiers of the Colosseum, spectators crowded like sardines in a jar, each of them accounted for an average of 40x70 cm of space.

The arena of the Colosseum was covered with a layer of sand 15 cm thick (the Latin word for sand is spelled “arena”), sometimes painted red to hide the spilled blood. And, as can be seen from the film by Ridley Scott "Gladiator", holes were opened from below, from where wild animals were released into the arena.

Naumachia

Naumachia was a reproduction of famous naval battles, the participants of which, as a rule, were criminals sentenced to death, and sometimes simply trained soldiers and sailors. Such shows (mainly held in Rome) were extremely expensive. The ships were no different from combat ships and maneuvered in battle like real ones. The Romans called such spectacles navalia proelia (sea battles), but the Greek word naumachia (naumachia) became famous, a term indicating that the spectacle takes place in a specially equipped place.

Naumachia often tried to reproduce famous historical battles, such as the victory of the Greeks over the Persians at the Battle of Salamis, or the destruction of the Athenian fleet at Aegospotami. During the show, the sequence of historical events that took place was followed, and the audience got great pleasure from the skill of the warriors and their equipment.

Sources claim that the naumachia was staged in the Colosseum immediately after the grand opening of the amphitheater. During the reign of Emperor Domitian (81-96gg), a system of tunnels was built under the arena and the naumachia was abolished.

Animal hunting

Hunting scenes were very popular in the Colosseum and other amphitheaters of the empire. This was the only chance for the Romans to see wild animals unfamiliar to them in those days. At the very beginning, hunting for wild animals was demonstrated in the morning, as a prelude to gladiatorial battles. In the last period of the republic, hunting in the arena was organized in broad daylight, sometimes it lasted several days. All kinds of wild animals - elephants, bears, bulls, lions, tigers - were caught throughout the empire, transported and kept by the day of the games.

To ensure the safety of spectators in the Colosseum, the height of the fence around the arena was 5 meters. Most of the couples were classic: lion versus tiger, bull or bear. Sometimes the pairs were clearly unequal: dogs or lions were released on deer, in which case the outcome was predictable. To break the monotony, the Romans resorted to a strange combination of animals: a bear against a python, a crocodile against a lion, a seal against a bear, and so on. Sometimes animals were chained to the arena of the Colosseum to prevent them from maneuvering.

Most martial arts were animals against trained people armed with a spear (venatores). Animal hunting has become extremely popular among wealthy citizens. The venatores involved in this type of fighting became so famous that their names can still be read on some of the mosaics and graffiti.

A huge number of wild animals died in the arena of the Colosseum (sources say that 9,000 animals were killed in the first days of opening only). Even if this figure is exaggerated, it is safe to say about the large number of animals that died for fun in the arenas of the Roman amphitheatres. Bears were caught in Caledonia (Scotland) and Pannonia (now Hungary and Austria); lions and panthers - in the province of Numidia in Africa (now Algeria and Tunisia), tigers in Persia, crocodiles and rhinos in India.

Catching animals, transporting them in good condition over thousands of kilometers was extremely expensive. Animals must be caught alive, and this was the main danger. The animals were trapped, put in cages, fed all the way to their destination in order to deliver them in good condition. Hunting for large animals is reflected in numerous mosaics and paintings depicting the search, capture, transportation, and, finally, killing. The costs were huge, so the provinces of the Roman Empire were subject to special taxes, so that Rome would have the opportunity to organize hunting in the amphitheater arenas.

Tourism

Today, the Colosseum is Rome's main tourist attraction, hosting millions of tourists every year. Thanks to the reconstruction carried out in 2010, for the first time in the modern history of the amphitheater, underground tunnels are open to the public, in which once shackled gladiators were waiting to enter the arena. Also restored and reopened (for the first time since 1970) the third tier of the Colosseum, from where the middle class of Rome watched the desperate battles in the arena. Tours are organized for groups of 25 people and must be booked in advance. The wooden walkway in the center that you see in the last photo is the result of the latest renovation.

Although the Colosseum has lost its former grandeur, it is still used for various events. From time to time, the Pope holds services here. Under the shadow of the ancient monument, famous performers held their concerts: Paul McCartney, Elton John, Ray Charles, Billy Joel. On July 7, 2007, he was included in the list of one of the new seven wonders of the world, the only European nominee.

August 4, 2018

Perhaps nothing excites the imagination of tourists coming to the Eternal City as much as the walls of the ancient Roman Colosseum - silent witnesses of gladiatorial games. The question of their origin is still open. However, regardless of the opinion of historians, the gladiator fights in the arena of the Colosseum were an example of military ethics and were an important part of political and social life in the Roman world.

The bloody games continued for almost a thousand years, reaching their peak even before the appearance of the Flavian Amphitheater - in the period from the 2nd century BC. until the 1st century AD Where and why did such non-trivial entertainment for the public appear in Ancient Rome.

Gladiator fights - the history of occurrence

The early chronicle sources that have come down to us differ in estimates of the dates and causes of the appearance of gladiator fights. So, at the end of the 1st century BC. the Greek historian and philosopher Nicholas of Damascus (born about 64 BC), believed that their origin originates from Etruria - the ancient region of Central Italy, which included: part of Lazio north of Rome, Tuscany, part of Umbria and the Ligurian coast. This version, which became dominant, was subsequently confirmed by ancient artifacts found during archaeological excavations in the Italian city of Tarquinia, located about 45 km from Rome in the province of Viterbo. This city is one of the oldest settlements of the Etruscans. It was he who gave a whole dynasty of ancient Roman kings -.
The hypothesis that gladiator fights were borrowed by the Romans from the Etruscans is based on the graphic images of ritual funerals accompanied by games found in their funerary burials.

Fresco "Wrestlers" in an Etruscan funerary burial, c. 460g. BC.

The funeral games of the Etruscans also provided for the sacrifices of prisoners, in which their blood was poured as a sacrificial offering on the grave of a fallen warrior to rest his soul. This expiatory bloody rite, apparently, anticipated the early Roman gladiator fights.

Fresco "Sacrifice of captured Trojans", ca. IV BC

Gladiator games in the early Roman era and scenery changes

Like many ancient customs, gladiator fights in the arena of the Colosseum, which began as a religious ceremony, became a public spectacle. According to the Roman historian Titus Livy (59 BC - 17 AD), they were first held in Rome in 264. BC. In his work "Ab Urbe Condita Libri", he noted that they were organized by the brothers Marco Junio ​​Pera (Roman consul in 230 BC) and Decimus Junio ​​Pera (Roman consul in 266 BC) on the occasion of the funeral his father, the no less famous politician and aristocrat of Etruscan origin, Decimus Junius Brut Pera, one of the direct descendants of the founder of Rome. Then, in order to honor his memory, three pairs of gladiators fought to the death at the Forum Boarium (Bull Forum) and this bloody action, according to Titus Livius, fully corresponded to the Etruscan funeral rite.

gladiators. OK. 2nd century AD Part of a mosaic found in the city of Zliten, Misurata province in Libya.

In 216 BC. the Roman consul Marcus Aemilius Lepidus was also honored with such a solemn ancient rite - "munera funerari", that is, funeral games. His sons Lucius, Quintus and Marcus, using twenty-two pairs of rivals, organized gladiator fights in the Forum Romanum, which lasted three days.

The next large-scale gladiator fights held as part of the munera funerari took place at the funeral of the Roman consul Publius Licinius Crassus in 183. BC. But they were already more extravagant. The funeral games lasted three days and were attended by about 120 gladiators.

The fascination with gladiatorial games and their adoption as a necessary ritual at burial was enthusiastically received by many allies of Rome, and the cult of gladiators penetrated far beyond its borders. By the beginning of 174. BC. The "small" Roman munera funerari - private or public - already had a rather low significance and were so ordinary and unremarkable that they did not even bother to be mentioned in the writings of the chroniclers. In 105g. BC. the ruling consuls suggested that Rome sponsor a "barbarian battle" from the public treasury as part of a training program for the military. Gladiator fights, first held by specially trained fighters from Capua, proved to be so popular that after that they became public. They were often included in the state games that accompanied the main religious holidays.

Colosseum - the main arena of gladiators

Initially, public gladiator fights were held in the open, crowded areas of city markets, such as the Forum Boarium, around which temporary seats were erected on high ground for high-status spectators. However, as the gladiatorial games became more and more popular, the construction of fundamental structures was required.

Fresco depicting the Roman arena in Pompeii, built c. 79g. BC.

The earliest known Roman amphitheater was built for this purpose around 70 BC. BC. in Pompeii. In Rome, according to the chroniclers, there was a wooden amphitheater of the public orator Gaius Scribonius Curio, built in 53. BC, and the discovery of the first stone took place only in 29g. BC. and was timed to coincide with the celebration of the triple triumph of Octavian Augustus. According to Pliny, the three floors of this amphitheater were finished with marble, contained over 3,000 bronze statues, and seated 80,000 spectators. However, in 64g. AD it burned to the ground, as the building, in all likelihood, had a wooden frame. To replace him, Emperor Titus Flavius ​​Vespasian built in Rome the largest and most famous arena of gladiators in the world - the Flavian Amphitheater, known today as the Colosseum. It was opened in 80 AD. as a personal gift of the Emperor to the Roman people.

The Colosseum, built by the Flavian dynasty, donated to the Roman people by Emperor Vespasian

gladiatorial games

During the Empire, the number of gladiator fights held reached its peak, becoming the favorite pastime of an enthusiastic public. The performances turned into real gladiator shows - the games were announced in advance on billboards, which indicated their reason, place and date, the number and names of the couples performing, and the order in which they appeared. Additionally, the audience was informed about the availability of places under an awning that protects from the sun, provided drinks, sweets and food, and prizes for the winners were indicated.
On the night before the games, the gladiators were given the opportunity to give instructions to complete their personal affairs, a banquet was arranged for them, which had an obvious resemblance to the ritual and sacramental "last meal".

Gladiators after the fight. 1882 Painting by José Morino Carbonero, Prado Museum

The next day, solemnly marching through the whole city, luxuriously dressed gladiators were heading to the Flavian amphitheater. At the front were the lictors, Roman civil servants; behind were a small group of trumpeters playing fanfares, and a retinue carrying images of the gods to witness the trials in the arena. The procession was closed by a clerk and a special person who carried a palm branch to honor the winners.

It is interesting!

According to the established opinion, before the battle in the arena of the Colosseum, the gladiators fell under the podium of the emperor, if he was present at the speeches, and shouted - "Ave Caesar, morituri te salutant", i.e. "Hello Caesar, those who are about to die greet you". However, recent historiography denies such speculation.

The games of gladiators in the arena of the Colosseum usually began with an entertaining spectacle - either wild animals fighting each other, or with animal hunting (venationes), when a weakly armed gladiator (venator) fought with hungry predators - lions, tigers or bears. The venator, that is, the hunter, was protected only by fascia - strips of dry-cured leather wrapped around the torso and legs. For his defense, he used only a spear.

Animal hunting in the arena. Byzantine fresco ca. 5th century AD Mosaic Museum in Istanbul, Turkey

The next act was the public condemnation of criminals or Christians who violated the law - Ludi Meridiani, which gained considerable popularity during the period of the Roman Empire. The most barbaric form of the death penalty was applied to the guilty, sentenced to death - Domnatio ad Bestia (Condemnation to the beasts). The unfortunate were simply thrown to the wild beast to be torn to pieces.

Often, the unfortunate were completely or partially naked, and fetters prevented them from resisting in order to protect their lives. Those who controlled this form of execution were called bestiarii (from the Latin Bestia, "beast"). Public death by wild animals in the arena was considered the most humiliating in Rome. The last act of humiliation was the removal of the corpses - they were pulled out of the arena of the Colosseum with hooks, and the torn bodies were subsequently deprived of the proper pagan burial rites.

Fragment of the mosaic "Domnatio ad Bestia", 1st century AD, Zliten, Libya

Before the start of the fights, in the arena of the Colosseum, their simulation was held with wooden weapons as a warm-up, in which pairs of fighters declared for participation in the gladiatorial show participated. Then the lanists (gladiator entrepreneurs, in the modern sense) presented the participants in the upcoming fights to the public and marked the battle space, limiting it with marks.

The fight of gladiators in the arena of the Colosseum, which usually lasted 10-15 minutes, began at the signal of a calling lingering sound from the horn. During the day, 10-13 fights were held, and trained fighters had to follow the professional rules for its conduct. For this, summa rudis was appointed, i.e. the chief referee and his assistant, in order to warn or separate opponents from each other at some most critical moment. Most often, the judges themselves were retired gladiators - their decisions and judgments were unconditionally respected. They could completely stop the fight or suspend it to give the opponents a rest.

Mosaic fragment "Fight of the Gladiators", ca. 320g. AD, Borghese Gallery, Rome, Italy

The downtrodden gladiator could admit defeat himself by turning to the referee with a thumbs-up to stop the fight and turn to the editor, whose decision usually depended on the response of the crowd. The earliest gladiator fights provided for the vanquished unconditional death, which was considered a righteous punishment for defeat. Somewhat later, during the Roman Empire, those who showed their skills and fought well could get at the whim of the crowd or, more often, from the editor - missione, i.e. forgiveness and save your life from a death sentence. Obviously, this was due to the fact that public fights in the amphitheater arena became a good business for school holders - gladiators were expensive, they were rented for battle, sold and bought as a commodity, and the contract concluded between the lanist and the editor could include the payment of quite a large monetary compensation. for unforeseen deaths. Sometimes the amount could be fifty times higher than the rent of the gladiator.

Painting Pollice Verso (lat. Fingers down), art. Jean-Leon Gerome, 1872

The defeated, who was denied pardon, had to die with dignity, without resisting and without crying out for mercy. Some mosaics that have survived to our time show exactly how the defeated gladiators accepted death. The winner dealt the last fatal blow to the kneeling opponent, lowering his sword from top to bottom - between the collarbone and shoulder blade, in order to reach the heart and, thus, gave him a quick death.

It is interesting!

The blood of a gladiator killed in the arena was considered an effective aphrodisiac, which had a tonic and invigorating effect. The ancient Roman writer and author of "Natural History" Gaius Pliny Secundus (23-79 AD) noted in his writings that "the Romans drank the blood from dying gladiators, as from living bowls, as a remedy for anemia." The blood of wounded fighters was considered an effective remedy for epilepsy, it was collected with sponges right in the arena and even sold.

The manager of the fights in the arena of the Colosseum publicly confirmed the death of the gladiator, touching him with a red-hot iron, and invited the libitinari - special servants of the amphitheater, to carry out the body. Dressed in the clothes of the gods Charon or Mercury, they carried the lifeless remains out of the arena through a special door intended for this - libitina, so named after the ancient Roman goddess of funerals and burials. This door led to the spoliarium, a chamber reserved for corpses, where the dead gladiator was stripped of his armor and weapons.

The winner who won the gladiator fights received a laurel crown from the editor, and money from the grateful crowd of spectators. For the originally condemned gladiator or slave, the greatest reward was to give him a rudis - a training wooden sword. From that moment on, the slave received freedom, being considered a freedman.

Prohibition of gladiatorial games

Alien invasions, plague, civil war and economic depression predetermined the so-called Crisis of the Third Century. Also known as the Imperial Crisis of 235-284. AD, which began with the assassination of Emperor Alexander Severus in 235, it led to profound changes in all institutions of power and in economic life throughout the Empire and predetermined the widespread spread of the Christian religion. And although the emperors continued to subsidize gladiator fights in the arena of the Colosseum as an integral public interest, the bloody spectacle became increasingly despised by Christians.

Death of Ignatius of Antioch in the arena in Rome

In 315g. Constantine I banned the barbaric death sentences Domnatio ad Bestia carried out in the arenas, and ten years later he even tried to completely ban the games of gladiators. However, imperial legislation was unable to completely curb the holding of the Games, despite the fact that:

• in 365 AD Valentinian I (reigned 364-375) threatened to fine judges who sentenced Christians to death in the arena;
• in 393 AD Theodosius I (ruled 379-395) banned pagan festivals;
• in 399 and 404 the Emperor Honorius (reigned 393-423) twice legally banned and closed gladiator schools in Rome;
• in 438 Valentinian III (reigned 425-455) repeated the previous ban on gladiatorial games;
• In 439, the last gladiator fight took place in Rome.

The policy consistently pursued by a number of emperors, aimed at eradicating the pagan heritage, gave its results. In addition, the spread of Christianity caused more and more rejection and disgust among the followers of the new religion, which significantly reduced interest in gladiator fights.

It is interesting!

It is believed that a tragic event that occurred in 404 during a gladiator fight in the arena of the Colosseum played an important role in the prohibition of games. According to the testimony of the Syrian Bishop of Antioch Theodoret (393-458), during the final stage of the duel, when the winner of the fight was preparing to deliver the final fatal blow to the defeated opponent, a monk ran out into the arena of the amphitheater, trying to stop the massacre. The crowd, thirsting for blood, threw stones at the noble Christian. History has preserved the name of the monk who was martyred - Almachus (Almaquio), better known as Saint Telemachus. Impressed by what had happened, Emperor Flavius ​​Honorius Augustus banned gladiator fights in Rome, and Almachus was elevated to the rank of saints.

However, the games of gladiators in the arenas continued until the beginning of the 6th century. The last spectacular battles, according to historians, took place in Venice in 536.

Gladiator fights in modern reconstruction

Today, some Roman reenactors are trying to recreate gladiator schools, forming whole groups of like-minded people. Their goal is to reproduce as accurately as possible the gladiator fight in the arena and demonstrate the Roman historical heritage.

Reconstruction of a gladiatorial fight

Various festivals regularly held, not only in Rome, give contemporaries the opportunity to see the armor and weapons of the fighters with their own eyes, and by attending such events, they can feel the spirit of the times and feel the former greatness of the Roman Empire. Numerous feature films shot in the peplum genre by Italian and foreign filmmakers also contribute to this. And although some of them are costume dramas, interest in them does not dry out for many generations of viewers. But you can read about it in our next article.

Gladiator fights in the arena of the Colosseum: sword, blood and public delight

Description of the flash game

Sands of the Colosseum

Sands Of The Coliseum

Boys, help Dash and his knights level up and defeat enemies in fights to strengthen the team, buy weapons and equipment. Many levels, a huge number of enemies... You won't get bored!

Welcome to the arena of the ancient Roman Colosseum! In this flash game you have the opportunity to test yourself as a gladiator. Choose the gender and appearance of your hero and, to the noise of the stands, go out to fight to the death!

You and your opponent will take turns making moves, hitting each other with deadly attacks.

Before starting your turn, you must choose where to strike: in the head, torso, right or left arm, or in one of the legs. Also decide on the strength of the blow: weak, medium or strong. The more powerful the uppercut, the more likely it is to miss. When the opponent's head or body is completely hit, you win! Before the last blow, you can spare the poor fellow or bleed to the delight of the cheering crowd.
It is quite interesting to play, because the game has a wide character leveling system. You can learn special skills and improve stats such as strength, agility, stamina, and more. The store has a large selection of weapons and armor. Upgrade your gladiator step by step.
After defeating all the gladiators in one city, go to others and subdue them. Play for free and become the strongest warrior in Rome!