Did you know that if the emperor was frustrated due to delays in the events, even common citizens would be flung into the arena and mauled by wild animals? It was dangerous even to witness the events at the Colosseum in those days.
For nearly 500 years, the Colosseum hosted bloodshed and events that led to the extinction of entire species, all for the entertainment of the Romans. These spectacles were also used as a political strategy to distract citizens from engaging in politics.
Read on to learn more interesting trivia about the Roman Colosseum.
It was not the Colosseum but the Flavian Amphitheater
The Colosseum’s name has an interesting history.
It was originally called the “Flavian Amphitheater” because Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian of the Flavian dynasty constructed it.
Over the centuries, it came to be known as the Colosseum due to a 30-meter tall bronze statue called the “Colossus of Nero” that stood outside the stadium. Today, only the base of the statue remains.
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Colosseum was built after draining a lake
The Colosseum was constructed on the site of an artificial lake situated on the east of Palatine Hill.
This lake was part of Nero’s Golden House, which Emperor Vespasian demolished to make way for the amphitheater. This was an attempt to regain the citizens’ interest after a series of failed governments.
After draining the lake, the foundation was elevated 23 feet (7 meters) above the valley to support the massive structure.
Today, the Colosseum occupies the land between the Esquiline, Palatine, and Caelian Hills.
Tons of materials withstood the test of time
The construction of the Colosseum was financed using relics from Jewish temples following the wars.
It required 300 tons of iron and involved the labor of 12,000 Jewish prisoners captured during the Great Jewish Revolt.
They were often tasked with transporting stones from quarries located 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) away.
The building materials included 3.5 million cubic feet (about 100000 cubic meters) of travertine blocks, stone and concrete, and large quantities of marble, stone, and timber.
The poorer, the farther from the Arena
The Colosseum had numbered seats and VIP sections, just like a modern stadium.
The north gate was reserved for the emperor, and the south, west, and east for other VIPs, with the topmost tiers for the lower classes and women.
You can walk through the seating tiers today that make up the structure of the Colosseum. All general entry tickets get you access to Colosseum’s first and second tiers, along with the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.
What happened at the ancient theatre?
The Colosseum’s inaugural games took place in 80 A.D. under Emperor Titus, running for 100 days straight.
During the opening games, Titus had approximately 9,000 wild animals slaughtered.
In 107 A.D., Emperor Trajan celebrated his victories in Dacia with 123 days of contests featuring 11,000 animals and 10,000 gladiators.
These games continued for centuries, with gladiatorial contests lasting until the fifth century and animal hunts until the sixth.
Most events were free for Romans, who also received food. The emperors organized these events as public spectacles.
Attending or working at the games could be dangerous, with emperors sometimes ordering spectators or stagehands to fight when things went wrong.
The birth of stadium sunshades and the ticketing system
The builders of the Colosseum planned to ensure maximum comfort and an exceptional experience for spectators.
To shield the audience from the intense sun and heat, they constructed the velarium, an innovative awning that could be extended over the seating area to provide shade. 100 sailors from the imperial fleet controlled this massive velarium.
A cooling mist infused with herbs was occasionally sprayed over the crowd for extra relief.
The ticketing system was also advanced for its time, using small clay disks known as tesserae.
These disks, stamped with seating information, were distributed to Roman citizens through various institutions and organizations.
The Colosseum had washrooms and drinking water systems
The builders of the Colosseum ensured that every need of the crowd was met, including providing a drinking water system and restrooms.
To remove the waste of humans and animals, the Colosseum had a sewer system
The bathrooms consisted of a row of holes dug into the ground over a pipe with flowing water, which emptied into the city’s main sewer, the Cloaca Maxima.
There were also drinking water systems installed on the walls of the Colosseum that dispensed water from the Aqua Claudia aqueduct.
After the end of gladiator fights
The Colosseum, constructed in 80 AD, was used for over 500 years, hosting gladiator games and other events until the 6th century AD.
The decline in such spectacles was not due to Christian proclamation but rather financial constraints, which made it increasingly difficult to fund and organize these events.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, the Colosseum was repurposed as a cemetery, fortress, and even shops and workshops.
Its arches were rented out, and its stones were repurposed for building other structures in the city, such as the Basilicas of St. Peter and St. John Lateran and the Palazzo Venezia.
A portion of the Colosseum’s stone can still be found in St. Peter’s Basilica.
Throughout its history, the Colosseum suffered significant damage from at least three massive fires and four earthquakes, which led to extensive repairs and renovations.
The brutal game of death and slaughtering
While the Colosseum was full of life, it simultaneously caused the end of many other lives.
The extensive slaughter of animals for the games led to the disappearance of various species worldwide.
Hippopotamuses vanished from the Nile River, and African elephants, once commonly used as war animals, were driven to extinction.
These brutal events devastated the wildlife of North Africa and the Mediterranean region.
The blood-soaked Arena
The arena has witnessed the brutal killings of nearly one million animals and 500,000 humans.
The elliptical center of the Colosseum was constructed of wood and covered with sand, as it absorbed the blood, vomit, and waste of the animals and humans who died in the arena more effectively.
Other events included re-enactments of famous battles, dramas based on mythology, and executions of condemned criminals.
The arena that tourists visit today is partially reconstructed, as the original structure wore away over time, exposing the underground hypogeum.
The Arena floor is an exclusive site of the Colosseum, and only a guided tour will give you access to it.
The gates of life and death
As a tradition, gladiators would enter the arena before the fight through the Gate of Life, also known as the “Porta Sanavivaria,” located on the eastern side of the Colosseum. They would enter and, if fortunate, exit through this gate.
However, if luck were not on their side that day, their dead bodies would be removed from the arena through the “Gate of Death.”
Today, there are ticket options that let you experience entering the arena through the gate of death.
The Underground Labyrinth
The underground Hypogeum of the Colosseum, serving as the backstage for all events above the arena, was not constructed simultaneously with the upper tiers and arena.
Emperor Domitian commissioned its construction a decade later, which adds to the dramatic effects and appeals to the audience.
This underground structure played an important role in housing wild animals, gladiators, and slaves before surprising the audience by bringing them up to the arena floor through trapdoors on the Arena’s surface.
Within these corridors were 80 wooden freight elevators, which were used to hoist machinery and animals onto the arena floor for the games.
Advanced systems were used to move around props and weapons through the passages below. Evidence of these systems is still visible today through holes in the corridor floors.
A claustrophobic nightmare
During arena events, nearly 300 to 400 attendants were responsible for organizing the gladiators and animals awaiting their turns to be lifted.
The underground hypogeum was a chaotic environment, with only fire torches mounted on the walls and no proper ventilation.
It was cramped and humid, filled with the stench of dead animals and human waste, making it a claustrophobic person’s nightmare.
Only a limited number of tickets are available for visiting the Colosseum’s underground, as only 100 visitors are allowed daily.
