Description of flash game
Sands of the Colosseum
Sands Of The Coliseum
Boys, help Dash and his knights upgrade and defeat enemies in fights to strengthen the team, buy weapons and equipment. Lots of 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 go out to fight to the death amid the noise of the stands!
You and your opponent will take turns hitting each other with deadly attacks.
Before starting your move, you must choose where to strike: the head, torso, right or left arm, or 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 your opponent's head or body is completely hit, you win! Before the final blow, you can spare the poor fellow or let the blood flow to the delight of the cheering crowd.
It’s quite interesting to play, because the game has a wide character leveling system. You can learn special skills and improve characteristics such as strength, agility, endurance and others. The store has a large selection of weapons and armor. Improve your gladiator step by step.
After defeating all the gladiators in one city, go to others and conquer them. Play for free and become the most powerful warrior in Rome!
Incredible facts
Forgotten and neglected, the 2,000-year-old Roman Colosseum holds many secrets and there are many interesting facts about it.
Ancient Colosseum in Rome
1. Its real name is Flavian Amphitheatre.
Construction of the Colosseum began in 72 AD. e. by order of Emperor Vespasian. In 80 AD e., under Emperor Titus (son of Vespasian), construction was completed. Together with Titus, Domitian (Tito's brother) ruled the country from 81 to 96. All three were Flavian dynasty, and in Latin the Colosseum was called Amphitheatrum Flavium.
2. There was a time when there was a giant statue of Nero next to the Colosseum - 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 vestibule of Nero's Golden House, 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 there was an artificial lake on its territory. After the death of Nero in 68 and a series of civil wars, Vespasian became emperor in 69.
He nationalized Nero's palace, after which he completely destroyed it, and the land on which he stood transferred to public useto the people of Rome. All the expensive ornaments of the palace were removed and buried in the dirt, and later ( in 104-109 ) the Baths of Trajan were built on this site. The Romans usedcomplex underground irrigation system for draininglake near Nero's house, after which it was filled up and, by order of the emperor, the construction of an amphitheater began, intended for the entertainment of the people of Rome.
4. The Colosseum was built in 8 years.
After the Siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Emperor Vespasian completely destroyed The Temple of Jerusalem, from which only the “wailing wall” remains, which still stands to this day. After this, he began 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 long. The Colosseum arena is 85.75 m long and 53.62 m wide, and the walls rise 48 - 50 meters.
The most important thing about this structure is that it is completely built of cast-in-place concrete, unlike other buildings made of bricks and stone blocks.
6. The Colosseum had 5 tiers and separate boxes.
The building was designed to accommodate 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 residents on other tiers, which were distinguished by a lower price. On the very last - 5th tier - sat the poor. All tiers were numbered I-LXXVI (i.e. from 1 to 76). For People of different status there were different entrances and staircases, and there were also walls that separated them.
7. The Colosseum could accommodate 50,000 spectators.
Each person was allocated a seat only 35 cm wide. Today, not all football stadiums can boast the attendance that the Coliseum had.
Colosseum Arena
8. The 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 Colosseum arena, competing gladiators were selected based on their weight, size, experience, fighting skill and fighting style.
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9. The Colosseum became a cemetery for a huge number of animals.
In addition to fights between gladiators, the Romans organized battles between animals and demonstration hunting. In the arena, lions, elephants, tigers, bears, hippos and other exotic animals could be seen being killed or severely injured.
Fights with animals can be seen to this day - this is bullfighting ("tauromachy" - i.e. "bullfight"). Animal fights were called "morning games", and gladiator fights were called "evening games" The winners were given awards in the form of medals (bone or metal), and statistics were kept - the number of fights, victories and defeats.
Of course there were also deaths or gladiators received injuries that did not allow them to perform further. After his career as a gladiator, the former warrior received a lifelong 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 entire existence, about 400,000 people and more than 1 million animals died in the Colosseum arena.
10. Grand battles on ships.
Surprisingly, the Colosseum arena was specially flooded by about 1 meter so that ship battles could be held. Reconstructions of warships were installed in the arena so that great naval victories could be celebrated. Water flowed through special aqueducts directly into the arena. All this could be seen before the Emperor Domitian, during which a basement was made in the Colosseum, where there were rooms, passages, traps and animals.
11. The Colosseum was abandoned for many centuries.
As 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 was only in 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 façade of the Colosseum and use it to build churches and houses. Also, rubble stone and crushed stone were used in urban buildings for the construction of various city buildings.
It is worth noting that the Colosseum was used as a source of building materials for such buildings as the Palazzo Venice and the Lateran Basilica. The Colosseum marble was also used to build 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 dirt, 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, attempted to convert the Colosseum into a cloth factory, with living quarters on the upper tiers and work space in the arena. But in 1590 he died, and the project was not implemented.
The most popular attraction in Rome
14. The Colosseum is the most visited attraction in Rome.
Along with the Vatican and its holy places, the Colosseum is the second most popular 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 development of the arena. Billionaire Diego Della Valle also plans to invest $33 million to restore the Colosseum, which began in 2013 and includes restoring the arches, cleaning the marble, restoring the brick walls, replacing metal railings, and building a new visitor center and cafe.
The Italian Ministry of Culture plans to restore the Colosseum to what it was like in the 19th century. Besides, they want to make a stage in the arenabased on images of the Colosseum from the 1800s, which will cover the underground tunnels that are currently open.
August 4, 2018
Perhaps nothing excites the imagination of tourists coming to the Eternal City more than the walls of the ancient Roman Colosseum - silent witnesses to gladiatorial games. The question of their origin will still remain open. However, regardless of the opinion of historians, gladiator fights in the Colosseum arena were an example of military ethics and were a vital 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. to the 1st century AD Where and why did such non-trivial entertainment for the public appear in Ancient Rome?
Gladiator fights - history of origin
The early chronicle sources that have reached our time differ in their estimates of the dates and reasons for the emergence of gladiatorial fights. So, at the end of the 1st century BC. Greek historian and philosopher Nicholas of Damascus (born around 64 BC), believed that their origins originate from Etruria - an 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 approximately 45 km from Rome in the province of Viterbo. This city is one of the oldest Etruscan settlements. It was he who gave birth to a whole dynasty of ancient Roman kings -.
The hypothesis that gladiator fights were borrowed by the Romans from the Etruscans is based on 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 included sacrifices of prisoners, in which their blood was poured as a sacrificial offering onto the grave of a fallen warrior for the repose of his soul. This expiatory bloody rite obviously anticipated the early Roman gladiatorial battles.
Fresco “Sacrifice of Captive Trojans”, c.IV BC.
Gladiator games in the early Roman era and changes in scenery
Like many customs of ancient times, gladiator fights in the arena of the Colosseum, which began as a religious rite, 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 Brutus Pera, one of the direct descendants of the founder of Rome. Then, 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 Livy, was fully consistent with the Etruscan funeral rite.
Gladiators. OK. 2nd century AD Part of a mosaic found in Zliten, Misrata province in Libya.
In 216 BC. The Roman consul Marcus Aemilius Lepidus was also awarded the honor of conducting such a solemn ancient rite - “munera funerari”, that is, funeral games. His sons Lucius, Quintus and Marcus, using twenty-two pairs of opponents, organized gladiator fights at 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 involved about 120 gladiators.
The passion for gladiatorial games and their acceptance as a necessary burial ritual was enthusiastically received by many allies of Rome, and the cult of gladiators penetrated far beyond its borders. By the beginning of 174 BC. “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 works of chroniclers. In 105 BC. the ruling consuls proposed that Rome sponsor a "barbarian battle" from the state treasury as part of a training program for the military. Gladiator fights, first held by specially trained fighters from Capua, turned out to be so popular that after that they became public. They were often included in state games that accompanied major religious holidays.
The Colosseum is the main gladiator arena
Initially, public gladiator fights were held in open, crowded areas of city markets, such as the Forum Boarium, around which temporary seats for high-status spectators were erected on high ground. However, as gladiatorial games became more and more popular, the construction of fundamental structures was required.
Fresco depicting the Roman arena in Pompeii, built ca. '79 BC.
The earliest known Roman amphitheater was built for this purpose around 70 AD. BC. in Pompeii. In Rome, according to chroniclers, there was a wooden amphitheater for the public speaker Gaius Scribonius Curio, built in 53. BC, and the discovery of the first stone one took place only in 29. BC. and was timed to celebrate the triple triumph of Octavian Augustus. According to Pliny, the three floors of this amphitheater were decorated with marble, contained more than 3,000 bronze statues, and could accommodate 80,000 spectators. However, in 64 AD it burned to the ground, since the structure, in all likelihood, had a wooden frame. To replace it, Emperor Titus Flavius Vespasian built in Rome the largest and most famous gladiator arena in the world - the Flavian Amphitheater, known today as the Colosseum. It was discovered in 80 AD. as a personal gift from the Emperor to the Roman people.
The Colosseum, built by the Flavian dynasty, given to the Roman people by Emperor Vespasian
Gladiator games
During the Empire, the number of gladiatorial fights held reached its peak, becoming a favorite entertainment of the enthusiastic public. The performances turned into real gladiator shows - the games were announced in advance on billboards, where their reason, place and date, number and names of performing couples, and the order of their appearance were indicated. Additionally, spectators were informed about the availability of seats under a tent protecting from the sun, provided drinks, sweets and food, and the prizes for the winners.
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 obvious similarities to the ritual and sacramental “last meal.”
Gladiators after the battle. 1882 Painting by José Morino Carbonero, Prado Museum
The next day, solemnly marching through the entire city, luxuriously dressed gladiators headed to the Flavian amphitheater. In front walked the lictors—Roman civil servants—behind was a small group of trumpeters playing fanfares, and a retinue carrying images of the gods to witness the proceedings in the arena. The procession was closed by a clerk and a special person carrying a palm branch to honor the winners.
This is interesting!
According to the established opinion, before the fight in the Colosseum arena, the gladiators fell under the emperor’s rostrum, if he was present at the performances, and shouted - "Ave Caesar, morituri te salutant", i.e. "Hail Caesar, those who will soon die salute you". However, recent historiography denies such speculation.
Gladiator games in the arena of the Colosseum usually began with an entertaining spectacle - either wild animals fighting each other, or with an animal hunt (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 the fasces - 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, Türkiye
The next action was the public condemnation of criminals or Christians who broke the law - Ludi Meridiani, which gained significant popularity during the Roman Empire. The most barbaric type of death penalty was applied to those sentenced to death - Domnatio ad Bestia (Condemnation to the beasts). The unfortunate ones were simply thrown to be torn to pieces by wild beasts.
Often the unfortunates were completely or partially naked, and were prevented from resisting in order to protect their lives by shackles. 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 final act of humiliation was the removal of the corpses - they were pulled out of the Colosseum arena with hooks, and the torn bodies were subsequently deprived of proper pagan funeral rites.
Fragment of the mosaic “Domnatio ad Bestia”, 1st century AD, Zliten, Libya
Before the start of the fights, a simulation with wooden weapons was held in the Colosseum arena as a warm-up, in which pairs of fighters nominated to participate in the gladiatorial show participated. Then the lanists (gladiator entrepreneurs, in the modern sense) introduced the participants in the upcoming battles to the public and marked the space of the battle, limiting it with marks.
The gladiator fight in the Colosseum arena, which usually lasted 10-15 minutes, began at the signal of a lingering sound from a horn. During the day, 10-13 fights were held, and trained fighters had to follow the professional rules of its conduct. For this purpose, summa rudis was prescribed, i.e. the chief referee and his assistant, to warn or separate the opponents from each other at some most critical moment. Most often, the judges were themselves retired gladiators - their decisions and judgments were unconditionally respected. They could stop the fight completely or pause it to give their opponents a rest.
Fragment of the mosaic "Gladiator Fight", ca. 320g. AD, Borghese Gallery, Rome, Italy
A gladiator who was knocked to the ground could admit defeat himself by giving the referee a thumbs-up to stop the fight and appeal to the editor, whose decision usually depended on the response of the crowd. The earliest gladiator battles provided for the loser to die unconditionally, which was considered a righteous punishment for defeat. Somewhat later, during the time of the Roman Empire, those who showed their skill and fought well could receive, at the whim of the crowd or, most 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 arena of amphitheaters became a good business for school owners - gladiators were expensive, they were rented for battle, sold and bought as goods, and the concluded contract between the lanist and the editor could include the payment of quite a large monetary compensation for unexpected deaths. Sometimes the amount could be fifty times higher than the rental price of a gladiator.
Painting Pollice Verso (lat. Thumbs down), art. Jean-Leon Gerome, 1872
The vanquished, who was denied mercy, had to die with dignity, without offering resistance and without appealing for mercy. Some mosaics that have survived to this day show exactly how defeated gladiators accepted death. The winner dealt the final fatal blow to the kneeling enemy, lowering his sword from top to bottom - between the collarbone and shoulder blade to reach the heart and thus giving him a quick death.
This is interesting!
The blood of a gladiator killed in the arena was considered an effective aphrodisiac, having 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 cups, as a remedy for anemia.” The blood of wounded soldiers was considered an effective remedy for curing epilepsy; it was collected with sponges right in the arena and even sold.
The director of fights in the Colosseum arena publicly confirmed the gladiator’s death by touching him with a hot iron, and invited the libitinarians, special servants of the amphitheater, to remove the body. Dressed in the clothes of the gods Charon or Mercury, they carried lifeless remains out of the arena through a special door designed for this - libitina, so called after the ancient Roman goddess of funerals and burials. This door led to the spoliarium - a room intended for corpses, where the dead gladiator was stripped of his armor and weapons.
The winner of the gladiator fights received a laurel crown from the editor, and money from the grateful crowd of spectators. For an initially condemned gladiator or slave, the greatest reward was the awarding of a rudis, a training wooden sword. From that moment on, the slave received freedom, being considered a freedman.
Ban on gladiatorial games
Foreign 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 emperors continued to subsidize gladiator fights in the Colosseum arena as an integral public interest, the bloody spectacle became increasingly despised by Christians.
Death of Ignatius of Antioch in the arena in Rome
In 315 Constantine I banned the barbarian death sentences, Domnatio ad Bestia, carried out in the arenas, and ten years later he even tried to completely ban gladiator games. However, imperial legislation was unable to completely curb 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 (reigned 379-395) banned pagan festivals;
- in 399 and 404, Emperor Honorius (reigned 393-423) twice imposed a legal ban and closed gladiator schools in Rome;
- in 438 Valentinian III (ruled 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 yielded results. In addition, the spread of Christianity caused increasing rejection and disgust among the followers of the new religion, which significantly reduced interest in gladiatorial fights.
This is interesting!
However, gladiator games in 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 renactors are trying to recreate gladiator schools, forming entire groups of like-minded people. Their goal is to reproduce as accurately as possible a gladiator fight in the arena and demonstrate the Roman historical heritage.
Reconstruction of a gladiator fight
Various festivals regularly held, not only in Rome, provide an opportunity for contemporaries to see with their own eyes the armor and weapons of fighters, and, by attending such events, to feel the spirit of the times and feel the former greatness of the Roman Empire. This is also facilitated by numerous feature films shot in the “peplum” genre by Italian and foreign filmmakers. And although some of them are costume dramas, interest in them has not waned for many generations of viewers. But you can read about this in our next article.
Gladiator fights in the Colosseum arena: sword, blood and public delight
Many historical monuments have been preserved, but the most extraordinary of them is the Colosseum, in which people doomed to death desperately fought and died for the entertainment of 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 and exits and could seat approximately 50,000 spectators - more than most sports venues today, a testament to its greatness almost 2,000 years after its completion. Having eclipsed with its grandeur the ruins of the Roman Forum (the central square in Ancient Rome), the Pantheon and other attractions of the city, the Roman Colosseum will forever remind visitors of the inhuman past, when the thirst for blood brought spectators to the stands of this building, and nothing excited them so much as deprivation person of life.
The Colosseum is Italy's most famous and most visited tourist attraction, the world's largest structure built during the Roman Empire. It is considered one of the greatest structures in the world of engineering and architecture, an iconic symbol of the Roman Empire during its greatest period of power, and the most famous and instantly recognizable monument preserved from antiquity. Even in today's world of skyscrapers, the Colosseum is impressive. It is a glorious and at the same time mournful monument to 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, captured warriors, slaves, and animals. Almost two thousand years later, it still attracts great interest from 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 stood a huge statue of Nero, which disappeared without a trace in the Middle Ages). As befits the largest city in the empire, it became the largest amphitheater in the Roman world, capable of seating 50,000 spectators. In total, there were more than 250 of them in the Roman Empire - it is not surprising that the amphitheater and associated spectacles were the main symbols of Roman culture.
Unlike most other amphitheatres, located on the outskirts of the city, the Colosseum was built in the very center of Rome. It was the product of the uncontrollable 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 Jewish uprising. The construction, which began in 72, was completed by Emperor Titus in 80. The grand opening of the Colosseum was accompanied by gladiator fights, hunting wild animals and naumachia (reproduction of a naval battle in a flooded arena), the games continued for 97 days.
Emperor Domitian (81-96) significantly modernized the structure, 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, prevented fighting gladiators from retreating into a corner and gave spectators the opportunity to be closer to the action. This design has been inherited by almost every modern sports facility in the world.
The Colosseum's honeycomb structure of arches, passages and staircases 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 by pediments.
History of the Colosseum after construction
With the spread of Christianity, the killing of people within the walls of the amphitheater stopped, and the last hunt for animals took place around 523. But the main reason that put an end to the games was the military and financial crisis in the western part of the empire, accompanied by numerous barbarian invasions. The amphitheater required enormous expenses for organizing the games, and in the absence of them, the need for the existence of the Colosseum disappeared.
With the glory of imperial Rome having sunk into history, the purpose of the Colosseum has changed. No longer a place for entertainment, it was used as a home, a fortress and a religious monastery at various 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 the people, who stripped off the rich marble cladding and bricks to build palaces and churches. The famous Cathedrals of St. Peter and St. John the Baptist on the Lateran Hill, Palazzo Venezia were built using brick and marble from 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. All that remains of the former glory of the Colosseum is a shadow of its former appearance, the famous ruins. The amphitheater's reputation as a sacred place where Christian martyrs met their fate saved the Colosseum from complete destruction (but the legend that Christians were sacrificed to lions here is considered unfounded by historians).
In 1749, Pope Benedict XIV declared the Colosseum a public church. From that moment on, 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 at 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 (sea battles) was extremely popular. The Roman ruling class was obliged, according to the generally accepted concepts of the time, to organize spectacles in order to earn the respect and favor of ordinary citizens of the empire and to maintain public peace. All free citizens of Rome had the right to visit the amphitheater.
Organizing the games required enormous costs and was regulated by numerous laws. In the first century AD, the emperors created the Ratio a muneribus, something like a “Ministry of Games,” which had the necessary financial resources to organize games.
For the Romans, visiting the Colosseum became not only a way of relaxation 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 and even address the emperor.
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 gladiator schools for performances in the arena of the Colosseum and other amphitheaters. When there was a shortage of gladiators, runaway slaves began to be sent to schools. They fought on a common basis, and after three years they stopped their performances in the arena. This distinguished the slaves from the condemned criminals who fought in the Colosseum without any hope of survival, like those condemned to ad bestias (to be 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 a disarmed enemy, then he himself found himself disarmed and became the victim of another armed gladiator, and so on, until the last convicted criminal remained.
Beginning in the first century AD, free citizens of Rome (auctorati) voluntarily became gladiators and fought in the Colosseum arena as professionals. These free citizens began their gladiator careers by submitting completely to Lanista's demands. The lanista in the Roman world was considered the most disgusting profession (even below pimps or executioners), had the power of life and death over gladiators, who were required to take an oath of complete obedience as a prerequisite for admission to the school. The gladiator swore to "suffer punishment with a whip, a brand, or accept death by the sword." Such terrible punishments were intended to suppress any hint of disobedience and instilled the belief that overcoming any challenge was the only means of their survival. The public demanded professional spectacles, so training took several years before entering the arena. At the last stage 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 fewer means of defense, or vice versa. The fighting techniques adhered to the traditional battle script, the fight was a show of skill well known to the public, who expected a professional performance. Spectators could approve or disapprove of the gladiators' maneuvers, as we do today when watching sports games such as football. The public did not tolerate monotony and imitation, and highly valued courage and displays of bravery.
In 73 BC, about 70 gladiators under the leadership of Spartacus fled from the school of Capua, created an army of 90,000 people, and for three years the largest slave uprising raged on the territory of the Roman Empire. After the rebellion was suppressed, the Roman Senate took measures to avoid such incidents. A garrison of soldiers stood near each school, delivering weapons there every morning and taking them back in the evening. In case of the slightest disturbance, the soldiers intervened immediately. Schools were considered quite safe, so they were located inside cities. Those held in custody could not escape, and they could only hope to save their lives by fighting valiantly in the arena of the Colosseum in order to attract the attention of influential aristocrats, gain their sympathy and gain their freedom.
Visit to the Colosseum
Games at the Colosseum were considered the privilege of only free citizens (slaves were not allowed), but tickets were not sold for them. Various communities, fraternities, partnerships, leagues, unions, associations and the like had reserved seats in the amphitheater in accordance with their role and rank in society. Those who were not members of any society tried to find a patron and get a place from him on the basis of an invitation. This tradition was observed 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 required to dress appropriately: male citizens must wear a toga. Citizens who did not enjoy a good reputation - bankrupt, depraved or wasteful persons - sat together with the plebs in the upper ranks. In ancient times, even single women were allowed access to the Colosseum. Drinking alcohol in the stands was prohibited; the writer Lampridius criticized Emperor Commodus when he sometimes drank alcohol.
On game day, spectators arrived very early, and some even slept in the Coliseum. To enter the room, spectators presented a tessera (invitation). 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 planks set on marble stones, while the Roman aristocracy sat on more comfortable upholstered seats. The poor, including women, were located on the top tier.
Spectators walked to their seats through 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 layout of the sites 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 were crowded together like sardines in a can, each of them having an average of 40x70 cm of space.
The Colosseum arena was covered with a 15 cm thick layer of sand (the Latin word for sand is spelled “arena”), sometimes painted red to hide the spilled blood. And, as seen in Ridley Scott's film "Gladiator", holes opened from below, from where wild animals were released into the arena.
Naumachia
Navachia was a reproduction of famous naval battles, the participants of which, as a rule, were criminals sentenced to death, and sometimes simply trained warriors and sailors. Such shows (mostly held in Rome) were extremely expensive. The ships were no different from warships and maneuvered in battle like real ones. The Romans called such spectacles navalia proelia (sea battles), but they became famous from the Greek word naumachia (naumachia), a term indicating that the spectacle took place in a specially equipped place.
Naumachia often tried to recreate famous historical battles, such as the Greek victory 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 received 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 (81-96), a system of tunnels was built under the arena and the naumachia was abolished.
Animal hunting
Hunting scenes were extremely 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 lasting several days. All types of wild animals - elephants, bears, bulls, lions, tigers - were captured throughout the empire, transported and kept for 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 pairings were classic: lion versus tiger, bull or bear. Sometimes the pairs were clearly unequal: dogs or lions were released on deer, in this case the outcome was predictable. To break the monotony, the Romans resorted to strange combinations of animals: bear versus python, crocodile versus lion, seal versus bear, and so on. Sometimes the animals were chained to the Colosseum arena to prevent them from maneuvering.
Most martial arts were animals against trained men (venatores) armed with spears. 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 mosaics and graffiti.
A huge number of wild animals died in the Colosseum arena (sources say that 9,000 animals were killed in the first days of opening alone). Even if this figure is exaggerated, we can say with confidence that a large number of animals died for fun in the arenas of Roman amphitheaters. Bears were captured in Caledonia (Scotland) and Pannonia (now Hungary and Austria); lions and panthers - in the province of Numidia in Africa (currently Algeria and Tunisia), tigers in Persia, crocodiles and rhinoceroses in India.
Capturing animals and transporting them in good condition over thousands of kilometers was extremely expensive. The animals had to be caught alive, and this posed the main danger. The animals were caught in traps, put in cages, and fed all the way to their destination to ensure they arrived in good condition. The hunt for large animals is reflected in numerous mosaics and paintings depicting the search, capture, transportation, and finally the kill. The costs were enormous, so the provinces of the Roman Empire were subject to special taxes so that Rome could organize hunting in the amphitheater arenas.
Tourism
Today the Colosseum is Rome's main tourist attraction, welcoming millions of tourists every year. Thanks to reconstruction in 2010, for the first time in the modern history of the amphitheater, the underground tunnels in which shackled gladiators once waited to enter the arena are open to the public. Also restored and reopened (for the first time since 1970) was the third tier of the Colosseum, from where Rome's middle class watched the desperate battles in the arena. Tours are 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. Famous performers held their concerts under the shadow of the ancient monument: Paul McCartney, Elton John, Ray Charles, Billy Joel. On July 7, 2007, it was included in the list of one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, the only European nominee.
Why does the Colosseum have this name? How has it changed over the centuries? And, most importantly, what secrets does Italy's number one attraction keep?
"Attention, construction work is underway"
In order to build, the Romans took a little over five years: from 75 to 80 AD. The Colosseum was and remains one of the most grandiose buildings: more than 100,000 cubic meters of travertine (lime tuff) were used for the construction of the outer walls alone. The result was "colossale" (colossal): the amphitheater, 189 meters long, 156 meters wide and 48 meters high, was able to accommodate between 50 and 70 thousand spectators on a total internal area of 24,000 square meters.
Arena. There were only 80 entrances to the amphitheater, the arena where the battles took place was elliptical in shape, with axes about 80 and 50 meters long, and was probably covered with wooden beams.
One day at the Colosseum
The daily routine in the amphitheater was predetermined and strict. On the evening before the upcoming battle, the "editor", that is, the one who organized the games, offered the gladiators a dinner, which was open to the public: this was done so that the crowd could take a closer look at the participants in the fights. The next morning, the soldiers opened the day with a “parade” in the amphitheater, richly armored and fully armed. Then fights began between animals or between animals and people.
Deadly Lunch
Lunch hours in the Colosseum were reserved for executions of those sentenced to death: people were burned at the stake, crucified or given to wild animals. All this took place in the format of a live show.
The highlight of the program
The most anticipated show was the afternoon show - duels between gladiators: Munera. According to a common interpretation, the gladiators entered the field in a column, stood in front of the emperor and shouted: “Ave caesar, morituri te salutant.” In fact, Caesar was greeted very rarely.
The mystery of the name
In the beginning it was called the Flavian Amphitheater (Anfiteatro Flavio) because it was built by the emperors Vespasian and Titus of the Flavian dynasty. The name "Colosseum" appeared only in the Middle Ages: the most popular theory is that the amphitheater received the name "Colosseo" due to the fact that it was built next to Nero's "Colossus", a statue that was located a few meters from the amphitheater. Others say that the name comes from its location, because the amphitheater was built on a hill where the Temple of Isis (Collis Isei) once stood.
There is also an interesting legend about the origin of the name “Colosseum”: once upon a time on the site of the Colosseum there was a pagan temple where the devil was worshiped. And at the end of each ceremony the priests asked the followers: COLIS EUM? (Do you love him? I mean, the devil).
Sun protection and seat reservations
On particularly hot sunny days, the Colosseum was covered with a curtain of about 80 triangular pieces of canvas, which were stretched through 320 support cables. The reason is easy to understand: the curtain protected spectators from sunburn during daytime shows.
Seats in the Colosseum were strictly reserved. The upper rows contained wooden benches intended for the public, while the seats for privileged guests were decorated in marble. Anyone could take part in the show, entry was free, but changing the seats assigned to each of the visitors was not allowed. The senators of Rome sat in the front row along with the Vestals, behind them were the soldiers (equites), and in the attics places were reserved for slaves and foreigners.
The first elevator in history and the scenery for the "play"
One of the first examples of working elevator systems was the system operating at the Colosseum. The arena and basement areas were actually connected by elevators.
The basements consisted of alternating corridors. Some contained sets of scenery for battles, which, thanks to a system of cables, were raised into the arena, others contained animals and gladiators preparing for battle.
The scenery was installed in the arena in advance. Gladiators and animals ascended to the arena immediately at the start of the battle on the first prototype of the elevator. Thanks to these systems of rise from underground space, the show took on a more exciting character: warriors and wild animals appeared in the arena as if from nowhere.
The Colosseum gave life to many of Rome's historical landmarks
The marble facade and some of the interior of the Colosseum were used to build various civil buildings in Rome, such as the Palazzo Barberini. After being neglected for a long time, the amphitheater was actually used by the Romans as a source of building materials. This continued until the 18th century, when a sudden love for the ancient ruins of Rome arose. It is estimated that only one-third of what was left of the Colosseum was the original structure.
In the thirteenth century, a palazzo of the Roman Frangipane family was even built inside the amphitheater, and later other civil houses.
The Colosseum was also damaged by numerous earthquakes. Thus, in 851, an earthquake provoked the collapse of two rows of arches on the south side and the amphitheater took on the asymmetrical aspect familiar to us.
Colosseum and swimming pool
Inside the amphitheater, at one time there were also water fights, “Naumachie”: these were shows in which gladiators (or convicts) reenacted famous naval battles from Roman imperial history.
The pool also hosted a peaceful water show in which women participated.
According to Martin Krepper, professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Edinburgh, the water flowed through a series of internal wells and pipes under the stands. It took about 7 hours to fill the entire arena.
Scary and terrible
During the times of gladiatorial fights, the Colosseum acquired an ominous reputation, such that it was considered one of the seven gates of hell (tens of thousands of people died in the arena). They say that the Colosseum even hosted devilish rites, for which the blood of those killed in the arena was used. In the Middle Ages, then, gangs of bandits used the arena to bury victims. And in the 16th century, wizards and sorcerers flocked here, who used grass with magical powers that grew among the blood and ruins for witchcraft.
Jungle Colosseum
For several decades, botanists have been studying plants that grew spontaneously inside the Colosseum. We are talking about more than 350 different species of plants that have taken root among the ruins - some of them are of absolutely exotic origin and their growth is supported by the unique microclimate of the amphitheater.
Coliseum and Hollywood
The Colosseum has been the location for many films, but the film that brought it even greater worldwide fame, Gladiator, was not filmed inside the amphitheater. A series of unresolved issues prompted director Ridley Scott to film the gladiatorial fight scenes at the Roman amphitheater El Jem in Tunisia and a fake Colosseum specially built for filming in Malta. It took just 19 weeks to build the amphitheater, but the structure was made of wood and only partially: most of it was recreated on the computer in post-production.