Tourist Guide
to the Roman Colosseum
This Tourist
Guide to the Roman Colosseum is a personal view on what to
look at when you are visiting the ruins of the Roman
Colosseum. This short tourist guide only takes a couple of
minutes to read but it will give you an insight into this
famous monument in Rome and will provide answers to the
questions that people ask when they visit the Roman
Colosseum. Print this page and take it with you on your
tour. For other places of interest to visit in Rome please
click
Ancient Rome Buildings.
Tourist Guide
to the Roman Colosseum - Useful Background information
The Roman
Colosseum which was commissioned by the Flavian family, the
Emperors Vespasian and Titus. The Colosseum was originally
called the 'Flavian Amphitheatre'. The name Colosseum was
derived from a colossal statue of the Emperor Nero which
stood on this area. Building started in started in c70AD and
was finished by c80AD! Just 10 years to build. The Roman
Colosseum is still standing 2000 years after it was built.
The structure has survived earthquakes, fire and plundering.
Tourist Guide
to the Roman Colosseum- Death inside the Colosseum
Remember that
nearly 1 million people died in this bloody arena and that
as many as 5000 animals were slaughtered in one day.
Gladiators were forced to fight to the death. Criminals and
Christians faced torture and horrendous executions. The
wild and exotic animals at the Colosseumwere brought
from all over the Roman Empire. During just one festival in
240 AD a staggering: 2,000 gladiators, 70 lions, 40 wild
horses, 30 elephants, 30 leopards, 20 wild asses, 19
giraffes, 10 antelopes, 10 hyenas, 10 tigers, 1 hippopotamus
and 1 rhinoceros were slaughtered. Some wild animals were
killed to the point of extinction...
Tourist Guide
to the Roman Colosseum - The Outside Walls of the Colosseum
The outside
walls of the Roman Colosseum tell the story of the most
famous amphitheatre in the world. Its good to try to imagine
what the Colosseum would have looked like when it was built
2000 years ago. There are plenty of tourists books on sale
which provide an overlay to the existing ruins.
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The Walls - When the Colosseum was first built they would have
been covered with marble
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The Arches and
Entrances
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The Colosseum
amphitheatre was therefore ringed by eighty massive entrance gates
at ground level which formed the entrances and exits for the
spectators
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The gates were tall enough to
accommodate the largest animals such as elephants and giraffes
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The Columns of the arches -
Look closely and you will see each tier has a different style
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The first
level with plain sturdy Doric "order" or style arches
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Second level
with Ionic arches - look for the
spiral scroll-like ornament
at the top of the column
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Third level
Corinthian style - the slenderest and richest columns
with an ornate bell-shaped
capital decorated with acanthus leaves
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All around the ruins of the
Colosseum are the remains of many ruined columns - with your
knowledge of the classical styles you will be able to figure out
where they originally came from
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The Roman
Numerals - Look out for the numbers above the entrances for example
the number XXXVIII would mean Gate 38 which enabled Romans to find
their seats in the Colosseum quickly
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The Holes in the Walls - these were due to
people in the Middle Ages
plundering the iron clamps, which held the stone together without
mortar, and used to make Medieval weapons
Tourist Guide
to the Roman Colosseum- Inside the Colosseum - Who sat
where?
Who would have
sat where in the Colosseum? Where would the Roman Emperor
have sat? Where did the Vestal Virgins sit? The seating
areas would have been covered with marble.
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Get your bearings
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Get and idea of
the seating arrangements
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The areas of
seating reflected the social status of the Romans
-
Look for the
simple cross which commemorates the Christians that died in the
arena
-
The Roman
Emperors sat where the cross is now placed. The Emperors had a
canopied Imperial Box on a dais
-
On the
opposite side would have been where the Vestal Virgins would have
sat
-
On the same level
the most important Romans (politicians, senators, priests,
magistrates) and visiting dignitaries would have sat - they used
elegant portable fold-up stools to sit on
-
The 2nd level is
where the high ranking equites (knights or officers) sat
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The 3rd tier is
where the 'Plebs' would have been seated - sectioned by the poor
plebs and the wealthy Plebs
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The Upper tier
was for poor women
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Slaves were
strictly forbidden from watching the games
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Water fountains
and latrines were available - refer to the
Colosseum Water and Sewage System
-
An automated
system sprinkled perfume over the spectators to mask the stench of
the hot spectators, the combatants and the animals
-
Romans could buy
food at the Colosseum but alcohol was banned
Tourist Guide
to the Roman Colosseum- Under the Colosseum - The Hypogeum
The arena area of
the Colosseum has been excavated to reveal the
Hypogeum, which was built by the Emperor Domitian. The
hypogeum refers to the vast network of rooms, cells,
tunnels and passages under the 6 acre area of the Roman
Colosseum. Elevators and pulleys raised and lowered scenery
and props, as well as lifting animals and gladiators to the
surface of the arena through a system of trap doors. The
Colosseum was a vast complex and
Tunnels under the Colosseumled to other buildings such as the Gladiator Schools, the
Imperial Palace and the buildings where armor, weapons,
scenery and equipment were kept. The addition of the
Hypogeum would have prevented any
water battlestaking place in the arena.
Tourist Guide
to the Roman Colosseum- The Top the Colosseum - The Velarium
Over the top
of the building there would have been a retractable,
panelled, awning at the Roman Colosseum, called the
Velarium. Its purpose was to provide shade for the
spectators who watched the gladiatorial games in the
blistering sun and heat of Ancient Rome.
Tourist Guide
to the Roman Colosseum
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