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Amedeo Maiuri
Amedeo Maiuri (January 7, 1886 - April 7, 1963) was a renowned Neapolitan archaeologist, famous for his archaeological investigations of the Roman city of Pompeii which was destroyed in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in August of A.D. 79.
http://wn.com/Amedeo_Maiuri -
Anicius Maximus
Flavius Anicius Maximus (died in 552) was a Roman senator and patrician during the Ostrogothic kingdom, who celebrated the last games in the Flavian Amphitheater.
http://wn.com/Anicius_Maximus -
Bede
Bede (pronounced "Bead" / ; ; 672 / 673 – 26 May 735), also referred to as Saint Bede or the Venerable Bede (), was a monk at the Northumbrian monastery of Saint Peter at Monkwearmouth, today part of Sunderland, England, and of its companion monastery, Saint Paul's, in modern Jarrow (see Wearmouth-Jarrow), both in the Kingdom of Northumbria.
http://wn.com/Bede -
Benedict XIV
http://wn.com/Benedict_XIV -
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini KSMOM GCTE (29 July 1883, Predappio, Province of Forlì-Cesena - 28 April 1945) was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism.
http://wn.com/Benito_Mussolini -
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to the RIAA.
http://wn.com/Billy_Joel -
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee (, born Lee Jun-fan (); – ) was a Chinese American and Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement. He is considered one of the most influential martial artists of the 20th century, and a cultural icon.
http://wn.com/Bruce_Lee -
Caligula
Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (31 August AD 12 – 24 January AD 41), commonly known as Caligula and sometimes Gaius, was Roman Emperor from 37 to 41. Caligula was a member of the house of rulers conventionally known as the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Caligula's father Germanicus, the nephew and adopted son of emperor Tiberius, was a very successful general and one of Rome's most beloved public figures. The young Gaius earned the nickname Caligula (the diminutive form of caliga meaning "little soldier's boot") from his father's soldiers while accompanying him during his campaigns in Germania. When Germanicus died at Antioch in 19 AD, his mother Agrippina the Elder returned to Rome with her six children where she became entangled in an increasingly bitter feud with Tiberius. This conflict eventually led to the destruction of her family, with Caligula as the sole male survivor. Unscathed by the deadly intrigues, Caligula accepted the invitation to join the emperor on the island of Capri in 31, where Tiberius himself had withdrawn five years earlier. At the death of Tiberius in 37, Caligula succeeded his great-uncle and adoptive grandfather.
http://wn.com/Caligula -
Diego Della Valle
http://wn.com/Diego_Della_Valle -
Domenico Panaroli
Domenico Panaroli (1587–1657) was a physician and herbalist of Rome. He is remembered today largely by what was for him a minor work. In 1643 he compiled the first Flora of the Colosseum, Plantarum Amphytheatralium Catalogus, where he had noticed many exotic species were naturalized, originally from stowaway seeds that hitch-hiked in bedding straw and in animals' coats, or that had come in more recently, for in the 17th century the Colosseum was full of improvised shelter that housed people and workshops, a den of thieves in the eyes of outsiders (Caneva 2003).
http://wn.com/Domenico_Panaroli -
Domitian
Titus Flavius Domitianus (24 October 51 – 18 September 96), commonly known as Domitian, was Roman Emperor from 81 to 96. Domitian was the third and last emperor of the Flavian dynasty.
http://wn.com/Domitian -
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is an English singer-songwriter, composer and pianist. He has worked with his songwriting partner Bernie Taupin since 1967; they have collaborated on more than 30 albums to date.
http://wn.com/Elton_John -
Jean-Léon Gérôme
Jean-Léon Gérôme (11 May 1824 – 10 January 1904) was a French painter and sculptor in the style now known as Academicism. The range of his oeuvre included historical painting, Greek mythology, Orientalism, portraits and other subjects, bringing the Academic painting tradition to an artistic climax.
http://wn.com/Jean-Léon_Gérôme -
Moshe Safdie
Moshe Safdie, CC, FAIA (born July 14, 1938) is an architect and urban designer. He was born in the city of Haifa, British Mandate for Palestine. He moved with his family to Montreal, Canada when he was 15 years old.
http://wn.com/Moshe_Safdie -
Nero
Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (15 December 37 – 9 June 68), born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, and commonly known as Nero, was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68. He was the last emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor. He succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death.
http://wn.com/Nero -
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE (born 18 June 1942) is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles (1960–1970) and Wings (1971–1981), McCartney is the most successful songwriter in the history of popular music, according to Guinness World Records.
http://wn.com/Paul_McCartney -
Pope Benedict XIV
Pope Benedict XIV (31 March 1675 – 3 May 1758), born Prospero Lorenzo Lambertini, was Pope from 17 August 1740 to 3 May 1758.
http://wn.com/Pope_Benedict_XIV -
Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI (; ; ; born Joseph Alois Ratzinger on 16 April 1927) is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the head of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of the Vatican City State. He was elected on 19 April 2005 in a papal conclave, celebrated his Papal Inauguration Mass on 24 April 2005, and took possession of his cathedral, the Basilica of St. John Lateran, on 7 May 2005. A native of Bavaria, Pope Benedict XVI has both German and Vatican citizenship. He succeeded John Paul II.
http://wn.com/Pope_Benedict_XVI -
Pope Clement X
Pope Clement X (13 July 1590 – 22 July 1676), born Emilio Bonaventura Altieri, was Pope from 29 April 1670 to 22 July 1676.
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Pope Pius V
Pope Pius V (17 January 1504 – 1 May 1572), born Antonio Ghislieri (from 1518 called Michele Ghislieri, O.P.), was Pope from 1566 to 1572 and is a saint of the Catholic Church. He is chiefly notable for his role in the Council of Trent, the Counter-Reformation, and the standardisation of the liturgy. Pius V declared Thomas Aquinas a Doctor of the Church and patronised prominent sacred music composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina.
http://wn.com/Pope_Pius_V -
Pope Sixtus V
Pope Sixtus V (13 December 1520 – 27 August 1590), born Felice Peretti di Montalto, was Pope from 1585 to 1590.
http://wn.com/Pope_Sixtus_V -
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930June 10, 2004), better known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. Ray was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm & blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records. He also helped racially integrate country and pop music during the 1960s with his crossover success on ABC Records, most notably with his Modern Sounds albums. While with ABC, Charles became one of the first African-American musicians to be given artistic control by a mainstream record company.
http://wn.com/Ray_Charles -
Ridley Scott
Sir Ridley Scott (born 30 November 1937) is an English film director and producer known for his stylish visuals and an obsession for detail. His films include The Duellists (1977), Alien (1979), Blade Runner (1982), Legend (1985), Thelma & Louise (1991), Gladiator (2000), Black Hawk Down (2001), Hannibal (2001), Kingdom of Heaven (2005), American Gangster (2007), Body of Lies (2008), and Robin Hood (2010).
http://wn.com/Ridley_Scott -
Roman Emperor
The Roman Emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period (starting at about 27 BC). The Romans had no single term for the office: Latin titles such as imperator (from which English emperor ultimately derives), augustus, caesar and princeps were all associated with it. In practice, the emperor was supreme ruler of Rome and supreme commander of the Roman legions.
http://wn.com/Roman_Emperor -
Theodoric the Great
Flavius Theodericus, also known as Theodoric the Great (; ; , (''Theυ'ðerichos'', ); ; ; ), 454 – 30 August 526, was king of the Ostrogoths (471 – 526), ruler of Italy (493 – 526), regent of the Visigoths (511 – 526), and a viceroy of the Eastern Roman Empire. His Gothic name "Þiuda reiks" translates into "people's king". He became a hero of Germanic legend.
http://wn.com/Theodoric_the_Great -
Theodosius II
Theodosius II (; 10 April 401 – 28 July 450), commonly surnamed Theodosius the Younger, or Theodosius the Calligrapher, was the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Emperor from 408 to 450. He is mostly known for promulgating the Theodosian law code, and for the construction of the Theodosian Walls of Constantinople. He also presided over the outbreak of two great christological controversies, Nestorianism and Eutychianism.
http://wn.com/Theodosius_II -
Titus
:For the personal name, see Titus (praenomen). For other uses, see Titus (disambiguation).
http://wn.com/Titus -
Trajan
Marcus Ulpius Nerva Traianus (18 September 53 – 9 August 117), commonly known as Trajan, was Roman Emperor from 98 to 117. Born into a non-patrician family in the province of Hispania Baetica, Trajan rose to prominence during the reign of emperor Domitian. Serving as a general in the Roman army along the German frontier, Trajan successfully put down the revolt of Antonius Saturninus in 89. In September 96, Domitian was succeeded by Marcus Cocceius Nerva, an old and childless senator who proved to be unpopular with the army. After a brief and tumultuous year in power, a revolt by members of the Praetorian Guard compelled him to adopt the more popular Trajan as his heir and successor. Nerva died on 27 January 98, and was succeeded by his adopted son without incident.
http://wn.com/Trajan -
Valentinian III
Flavius Placidius Valentinianus (2 July 419 – 16 March 455), commonly known as Valentinian III, was Western Roman Emperor from 425 to 455.
http://wn.com/Valentinian_III -
Vespasian
Titus Flavius Vespasianus , commonly known as Vespasian (17 November 9 – 23 June 79), was Roman Emperor from 69 C.E to 79 C.E. Vespasian was the founder of the Flavian dynasty which ruled the empire for a quarter century. Vespasian was descended from a family of equestrians which rose into the senatorial rank under the emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Although he attained the standard succession of public offices, holding the consulship in 51 C.E, Vespasian became more reputed as a successful military commander, participating in the Roman invasion of Britain in 43, and subjugating Judaea during the Jewish rebellion of 66 C.E. While Vespasian was preparing to besiege the city of Jerusalem during the latter campaign, emperor Nero committed suicide, plunging the empire into a year of civil war known as the Year of the Four Emperors. After the emperors Galba and Otho perished in quick succession, Vitellius became emperor in April 69 C.E. In response, the armies in Egypt and Judaea declared Vespasian emperor on July 1. In his bid for imperial power, Vespasian joined forces with Mucianus, the governor of Syria, and Primus, a general in Pannonia. Primus and Mucianus led the Flavian forces against Vitellius, while Vespasian gained control of Egypt. On 20 December, Vitellius was defeated, and the following day Vespasian was declared emperor by the Roman Senate.
http://wn.com/Vespasian
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Caelian Hill
The Caelian Hill (Latin Mons Caelius, Italian Celio) is one of the famous Seven Hills of Rome. Under reign of Tullus Hostilius, the entire population of Alba Longa was forcibly resettled on the Caelian Hill. According to a tradition recounted by Titus Livy, the hill received its name from Caelius Vibenna, either because he established a settlement there or because his friend Servius Tullius wished to honor him after his death.
http://wn.com/Caelian_Hill -
Colossus of Nero
The Colossus Neronis was an enormous, 30 m bronze statue that the Emperor Nero (37–68 AD) erected in the vestibule of his Domus Aurea, the imperial villa complex on the Palatine Hill. It was modified by Nero's successors into a statue of the sun god Sol Invictus. It is last mentioned in the 4th century AD. The Colosseum is probably named after the statue that stood near its site.
http://wn.com/Colossus_of_Nero -
Domus Aurea
This article refers to the Roman Villa. For the Church in Antioch see Domus Aurea (Antioch)
http://wn.com/Domus_Aurea -
Esquiline Hill
The Esquiline Hill is one of the celebrated Seven Hills of Rome. Its southern-most cusp is the Oppius (Oppian Hill).
http://wn.com/Esquiline_Hill -
Germany
Germany (), officially the Federal Republic of Germany (, ), is a country in Western Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The territory of Germany covers 357.021 km2 and is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate. With 81.8 million inhabitants, it is the most populous member state of the European Union, and home to the third-largest number of international migrants worldwide.
http://wn.com/Germany -
Ludus Magnus
The Ludus Magnus or The Great Gladiatorial Training School is the largest of the gladiatorial arenas in Rome, Italy. It was built by the emperor Domitian (81-96 AD) in the valley between the Esquilino and the Celio, an area already occupied by Republican and Augustan structures. The still visible ruins of the monument belong to a second building stage attributed to the emperor Trajan (98-117), where the Ludus plane was raised by about 1.5 m.
http://wn.com/Ludus_Magnus -
Naples
Naples ( , , Neapolitan: Napule) is a city in Italy; it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples. Known for its rich history, art, culture, architecture, music, and gastronomy, Naples has played an important role in the the Italian peninsula and beyond for much of its existence, which began more than 2,800 years ago. Situated on the west coast of Italy by the Gulf of Naples, the city is located halfway between two volcanic areas, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields.
http://wn.com/Naples -
New Mexico
New Mexico() is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also part of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth- most sparsely inhabited U.S. state.
http://wn.com/New_Mexico -
Roman Forum
:This page refers to the main forum in the center of Rome. See Imperial fora or Other fora in Rome (below) for other fora in Rome and other Roman provincial cities.
http://wn.com/Roman_Forum
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Colosseum
Releases by album:
The Grass Is Greener |
Chapter 3: Parasomnia |
Chapter 2: Numquam |
Chapter 1: Delirium |
Valentyne Suite |
Daughter of Time |
Those Who Are About to Die Salute You |
The Collectors |
The Grass Is Greener |
Those Who Are About to Die / Valentyne Suite |
Bread & Circuses |
Tomorrow's Blues |
Album releases
The Grass Is Greener
(Released 2011)
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Jumping Off the Sun
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Lost Angeles
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Elegy
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Butty's Blues
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Rope Ladder to the Moon
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Bolero
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The Machine Demands a Sacrifice
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The Grass Is Greener
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Lost Angeles (live version)
Chapter 3: Parasomnia
(Released 2011)
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Dilapidation and Death
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Questioning Existence
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Passage to Eternity
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On the Strand of Nightmares
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Parasomnia
Chapter 2: Numquam
(Released 2009)
Chapter 1: Delirium
(Released 2007)
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The Gate of Adar
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Corridors of Desolation
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Weathered
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Saturnine Vastness
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Aesthetics of the Grotesque
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Delirium
Valentyne Suite
(Released 2006)
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The Kettle
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Elegy
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Butty's Blues
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The Machine Demands a Sacrifice
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The Valentyne Suite
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Arthur's Moustache
-
Lost Angeles
Daughter of Time
(Released 2004)
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Three Score and Ten, Amen
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Time Lament
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Take Me Back to Doomsday
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The Daughter of Time
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Theme for an Imaginary Western
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Bring Out Your Dead
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Downhill and Shadows
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The Time Machine (live)
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Jumping Off the Sun
Those Who Are About to Die Salute You
(Released 2004)
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Walking in the Park
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Plenty Hard Luck
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Mandarin
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Debut
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Beware the Ides of March
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The Road She Walked Before
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Backwater Blues
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Those About to Die
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I Can't Live Without You
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A White Spade Than Mayall
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Walking in the Park
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Beware the Ides of March
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Plenty Hard Luck
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Walking in the Park
The Collectors
(Released 1971)
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Jumping Off the Sun
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Those About to Die
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I Can't Live Without You
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Beware the Ides of March
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Walking in the Park
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Bolero
-
Rope Ladder to the Moon
-
The Grass Is Greener
The Grass Is Greener
(Released 1970)
-
Jumping Off the Sun
-
Lost Angeles
-
Elegy
-
Butty's Blues
-
Rope Ladder to the Moon
-
Bolero
-
The Machine Demands a Sacrifice
-
The Grass Is Greener
Those Who Are About to Die / Valentyne Suite
-
Walking in the Park
-
Plenty Hard Luck
-
Mandarin
-
Debut
-
Beware the Ides of March
-
The Road She Walked Before
-
Backwater Blues
-
Those About to Die
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The Kettle
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Elegy
-
Butty's Blues
-
The Machine Demands a Sacrifice
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The Valentyne Suite
Bread & Circuses
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Watching Your Every Move
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Bread & Circuses
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Wherever I Go
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High Time
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Big Deal
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The Playground
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No Pleasin'
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I Could Tell You Tales
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Storms Behind the Breeze
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The One That Got Away (instrumental)
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The Other Side of the Sky
Tomorrow's Blues
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Tomorrow's Blues
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Come Right Back
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In the Heat of the Night
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Hard Times Rising
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Arena in the Sun
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Thief in the Night
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Take the Dark Times With the Sun
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The Net Man
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Leisure Complex Blues
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No Demons
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Email this Page
Lost Angeles (part 1) - Colosseum
A song from the 1971 live album recorded at Manchester University and the Big Apple, Brighton, on the "Daughter of Time" tour. After "Colosseum Live", the band broke up for 23 years and reunited in 1994. Mark Clarke: Bass, Vocals Dave "Clem" Clempson: Guitars, Vocals Chris Farlowe: Vocals Dave Greenslade: Organ, Vibes Dick Heckstall-Smith: Saxophones Jon Hiseman: Drums
http://wn.com/Lost_Angeles_part_1__Colosseum
Building Rome's Colosseum
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:30
- Published: 14 Jun 2007
- Uploaded: 27 Nov 2011
- Author: NationalGeographic
Discover the engineering secrets behind Rome's Colosseum. Engineering the Impossible: The Colosseum : SUN JUNE 24 9P et/pt channel.nationalgeographic.com
http://wn.com/Building_Rome's_Colosseum
RARE Colosseum Live 1969 - Valentyne Suite Part-1/2
Colosseum - Valentyne Suite Recorded live at Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland, June 22, 1969. Track 1 - Valentyne Suite : )Theme one : January's Search )Theme two : February's Valentyne )Theme Three : Beware the Ides of March *(Incomplete) (14:49) Composed By Dave Greenslade and Dick Heckstall-Smith Artists: Dave Greenslade - Organ, Vocals Dick Heckstall-Smith - Saxophones James Litherland - Guitar, Vocals Tony Reeves - Bass Jon Hiseman - Drums ***** Important historic fact about Montreux Casino which held Montreux Jazz Festival you might want to know (from Wiki): Montreux Casino (Casino de Montreux) is a casino located in Montreux, Switzerland, on the shoreline of Lake Geneva. Montreux Casino was built in 1881 and had modifications made to it in 1903. Throughout the twentieth century, the site played host to many great symphony orchestras and well-known conductors. By the late 1960s, jazz, blues and rock artists began to perform there. In 1967 the Casino became the venue for the Montreux Jazz Festival, which was the brainchild of music promoter Claude Nobs. The festival was held there annually and lasted for three days. The highlights of this era were Keith Jarrett, Jack DeJohnette, Bill Evans, Nina Simone, Jan Garbarek, and Ella Fitzgerald. Originally featuring almost exclusively jazz artists, in the 1970s the festival began broadening its scope, including blues, soul, and rock artists. Some notable rock acts which performed at Montreux Casino in these years include <b>...</b>
http://wn.com/RARE_Colosseum_Live_1969__Valentyne_Suite_Part-1/2
Modern Marvels: The Colosseum
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:37
- Published: 13 Jul 2008
- Uploaded: 30 Nov 2011
- Author: Justinian43
A brief part of History channel's modern marvels featuring The Colosseum.
http://wn.com/Modern_Marvels_The_Colosseum
Clem Clempson from Colosseum
Dave Clempson's guitar solo from the end of the Valentine Suite.
http://wn.com/Clem_Clempson_from_Colosseum
HORRIBLE HISTORIES - The Colusseum
This from my favorite series: Horrible Histories. Got this one from the Horrible Histories game on the bbc website. In this episode, the Colusseum is out of animals.
http://wn.com/HORRIBLE_HISTORIES__The_Colusseum
Rome: Colosseum
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:43
- Published: 01 Jun 2009
- Uploaded: 29 Nov 2011
- Author: denniscallan
The greatest building ever constructed by the ancient Romans was a bloody stadium filled with violent action every day for 400 years.
http://wn.com/Rome_Colosseum
Colosseum - Corridors Of Desolation
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 6:44
- Published: 10 Jun 2008
- Uploaded: 30 Nov 2011
- Author: WitheringLight
RIP Juhani Palomäki (1977 - 2010) Band: Colosseum Song: Corridors Of Desolation Album: Chapter I: Delirium (Full-lenght, 2007) Genre: Funeral Doom Metal Origin: Finland (Riihimäki/Southern Finland) Formed in: 2006 Current label: Firebox Records/Firedoom Music Status: Split-up Link(s): www.colosseumdoom.com www.myspace.com Lyrics: Cold within myself I stare to empty gloom Languishing years predicting the end Were there even beginning at all Lying above myself Gazing at my body Ravage of empty self Pale soulless embrace Opium has left my veins Reality's gruesome knives lacerate my flesh But I'll never cry Please leave me be within these shades of grey Soulless nonexistent flame must be extinguished without a single tear
http://wn.com/Colosseum__Corridors_Of_Desolation
COLOSSEUM-Towards The Infinite(Music video)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 6:53
- Published: 29 Jan 2010
- Uploaded: 01 Dec 2011
- Author: COLOSSEUMDOOM
Official music video of "Towards The Infinite" from the album Chapter 2: Numquam, by Finnish funeral doom band COLOSSEUM www.colosseumdoom.com www.myspace.com
http://wn.com/COLOSSEUM-Towards_The_InfiniteMusic_video
RARE Colosseum Live 1969 - Valentyne Suite Part-2/2
Colosseum - Valentyne Suite Recorded live at Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland, June 22, 1969. Track 1 - Valentyne Suite : )Theme one : January's Search )Theme two : February's Valentyne )Theme Three : Beware the Ides of March *(Incomplete) (14:49) Composed By Dave Greenslade and Dick Heckstall-Smith Artists: Dave Greenslade - Organ, Vocals Dick Heckstall-Smith - Saxophones James Litherland - Guitar, Vocals Tony Reeves - Bass Jon Hiseman - Drums ***** Important historic fact about Montreux Casino which held Montreux Jazz Festival you might want to know (from Wiki): Montreux Casino (Casino de Montreux) is a casino located in Montreux, Switzerland, on the shoreline of Lake Geneva. Montreux Casino was built in 1881 and had modifications made to it in 1903. Throughout the twentieth century, the site played host to many great symphony orchestras and well-known conductors. By the late 1960s, jazz, blues and rock artists began to perform there. In 1967 the Casino became the venue for the Montreux Jazz Festival, which was the brainchild of music promoter Claude Nobs. The festival was held there annually and lasted for three days. The highlights of this era were Keith Jarrett, Jack DeJohnette, Bill Evans, Nina Simone, Jan Garbarek, and Ella Fitzgerald. Originally featuring almost exclusively jazz artists, in the 1970s the festival began broadening its scope, including blues, soul, and rock artists. Some notable rock acts which performed at Montreux Casino in these years include <b>...</b>
http://wn.com/RARE_Colosseum_Live_1969__Valentyne_Suite_Part-2/2
Approaching Nirvana - Colosseum
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:35
- Published: 06 Nov 2009
- Uploaded: 01 Dec 2011
- Author: ApproachingNirvana
From Cinematic Soundscapes Vol. 1. You can buy the album at the links below. iTunes: bit.ly Amazon: bit.ly © 2009 Approaching Nirvana
http://wn.com/Approaching_Nirvana__Colosseum
Colosseum the kettle
Original tune off "The Valentyne suite" later remixed by Norman Cook.
http://wn.com/Colosseum_the_kettle
Seven Wonders of the world - Roman Coliseum
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:25
- Published: 26 Mar 2010
- Uploaded: 29 Nov 2011
- Author: THEWORLDOFTRAVEL
The Colosseum is an elliptical amphitheatre in the center of the city of Rome, Italy, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire. It is considered one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and Roman engineering. Occupying a site just east of the Roman Forum, its construction started between 70 and 72 AD under the emperor Vespasian and was completed in 80 AD under Titus, with further modifications being made during Domitian's reign (8196). The name "Amphitheatrum Flavium" derives from both Vespasian's and Titus's family name (Flavius, from the gens Flavia). Capable of seating 50000 spectators,the Colosseum was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles. As well as the gladiatorial games, other public spectacles were held there, such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology. The building ceased to be used for entertainment in the early medieval era. It was later reused for such purposes as housing, workshops, quarters for a religious order, a fortress, a quarry, and a Christian shrine. Although in the 21st century it stays partially ruined because of damage caused by devastating earthquakes and stone-robbers, the Colosseum is an iconic symbol of Imperial Rome and its breakthrough achievements in earthquake engineering. It is one of Rome's most popular tourist attractions and still has close connections with the Roman Catholic Church, as each Good Friday the Pope leads a torchlit <b>...</b>
http://wn.com/Seven_Wonders_of_the_world__Roman_Coliseum
Colosseum reconstructed c. by archeolibri srl
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:47
- Published: 30 Sep 2009
- Uploaded: 25 Nov 2011
- Author: PatrickVida
Short version only Copyright is held by archeolibri srl. For full version contact archeolibri@gmail.com or visit www.gruppolozzi.it
http://wn.com/Colosseum_reconstructed_c_by_archeolibri_srl
Colosseum - Time Lament
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 6:14
- Published: 13 May 2008
- Uploaded: 13 Nov 2011
- Author: SteveRowland
From "Daughter Of Time" album. (1970)
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Pokémon Colosseum Music ~ Miror B.
The noteworthy music from Pokémon Colosseum.
http://wn.com/Pokémon_Colosseum_Music_~_Miror_B
Colosseum - Walking In The Park
Colosseum - Jon Hiseman (dr) Dick Heckstall-Smith (s) James Litherland (g, voc) Dave Greenslade(k) Tony Reeves (b) Beat Club 31.01.1970
http://wn.com/Colosseum__Walking_In_The_Park
Jon Hiseman / Colosseum - Drum solo "Oldenburg" 2007
Jon Hiseman / Colosseum - Drum solo "Oldenburg", live at the Kulturetage (Oldenburg), May 3rd 2007 www.temple-music.com - Please support the artists!
http://wn.com/Jon_Hiseman_/_Colosseum__Drum_solo_Oldenburg_2007
The Roman Colosseum Ampitheatre Ampitheater
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:26
- Published: 22 Oct 2007
- Uploaded: 21 Nov 2011
- Author: kaiserjamal
The Colosseum, originally called the Flavian Amphitheatre, is an elliptical ampitheatre in Rome. It is the largest ever built in the Roman Empire and quite rightly known as the greatest example of Roman architecture and engineering. Occupying a site just east of the Roman Forum, construction started between AD 70 and 72 during the period of Vespasian and was completed in 80 AD in the reign of Titus
http://wn.com/The_Roman_Colosseum_Ampitheatre_Ampitheater
Lost Angeles (part 2) - Colosseum
A song from the 1971 live album recorded at Manchester University and the Big Apple, Brighton, on the "Daughter of Time" tour. After "Colosseum Live", the band broke up for 23 years and reunited in 1994. Mark Clarke: Bass, Vocals Dave "Clem" Clempson: Guitars, Vocals Chris Farlowe: Vocals Dave Greenslade: Organ, Vibes Dick Heckstall-Smith: Saxophones Jon Hiseman: Drums
http://wn.com/Lost_Angeles_part_2__Colosseum
Tom Waits - In the Colosseum
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:51
- Published: 20 Jan 2010
- Uploaded: 28 Nov 2011
- Author: RaoulAcosta
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the audio used in this video. The music is owned by Tom Waits and his record label. The song was ripped from the album "Bone Machine" which can be bought from any major music retailer - including those online. It is pure awesome and worth every penny - so you might as well buy it. Amateur music video for the Tom Waits song. The footage was filmed by me, mainly in the Colosseum in Rome. It is infact the exact same footage used in the "Everybody's Gonna Be Happy" video - but edited to fit the mood of this beautifully grim song better. The video was edited with Sony Vegas Platinum. The logo and name at the beginning is a reference to Stanley Kubrick's use of subliminal symbols and messages. I made this for my own enjoyment and to practice digital editing.
http://wn.com/Tom_Waits__In_the_Colosseum
COLOSSEUM - Narcosis
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 9:54
- Published: 11 Sep 2010
- Uploaded: 22 Nov 2011
- Author: FuneralIndustryInc
Funeral Doom Metal band from Finland (Riihimäki)!!! Formed In 2006. Album: Chapter 2: Numquam - 2009. Last known line-up Juhani Palomäki (RIP July 27, 1977 - May 15, 2010) - Vocals, Guitar (Yearning)...I MISS YOU ,DUDE!!!:(:(:(:(:(:(:( Olli Haaranen - Guitar Janne Rämö - Bass Sameli Köykkä - Drums
http://wn.com/COLOSSEUM__Narcosis
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The Independent
The precarious state of the landmark, built in AD80, was underlined last year when three large chunks fell off. Discoloured by pollution from Rome's constant traffic and rocked by vibrations from a nearby metro line, the amphitheatre was desperately in need of renovation – and the funding to pay for...
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Review Journal
"Beautiful girls, walk a little slower when you walk by me ..." Eject. Fling. Insert new disc. (Or back to "Menu" on that iPod.) "Don't stand, don't stand so close to me ..." That's more like it. Sting celebrated his 60th birthday last month with the help of Bruce Springsteen, Will.i.am, Lady Gaga...
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Sting to play Colosseum Nov. 25
30 Sep 2011
Review Journal
Sting brings his "Back to Bass Tour" to The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on Nov. 25. Tickets are $75, $100, $165 and $200 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Monday at The...
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Those Roman Colosseum�Euro"Worthy G.O.P.-Debate Audiences: Who Will They Boo or Cheer Next?
23 Sep 2011
Vanity Fair
At last night’s Republican-candidates debate, a question from a gay veteran of the Iraq war provoked boos. In earlier debates, references to Rick Perry’s having presided over a record-setting 254 executions drew cheers, as did the suggestion that if a hypothetical sick...
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PR Newswire
SEASON SIX WINNER AND TOP FAN-VOTED PERFORMERS TO JOIN HOST JERRY SPRINGER FOR THE ONLY U.S. PERFORMANCES Tickets on Sale Now , Sept. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Following weeks of heavy competition and breathtaking performances on NBC's #1 hit television show America's Got Talent, this...
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'Gladiators' arrested outside Rome's Colosseum
12 Aug 2011
MSNBC
Some 20 "gladiators" or "centurions" have been arrested outside some of Rome's most famous tourist sites, in an undercover sting by police aimed at breaking up a violent racket targeting tourists, according to reports. The AFP news agency said police had disguised themselves as gladiators, garbage...
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Italian police arrest 'gladiators' by Colosseum
12 Aug 2011
BBC News
Italian police have arrested 20 gladiator impersonators, in an undercover operation outside the Colosseum in Rome. The suspects are accused of intimidating and attacking their competitors, to win a share in a lucrative business. The...
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The Daily Telegraph Australia
ITALIAN police have arrested 20 gladiator impersonators in an undercover sting aimed at ending a violent racket operating around Rome's most famous tourist sites. Police disguised as rival gladiators, dustbin men and...
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The Colosseum, or the Coliseum, originally the Flavian Amphitheatre (Latin: Amphitheatrum Flavium, Italian Anfiteatro Flavio or Colosseo), is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire. It is considered one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and Roman engineering.
Occupying a site just east of the Roman Forum, its construction started in 72 AD under the emperor Vespasian and was completed in 80 AD under Titus, with further modifications being made during Domitian's reign (81–96). The name "Amphitheatrum Flavium" derives from both Vespasian's and Titus's family name (Flavius, from the gens Flavia).
Capable of seating 50,000 spectators, the Colosseum was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology. The building ceased to be used for entertainment in the early medieval era. It was later reused for such purposes as housing, workshops, quarters for a religious order, a fortress, a quarry, and a Christian shrine.
Although in the 21st century it stays partially ruined because of damage caused by devastating earthquakes and stone-robbers, the Colosseum is an iconic symbol of Imperial Rome. It is one of Rome's most popular tourist attractions and still has close connections with the Roman Catholic Church, as each Good Friday the Pope leads a torchlit "Way of the Cross" procession that starts in the area around the Colosseum.
The Colosseum is also depicted on the Italian version of the five-cent euro coin.
Name
The Colosseum's original Latin name was Amphitheatrum Flavium, often anglicized as Flavian Amphitheater. The building was constructed by emperors of the Flavian dynasty, hence its original name, after the reign of Emperor Nero. This name is still used in modern English, but generally the structure is better known as the Colosseum. In antiquity, Romans may have referred to the Colosseum by the unofficial name Amphitheatrum Caesareum; this name could have been strictly poetic as it was not exclusive to the Colosseum; Vespasian and Titus, builders of the Colosseum, also constructed an amphitheater of the same name in Puteoli (modern Pozzuoli).The name Colosseum has long been believed to be derived from a colossal statue of Nero nearby (the statue of Nero was named after the Colossus of Rhodes). This statue was later remodeled by Nero's successors into the likeness of Helios (Sol) or Apollo, the sun god, by adding the appropriate solar crown. Nero's head was also replaced several times with the heads of succeeding emperors. Despite its pagan links, the statue remained standing well into the medieval era and was credited with magical powers. It came to be seen as an iconic symbol of the permanence of Rome.
In the 8th century, a famous epigram attributed to the Venerable Bede celebrated the symbolic significance of the statue in a prophecy that is variously quoted: Quamdiu stat Colisæus, stat et Roma; quando cadet colisæus, cadet et Roma; quando cadet Roma, cadet et mundus ("as long as the Colossus stands, so shall Rome; when the Colossus falls, Rome shall fall; when Rome falls, so falls the world"). This is often mistranslated to refer to the Colosseum rather than the Colossus (as in, for instance, Byron's poem Childe Harold's Pilgrimage). However, at the time that the Pseudo-Bede wrote, the masculine noun coliseus'' was applied to the statue rather than to what was still known as the Flavian amphitheatre.
The Colossus did eventually fall, possibly being pulled down to reuse its bronze. By the year 1000 the name "Colosseum" had been coined to refer to the amphitheatre. The statue itself was largely forgotten and only its base survives, situated between the Colosseum and the nearby Temple of Venus and Roma.
The name further evolved to Coliseum during the Middle Ages. In Italy, the amphitheatre is still known as il Colosseo, and other Romance languages have come to use similar forms such as le Colisée (French), el Coliseo (Spanish) and o Coliseu (Portuguese).
History
Ancient
Construction of the Colosseum began under the rule of the Emperor Vespasian in around 70–72 AD. The site chosen was a flat area on the floor of a low valley between the Caelian, Esquiline and Palatine Hills, through which a canalised stream ran. By the 2nd century BC the area was densely inhabited. It was devastated by the Great Fire of Rome in AD 64, following which Nero seized much of the area to add to his personal domain. He built the grandiose Domus Aurea on the site, in front of which he created an artificial lake surrounded by pavilions, gardens and porticoes. The existing Aqua Claudia aqueduct was extended to supply water to the area and the gigantic bronze Colossus of Nero was set up nearby at the entrance to the Domus Aurea.Although the Colossus was preserved, much of the Domus Aurea was torn down. The lake was filled in and the land reused as the location for the new Flavian Amphitheatre. Gladiatorial schools and other support buildings were constructed nearby within the former grounds of the Domus Aurea. According to a reconstructed inscription found on the site, "the emperor Vespasian ordered this new amphitheatre to be erected from his general's share of the booty." This is thought to refer to the vast quantity of treasure seized by the Romans following their victory in the Great Jewish Revolt in 70 AD. The Colosseum can be thus interpreted as a great triumphal monument built in the Roman tradition of celebrating great victories, placating the Roman people instead of returning soldiers. Vespasian's decision to build the Colosseum on the site of Nero's lake can also be seen as a populist gesture of returning to the people an area of the city which Nero had appropriated for his own use. In contrast to many other amphitheatres, which were located on the outskirts of a city, the Colosseum was constructed in the city centre; in effect, placing it both literally and symbolically at the heart of Rome.
The Colosseum had been completed up to the third story by the time of Vespasian's death in 79. The top level was finished and the building inaugurated by his son, Titus, in 80. Dio Cassius recounts that over 9,000 wild animals were killed during the inaugural games of the amphitheatre. The building was remodelled further under Vespasian's younger son, the newly designated Emperor Domitian, who constructed the hypogeum, a series of underground tunnels used to house animals and slaves. He also added a gallery to the top of the Colosseum to increase its seating capacity.
In 217, the Colosseum was badly damaged by a major fire (caused by lightning, according to Dio Cassius) which destroyed the wooden upper levels of the amphitheatre's interior. It was not fully repaired until about 240 and underwent further repairs in 250 or 252 and again in 320. An inscription records the restoration of various parts of the Colosseum under Theodosius II and Valentinian III (reigned 425–455), possibly to repair damage caused by a major earthquake in 443; more work followed in 484 and 508. The arena continued to be used for contests well into the 6th century, with gladiatorial fights last mentioned around 435. Animal hunts continued until at least 523, when Anicius Maximus celebrated his consulship with some venationes, criticised by King Theodoric the Great for their high cost.
Medieval
The Colosseum underwent several radical changes of use during the medieval period. By the late 6th century a small church had been built into the structure of the amphitheatre, though this apparently did not confer any particular religious significance on the building as a whole. The arena was converted into a cemetery. The numerous vaulted spaces in the arcades under the seating were converted into housing and workshops, and are recorded as still being rented out as late as the 12th century. Around 1200 the Frangipani family took over the Colosseum and fortified it, apparently using it as a castle.Severe damage was inflicted on the Colosseum by the great earthquake in 1349, causing the outer south side, lying on a less stable alluvional terrain, to collapse. Much of the tumbled stone was reused to build palaces, churches, hospitals and other buildings elsewhere in Rome. A religious order moved into the northern third of the Colosseum in the mid-14th century and continued to inhabit it until as late as the early 19th century. The interior of the amphitheatre was extensively stripped of stone, which was reused elsewhere, or (in the case of the marble façade) was burned to make quicklime. The bronze clamps which held the stonework together were pried or hacked out of the walls, leaving numerous pockmarks which still scar the building today.
Modern
During the 16th and 17th century, Church officials sought a productive role for the Colosseum. Pope Sixtus V (1585–1590) planned to turn the building into a wool factory to provide employment for Rome's prostitutes, though this proposal fell through with his premature death. In 1671 Cardinal Altieri authorized its use for bullfights; a public outcry caused the idea to be hastily abandoned.In 1749, Pope Benedict XIV endorsed as official Church policy the view that the Colosseum was a sacred site where early Christians had been martyred. He forbade the use of the Colosseum as a quarry and consecrated the building to the Passion of Christ and installed Stations of the Cross, declaring it sanctified by the blood of the Christian martyrs who perished there (see Christians and the Colosseum). However there is no historical evidence to support Benedict's claim, nor is there even any evidence that anyone prior to the 16th century suggested this might be the case; the Catholic Encyclopedia concludes that there are no historical grounds for the supposition. Later popes initiated various stabilization and restoration projects, removing the extensive vegetation which had overgrown the structure and threatened to damage it further. The façade was reinforced with triangular brick wedges in 1807 and 1827, and the interior was repaired in 1831, 1846 and in the 1930s. The arena substructure was partly excavated in 1810–1814 and 1874 and was fully exposed under Benito Mussolini in the 1930s.
The Colosseum is today one of Rome's most popular tourist attractions, receiving millions of visitors annually. The effects of pollution and general deterioration over time prompted a major restoration programme carried out between 1993 and 2000, at a cost of 40 billion Italian lire ($19.3m / €20.6m at 2000 prices). In recent years it has become a symbol of the international campaign against capital punishment, which was abolished in Italy in 1948. Several anti–death penalty demonstrations took place in front of the Colosseum in 2000. Since that time, as a gesture against the death penalty, the local authorities of Rome change the color of the Colosseum's night time illumination from white to gold whenever a person condemned to the death penalty anywhere in the world gets their sentence commuted or is released, or if a jurisdiction abolishes the death penalty. Most recently, the Colosseum was illuminated in gold when capital punishment was abolished in the American state of New Mexico in April 2009. Because of the ruined state of the interior, it is impractical to use the Colosseum to host large events; only a few hundred spectators can be accommodated in temporary seating. However, much larger concerts have been held just outside, using the Colosseum as a backdrop. Performers who have played at the Colosseum in recent years have included Ray Charles (May 2002), Paul McCartney (May 2003), Elton John (September 2005), and Billy Joel (July 2006).
Physical description
Exterior
Unlike earlier Greek theatres that were built into hillsides, the Colosseum is an entirely free-standing structure. It derives its basic exterior and interior architecture from that of two Roman theatres back to back. It is elliptical in plan and is 189 meters (615 ft / 640 Roman feet) long, and 156 meters (510 ft / 528 Roman feet) wide, with a base area of . The height of the outer wall is 48 meters (157 ft / 165 Roman feet). The perimeter originally measured 545 meters (1,788 ft / 1,835 Roman feet). The central arena is an oval 87 m (287 ft) long and 55 m (180 ft) wide, surrounded by a wall 5 m (15 ft) high, above which rose tiers of seating.
The outer wall is estimated to have required over 100,000 cubic meters (131,000 cu yd) of travertine stone which were set without mortar held together by 300 tons of iron clamps. However, it has suffered extensive damage over the centuries, with large segments having collapsed following earthquakes. The north side of the perimeter wall is still standing; the distinctive triangular brick wedges at each end are modern additions, having been constructed in the early 19th century to shore up the wall. The remainder of the present-day exterior of the Colosseum is in fact the original interior wall.
The surviving part of the outer wall's monumental façade comprises three stories of superimposed arcades surmounted by a podium on which stands a tall attic, both of which are pierced by windows interspersed at regular intervals. The arcades are framed by half-columns of the Tuscan, Ionic, and Corinthian orders, while the attic is decorated with Corinthian pilasters. Each of the arches in the second- and third-floor arcades framed statues, probably honoring divinities and other figures from Classical mythology.
Two hundred and forty mast corbels were positioned around the top of the attic. They originally supported a retractable awning, known as the velarium, that kept the sun and rain off spectators. This consisted of a canvas-covered, net-like structure made of ropes, with a hole in the center. It covered two-thirds of the arena, and sloped down towards the center to catch the wind and provide a breeze for the audience. Sailors, specially enlisted from the Roman naval headquarters at Misenum and housed in the nearby Castra Misenatium, were used to work the velarium.
The Colosseum's huge crowd capacity made it essential that the venue could be filled or evacuated quickly. Its architects adopted solutions very similar to those used in modern stadiums to deal with the same problem. The amphitheatre was ringed by eighty entrances at ground level, 76 of which were used by ordinary spectators. Each entrance and exit was numbered, as was each staircase. The northern main entrance was reserved for the Roman Emperor and his aides, whilst the other three axial entrances were most likely used by the elite. All four axial entrances were richly decorated with painted stucco reliefs, of which fragments survive. Many of the original outer entrances have disappeared with the collapse of the perimeter wall, but entrances XXIII (23) to LIV (54) still survive.
Spectators were given tickets in the form of numbered pottery shards, which directed them to the appropriate section and row. They accessed their seats via vomitoria (singular vomitorium), passageways that opened into a tier of seats from below or behind. These quickly dispersed people into their seats and, upon conclusion of the event or in an emergency evacuation, could permit their exit within only a few minutes. The name vomitoria derived from the Latin word for a rapid discharge, from which English derives the word vomit.
Interior seating
According to the Codex-Calendar of 354, the Colosseum could accommodate 87,000 people, although modern estimates put the figure at around 50,000. They were seated in a tiered arrangement that reflected the rigidly stratified nature of Roman society. Special boxes were provided at the north and south ends respectively for the Emperor and the Vestal Virgins, providing the best views of the arena. Flanking them at the same level was a broad platform or podium for the senatorial class, who were allowed to bring their own chairs. The names of some 5th century senators can still be seen carved into the stonework, presumably reserving areas for their use.The tier above the senators, known as the maenianum primum, was occupied by the non-senatorial noble class or knights (equites). The next level up, the maenianum secundum, was originally reserved for ordinary Roman citizens (plebians) and was divided into two sections. The lower part (the immum) was for wealthy citizens, while the upper part (the summum) was for poor citizens. Specific sectors were provided for other social groups: for instance, boys with their tutors, soldiers on leave, foreign dignitaries, scribes, heralds, priests and so on. Stone (and later marble) seating was provided for the citizens and nobles, who presumably would have brought their own cushions with them. Inscriptions identified the areas reserved for specific groups.
Another level, the maenianum secundum in legneis, was added at the very top of the building during the reign of Domitian. This comprised a gallery for the common poor, slaves and women. It would have been either standing room only, or would have had very steep wooden benches. Some groups were banned altogether from the Colosseum, notably gravediggers, actors and former gladiators.
Each tier was divided into sections (maeniana) by curved passages and low walls (praecinctiones or baltei), and were subdivided into cunei, or wedges, by the steps and aisles from the vomitoria. Each row (gradus) of seats was numbered, permitting each individual seat to be exactly designated by its gradus, cuneus, and number.
Arena and hypogeum
The arena itself was 83 meters by 48 meters (272 ft by 157 ft / 280 by 163 Roman feet). It comprised a wooden floor covered by sand (the Latin word for sand is harena or arena), covering an elaborate underground structure called the hypogeum (literally meaning "underground"). Little now remains of the original arena floor, but the hypogeum is still clearly visible. It consisted of a two-level subterranean network of tunnels and cages beneath the arena where gladiators and animals were held before contests began. Eighty vertical shafts provided instant access to the arena for caged animals and scenery pieces concealed underneath; larger hinged platforms, called hegmata, provided access for elephants and the like. It was restructured on numerous occasions; at least twelve different phases of construction can be seen.The hypogeum was connected by underground tunnels to a number of points outside the Colosseum. Animals and performers were brought through the tunnel from nearby stables, with the gladiators' barracks at the Ludus Magnus to the east also being connected by tunnels. Separate tunnels were provided for the Emperor and the Vestal Virgins to permit them to enter and exit the Colosseum without needing to pass through the crowds.
Substantial quantities of machinery also existed in the hypogeum. Elevators and pulleys raised and lowered scenery and props, as well as lifting caged animals to the surface for release. There is evidence for the existence of major hydraulic mechanisms and according to ancient accounts, it was possible to flood the arena rapidly, presumably via a connection to a nearby aqueduct.
Supporting buildings
The Colosseum and its activities supported a substantial industry in the area. In addition to the amphitheatre itself, many other buildings nearby were linked to the games. Immediately to the east is the remains of the Ludus Magnus, a training school for gladiators. This was connected to the Colosseum by an underground passage, to allow easy access for the gladiators. The Ludus Magnus had its own miniature training arena, which was itself a popular attraction for Roman spectators. Other training schools were in the same area, including the Ludus Matutinus (Morning School), where fighters of animals were trained, plus the Dacian and Gallic Schools.Also nearby were the Armamentarium, comprising an armory to store weapons; the Summum Choragium, where machinery was stored; the Sanitarium, which had facilities to treat wounded gladiators; and the Spoliarium, where bodies of dead gladiators were stripped of their armor and disposed of.
Around the perimeter of the Colosseum, at a distance of 18 m (59 ft) from the perimeter, was a series of tall stone posts, with five remaining on the eastern side. Various explanations have been advanced for their presence; they may have been a religious boundary, or an outer boundary for ticket checks, or an anchor for the velarium or awning.
Right next to the Colosseum is also the Arch of Constantine.
Use
The Colosseum was used to host gladiatorial shows as well as a variety of other events. The shows, called munera, were always given by private individuals rather than the state. They had a strong religious element but were also demonstrations of power and family prestige, and were immensely popular with the population. Another popular type of show was the animal hunt, or venatio. This utilized a great variety of wild beasts, mainly imported from Africa and the Middle East, and included creatures such as rhinoceros, hippopotamuses, elephants, giraffes, aurochs, wisents, barbary lions, panthers, leopards, bears, caspian tigers, crocodiles and ostriches. Battles and hunts were often staged amid elaborate sets with movable trees and buildings. Such events were occasionally on a huge scale; Trajan is said to have celebrated his victories in Dacia in 107 with contests involving 11,000 animals and 10,000 gladiators over the course of 123 days.During the early days of the Colosseum, ancient writers recorded that the building was used for naumachiae (more properly known as navalia proelia) or simulated sea battles. Accounts of the inaugural games held by Titus in AD 80 describe it being filled with water for a display of specially trained swimming horses and bulls. There is also an account of a re-enactment of a famous sea battle between the Corcyrean (Corfiot) Greeks and the Corinthians. This has been the subject of some debate among historians; although providing the water would not have been a problem, it is unclear how the arena could have been waterproofed, nor would there have been enough space in the arena for the warships to move around. It has been suggested that the reports either have the location wrong, or that the Colosseum originally featured a wide floodable channel down its central axis (which would later have been replaced by the hypogeum).
Sylvae or recreations of natural scenes were also held in the arena. Painters, technicians and architects would construct a simulation of a forest with real trees and bushes planted in the arena's floor. Animals would be introduced to populate the scene for the delight of the crowd. Such scenes might be used simply to display a natural environment for the urban population, or could otherwise be used as the backdrop for hunts or dramas depicting episodes from mythology. They were also occasionally used for executions in which the hero of the story – played by a condemned person – was killed in one of various gruesome but mythologically authentic ways, such as being mauled by beasts or burned to death.
Today
The Colosseum today is now a major tourist attraction in Rome with thousands of tourists each year paying to view the interior arena, though entrance for EU citizens is partially subsidised, and under-18 and over-65 EU citizens' entrances are free. There is now a museum dedicated to Eros located in the upper floor of the outer wall of the building. Part of the arena floor has been re-floored. Beneath the Colosseum, a network of subterranean passageways once used to transport wild animals and gladiators to the arena opened to the public in summer 2010.The Colosseum is also the site of Roman Catholic ceremonies in the 20th and 21st centuries. For instance, Pope Benedict XVI leads the Stations of the Cross called the Scriptural Way of the Cross (which calls for more meditation) at the Colosseum on Good Fridays.
In 2011, Diego Della Valle founder of Tod's shoe firm, entered into an agreement with local officials to sponsor a €25 million restoration of the Colosseum. Work is planned to begin at the end of 2011 and take up to two and a half years.
Christians and the Colosseum
In the Middle Ages, the Colosseum was clearly not regarded as a sacred site. Its use as a fortress and then a quarry demonstrates how little spiritual importance was attached to it, at a time when sites associated with martyrs were highly venerated. It was not included in the itineraries compiled for the use of pilgrims nor in works such as the 12th century Mirabilia Urbis Romae ("Marvels of the City of Rome"), which claims the Circus Flaminius – but not the Colosseum – as the site of martyrdoms. Part of the structure was inhabited by a Christian order, but apparently not for any particular religious reason.
It appears to have been only in the 16th and 17th centuries that the Colosseum came to be regarded as a Christian site. Pope Pius V (1566–1572) is said to have recommended that pilgrims gather sand from the arena of the Colosseum to serve as a relic, on the grounds that it was impregnated with the blood of martyrs. This seems to have been a minority view until it was popularised nearly a century later by Fioravante Martinelli, who listed the Colosseum at the head of a list of places sacred to the martyrs in his 1653 book Roma ex ethnica sacra.
Martinelli's book evidently had an effect on public opinion; in response to Cardinal Altieri's proposal some years later to turn the Colosseum into a bullring, Carlo Tomassi published a pamphlet in protest against what he regarded as an act of desecration. The ensuing controversy persuaded Pope Clement X to close the Colosseum's external arcades and declare it a sanctuary, though quarrying continued for some time.
At the instance of St. Leonard of Port Maurice, Pope Benedict XIV (1740–1758) forbade the quarrying of the Colosseum and erected Stations of the Cross around the arena, which remained until February 1874. St. Benedict Joseph Labre spent the later years of his life within the walls of the Colosseum, living on alms, prior to his death in 1783. Several 19th century popes funded repair and restoration work on the Colosseum, and it still retains a Christian connection today. Crosses stand in several points around the arena and every Good Friday the Pope leads a Via Crucis procession to the amphitheatre.
Flora
The Colosseum has a wide and well-documented history of flora ever since Domenico Panaroli made the first catalogue of its plants in 1643. Since then, 684 species have been identified there. The peak was in 1855 (420 species). Attempts were made in 1871 to eradicate the vegetation, because of concerns over the damage that was being caused to the masonry, but much of it has returned. 242 species have been counted today and of the species first identified by Panaroli, 200 remain.The variation of plants can be explained by the change of climate in Rome through the centuries. Additionally, bird migration, flower blooming, and the growth of Rome that caused the Colosseum to become embedded within the modern city centre rather than on the outskirts of the ancient city, as well as deliberate transport of species, are also contributing causes. One other romantic reason often given is their seeds being unwittingly transported on the animals brought there from all corners of the empire.
Works modeled on, or inspired by, the Colosseum
Popular culture references
The iconic status of the Colosseum has led it to be featured in numerous films and other items of popular culture:
References
Bibliography
Notes
External links
Category:1st-century architecture Category:Amphitheatres in Rome Category:Ancient Roman architecture Category:Building projects of the Flavian dynasty Category:Roman archaeology Category:Ruins in Italy
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