What makes the roman colosseum unique

Match-ups were decided based on the experience, the record, and the styles of the fighters, and successful gladiators could become famous celebrities. Some gladiators had long careers in which they lost many fights without dying. A very large number of gladiators did perish in the arena. Thousands of people perished in the Colosseum over the years, and some of them were undoubtedly Christian, however there is no conclusive historical evidence to support the connection between stories of Christian martyrs and the Colosseum.

Yes and no. Commodus was a real Roman Emperor, and he was known to be a fan of gladiatorial combat and bloodsports generally, so much so that he would sometimes enter the arena himself and fight.

Not officially, but in practice they might as well have been. They were member of the infame class, and upon becoming gladiators whether by choice or as punishment for a crime they were stripped of all their rights and became property of their owners, their lives forfeit.

The exact date is unknown, but the last records of gladiator battles date from the year The Colosseum was still used for hunts after the gladiator battles ceased, these went on for another century approximately.

Rather, cost was the determining factor. The Colosseum was in a state of decay by the 5th century, the Roman Empire was in steep decline, and the resources needed to maintain the building, pay for gladiators, and provide wild animals were hard to come by. The Colosseum has experienced large fires at least three times throughout its history , and suffered from at least 4 earthquakes.

These events seriously damaged the building and it has been repaired and rebuilt many times over the two millennia it has existed. After ceasing to be used as an arena for combat and hunts, at different points in history the Colosseum has been used as a cemetery, a place of worship, for housing, workshops for artisans and merchants, the home of a religious order, a fortified castle, and most recently as a tourist attraction.

They also used 1. To build the Colosseum today, it would cost around 39 million euros - the equivalent of almost 43 million dollars! While it is certain that a lot of what went on at the Colosseum was underhand and definitely dangerous, there is also a literal underground area of the Colosseum. Known as the Hypogeum, it was a two-level subterranean network of tunnels with 32 animal pens.

There were also 80 vertical shafts which allowed for instant access to the arena - these were used for shifting animals and scenery during shows.

The Colosseum has a whopping 80 entrance arches. This meant, on its busiest days, it was easy for those in charge to let people in and out to watch the games and battles.

It could accommodate around 87, spectators with tiered seating all the way around. One of the things the Colosseum was used for in ancient Roman times was mock sea battles - they made for interesting viewing for the regular citizens of Rome who would not have seen real life sea battles taking place.

Water could be diverted into the grounds of the Colosseum to provide a more accurate spectacle, and they used replica boats and weaponry. The popular greeting or response of a thumbs up actually originates from the Colosseum.

It was a signal that the gladiator was to be put to death via the jugular! Dead gladiators were carried out of the west exit, which came to be known as the Gate of Death. The Colosseum has been a popular icon throughout pop culture. It is not only historians and archaeologists that are fascinated by the Colosseum - botanists are really interested in it too.

Over the years, since specifically, they have cataloged the different species of plants that have taken root across the grounds of this ruined amphitheater. The number stands at around The Colosseum is one of the most famous tourist landmarks in the world, and no visit to Rome - or Italy as a whole - is complete without seeing it up close.

Colosseum opening hours vary throughout the year, but with our tours you are bound to find something that suits you so you can learn even more about this incredible site. Opening Hours may vary. However, Customer Service is always available at the hours detailed under "Opening Hours" section. It was the largest amphitheatre in the Roman world, capable of holding 50, spectators. The empire would go on to build amphitheatres across their territories. The Colosseum was like nothing Romans had ever seen, situated between the valley joining the Esquiline, Palatine and Caelian hills, it was as grand then as it is now.

The building was four stories high and made from locally quarried limestone with brick, concrete and volcanic stone linking lateral walls. The sheer size of the theatre is likely to be why it was called the Colosseo, but some historians do believe the origin of that name may be because of the colossal gilded statue dedicated to Nero , which was converted to resemble the sun, placed outside the theatre.

Most amphitheatres are circular but the Colosseum is oval. The reason it was built in an oval shape was to allow all seats to get a good view of the events without restrictions. The building stands at feet tall and from end to end stretches over six acres of land.

Getting people in and out of the amphitheatre would have been difficult but the many arches and stairways carefully placed within the structure would help this. There are over 80 arches that lead to several stairways which, in turn, lead to different levels of the monument.

This architectural feat involves contracting arches and stairways, which enable emptying the building within a matter of minutes. When it was first designed there was no floor so all events took place on the ground in the centre of the amphitheatre.

A wooden floor was later installed, which at the time was incredibly revolutionary. The floor was then covered in sand to make it appear like it was the natural ground. Beneath this suspended floor led a maze of rooms and corridors where performers and acts could prepare and animals were kept. The building also had hand operated lifts that ran from the basement to the top of the area.

These slave operated elevators were how they would transfer performers and animals into the arena. An estimated , prisoners were brought back to Rome as slaves after the Jewish war, meaning Vespasian had a limitless workforce to build his creation. These slaves took on various manual labors like working in quarries and transporting the heavy tiles between Tivoli and Rome. They believe that bullock carts were used to transport marbles to the construction site.

Teams of professional builders, painters and decorators took on the skilled tasks. The invention of concrete enabled the amphitheatre to be built quickly and to great effect. So what took place in the Colosseum? When the Colosseum was first opened , Emperor Titus declared a days of celebratory games that included animal fights and gladiatorial combats.

These shows demonstrated power and prestige, and became a big hit with audiences. The concept of the Colosseum grew from the custom of wealthy Romans holding funeral games to honour the dead.

These funeral games were paid for by wealthy Roman aristocrats. The 50, spectators would have been seated according to social ranking. Awnings would have been installed on the top story in order to protect audiences from the strong sun.

A large number of wild animals , like crocodiles, hippos and tigers were imported in from Africa and the Middle East. Roughly animals were slaughtered in the name of entertainment over the years of games.

Thankfully not all the events that took place were based on violence.