Incredible Facts

Forgotten and neglected, the 2000-year-old Roman Colosseum holds many secrets and there are many interesting facts associated with it.

Ancient Colosseum in Rome

1. Its real name is the Flavian Amphitheater

The construction of the Colosseum began in 72 AD. e. by order of the emperor Vespasian. In 80 AD e., under the emperor Titus (son of Vespasian), the construction was completed. Together with Titus, from 81 to 96, Domitian (Tito's brother) ruled the country. All three were of the 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 lobby of the Golden House of Nero, 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 on its territory there was an artificial lake. After the death of Nero in 68 and a series of civil wars, Vespasian became emperor in 69.

He nationalized palace of Nero, after which he completely destroyed it, and the ground on which he stood, handed over to the publicthe people of Rome. All the expensive ornaments of the palace were removed and buried in the mud, and later ( in 104-109 years ) on this site were built the Baths of Trajan. The Romans usedcomplex underground irrigation system to drain thezera near the house of Nero, after which it was covered up and, by order of the emperor, the construction of an amphitheater intended for the entertainment of the people of Rome began.

After the Siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Emperor Vespasian completely destroyed The Jerusalem Temple, from which only the "Wailing Wall" remains, which still stands to this day. After that, he began the 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. The arena of the Colosseum has a length of 85.75 m and a width of 53.62 m, and the walls rise 48 - 50 meters.

The most important thing about this building is that it is completely built from cast concrete, unlike other buildings made from bricks and stone blocks.

6. The Colosseum had 5 tiers and separate lodges

The building was designed in such a way that there were places for 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 inhabitants on other tiers, which were distinguished by a lower price. On the very last - the 5th tier - the poor sat. All tiers were numbered I-LXXVI (i.e. from 1 to 76). There were different entrances and stairs for People of different status, and there were also walls that separated them.

©BaMiNi/Getty Images

A seat only 35 cm wide was allocated for each person. Today, not all football stadiums can boast of the attendance that the Colosseum had.

Arena of the Colosseum

8. Battles between gladiators were organized with incredible care.

© slavazyryanov / Getty Images

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 arena of the Colosseum, competing gladiators were selected for their weight, size, experience, fighting skill and fighting style.

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9. The Colosseum has become a cemetery for a huge number of animals.

© Gary Whyte / Pexels

In addition to fights between gladiators, the Romans staged battles between animals and demonstrative hunting. Lions, elephants, tigers, bears, hippos and other exotic animals could be seen in the arena killing or being severely injured.

Fights with animals can be seen to this day - this is a bullfight ("tauromachia" - that is, "bullfight"). Fights with animals were called "morning games", and fights of gladiators - "evening games" The winners were awarded medals (bone or metal), and statistics were kept - the number of fights, victories and defeats.

Of course there were deaths or gladiators were injured, which did not allow them to perform further. After a career as a gladiator, the former warrior received a lifetime 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 existence, about 400,000 people and more than 1 million animals died in the arena of the Colosseum.

10. Grand battles on ships

Surprisingly, the arena of the Colosseum was specially flooded by about 1 meter so that ship battles could be arranged. Reconstructions of warships were installed in the arena so that great naval victories could be celebrated. Water flowed through special aqueducts directly to the arena. All this could be seen before the emperor Domitian, during which the Colosseum was made into a basement, where there were rooms, passages, traps and animals.

When the 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 wasn't until the 18th century that the Catholic Church and many priests decided that the site of the Colosseum should be preserved.

© scrisman

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 facade of the Colosseum and use it to build churches and houses. Also, for the construction of various city buildings, rubble stone and crushed stone were used in city buildings.

It is worth noting that the Colosseum was used as a source of building materials for buildings such as the Palazzo Venezia and the Lateran Basilica. Also, the marble of the Colosseum was used for the construction of St. Peter's Basilica - the largest building in the Vatican, and the largest historical Christian church in the world.

13. A priest wanted to turn the Colosseum into a cloth factory.

The underground part of the Colosseum eventually filled with mud, 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, tried to convert the Colosseum into a cloth factory, with living quarters on the upper tiers and a workplace in the arena. But in 1590 he died, and the project was not carried out.

Rome's most popular attraction

14. The Colosseum is the most visited attraction in Rome

© DanFLCreativo

Along with the Vatican and its holy places, the Colosseum is the second most visited 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 arrangement of the arena. Billionaire Diego Della Valle also plans to invest $33 million to restore the Colosseum, which began in 2013 and includes restoration of the arches, marble cleaning, restoration of brick walls, replacement of metal railings, and the construction of a new visitor center and cafe.

© MarkGartland/Getty Images

The Italian Ministry of Culture plans to restore the Colosseum to what it was in the 19th century. Besides, in the arena they want to make a scenebased on images of the Colosseum from the 1800s, which will cover the underground tunnels that are currently open.

Colosseum - the legendary Roman amphitheater, pride, national treasure and magnificent, always and everywhere recognizable, a symbol of beautiful Italy.

general information

The Colosseum is located in the very center of Rome, in a kind of valley, formed by 3: Caelius, Exvilin and Palatine.

The dimensions of the ancient amphitheater are amazing: length - 187 m, width - 155 m, height - 50 m. But it got its name not because of its titanic size, but because once on the square in front of it stood a monumental statue of Nero at 35 m height.

Could stay in the Colosseum from 50 to 83 thousand people(The largest modern stadium, located in the DPRK, can accommodate 150 thousand).

From the time of construction and up to 405 AD. e. in the Colosseum, gladiator fights, hunting for wild animals, theatrical performances and water extravaganzas - navimahia, that is, grandiose shows imitating large-scale naval battles, were arranged.

It is believed that hundreds of the first Christians were tortured to death here, who were considered dangerous rebels and the perpetrators of the decline of the state.

After the collapse of ancient Rome, the Colosseum until the XVIII century vegetated in oblivion until it was taken under the patronage of Pope Benedict XIV.

He consecrated the Colosseum as a place of worship for the death of the first Christian martyrs, and built many crosses and altars here. They were removed in 1874 and from that moment they began to restore the Colosseum as a cultural monument.

Currently, it is visited by about 5 million tourists a year, bringing the Italian authorities 50 million euros in revenue. Address: Italy, Rome, Piazza del Colosseo, 1.

Architecture and creators

Construction of the Colosseum in 72 AD started by Emperor Vespasian, who, before his elevation, managed to serve as praetor under Caligula, legate under Claudius and commander under Nero.

After the death of Vespasian in 79, the construction was continued by his son Titus, and after the death of Titus in 81, the construction of the Colosseum was continued and completed by Titus' brother and Vespasian's son, Emperor Domitian.

The name of the architect of the Colosseum is not known for certain, according to some sources, it could be Rabirius - the creator of the palace of Domitian on the Palatine Hill and the Baths of Titus.

From an architectural point of view, the Colosseum is a classic ancient Roman amphitheater in the form of an ellipse, in the middle of which there is an arena surrounded by rings of spectator stands.

The nobility sat on the soft seats of the lower stands, while the mob, women, slaves and foreigners sat on the hard wooden benches of the upper stands. In its heyday, there was a labyrinth under the arena, where wild animals were kept, and the arched openings of the 3rd and 4th tiers were decorated with statues and stucco.

During the 20th century, the Colosseum burned repeatedly, suffered from earthquakes and was subjected to barbarian raids. In the Middle Ages, its stones were used to build palaces for the nobility and dwellings of ordinary citizens.

In the 20th century the polluted air of Rome contributed to the deplorable state of the majestic building, vibrations from passing cars and thousands of tourists those who want to take with them a piece of the Colosseum in the form of at least a tiny pebble.

All these factors led to the fact that by the beginning of the 21st century. The Colosseum has lost 2/3 of its original mass, which was 600 thousand tons.

In order to prevent the death of the legendary amphitheater, in December 2013, the Italian authorities decided to start a grandiose restoration of the Colosseum, which may end in June-July 2015.

This did not affect tourists - they can still visit it freely.

Photos and Colosseum on the map

You can admire the Colosseum in photographs, and not get lost a map will help on its vast territory:

How it was built

The Colosseum was erected on the site of the Golden Palace of Nero, almost completely destroyed after the suicide of the scandalous ruler.

A grandiose amphitheater was erected with funds captured by Vespasian during the victorious 1st Jewish War for the Romans. After the fall of Jerusalem 100 thousand slaves were delivered to Rome who built the Colosseum.

The walls of the amphitheater are made of travertine, which was mined in the quarries of Trivoli. Large marble blocks were carefully hewn and fastened with steel brackets.

The internal parts of the amphitheater were built of brick and tufa, while the powerful foundation, tiers and vaults were made of ancient Roman concrete, which it is many times more durable than the modern one.

Practical information: opening hours, travel, tickets

Colosseum opening hours:

• last Sunday of October - January 15 - from 9 to 16.30;
• January 16 - March 15 - from 9 to 17;
• March 16 - the last Saturday of March - from 9 to 17.30;
• last Sunday of March - August 31 - from 9 to 19.30;
• in September - 9-19;
• October 1 - last Saturday of October - 9-18.30.

Ticket price: 12 euros for adults, for those under 18 years old, admission is free (subject to availability of relevant documents), audio guide in Russian - 5.5 €, video guide in Russian - 6 euros.

Ticket offices close 1 hour before the amphitheater itself closes. Day off: January 1, December 25.

How to get there:

• metro: Colosseo station, line B (two stops from Termini station);
• buses: 75, 81, 613;
• tram: line 3;
• walk: 12 min. from Termini station along Via Cavour.

If you are going to travel around Rome by metro, check out the directions, costs and schedule of its work in advance.

Don't know where to stay for the night? Meet hotels in the center of Rome with 3, 4 and 5 stars.

Some interesting facts about the great Colosseum may be unknown even to experienced guides:

• Celebrations in honor of the opening of the Colosseum lasted 14 weeks and included sports, gladiator fights and lavish theatrical performances. On the 1st day of opening in the amphitheater, according to various sources, from 5 to 9 thousand wild animals were killed.

  In total, during the existence of the Colosseum, 300 thousand people and 10 million wild animals died in the arena.

• In ancient Rome, it was impossible to simply go and buy tickets to the Colosseum, seats were reserved for various guilds, unions, associations, or a special invitation from an influential person was required.

  Dress uniform was mandatory, for example, men had to wear togas. It was forbidden to drink wine in the stands. Only an all-powerful emperor could break this prohibition.

• Judging by the excavations, in particular those carried out in the Colosseum, the gladiators were vegetarians, but not for ideological reasons.

  Abundant plant foods (barley cakes, bread, beans, vegetables, root crops) allowed them to build up a fatty layer, which served as additional protection during battles.

• In view of the far from brilliant preservation, the “understudy” of the Colosseum in films is often the more miniature, but much better preserved Tunisian amphitheater El Jem. He "replaced" his Roman counterpart in the film "Gladiator".
• The Colosseum was included in the list of 7 new wonders of the world. In this list, he is the only representative of European civilization.

Once covered in blood, the Colosseum now embodies the humanistic values ​​of the new Europe. Usually its backlight is white, but since 2000 it sometimes changes to yellow - this means that somewhere in the world some prisoner had the death penalty commuted to another measure of punishment.

In Italy itself, the death penalty has not been applied since 1947, although it was officially abolished only in 2009 (in the Vatican - in 1969, even for those who attempted on the Pope).

A few simple tips will make a tour of the Colosseum not only informative, but also not burdensome for the wallet:

• It is strongly recommended to purchase the Roma Pass - a special travel card that allows you to use public transport and visit 2 museums for 3 days at no extra charge.
• Roma Pass holders can visit the Colosseum out of turn. Its price for 3 days is 36 euros, for 2 days - 28 euros. You can buy it at train stations (in Italy) or on the website http://www.romapass.it/ (website in English).
• In Italy, as in other countries, E.S. European Heritage Days are held. On such days, admission to museums is either free of charge or will cost 1 euro. For the Heritage Days schedule, please visit http://europeanheritagedays.com.
• Summer is not the best time to visit both Rome and the Colosseum due to the heat and the seasonal influx of tourists. If possible, worth going there in late autumn or winter.
• In order not to suffer in endless lines, you should come either strictly by 9 am or in the afternoon.

Video of the Colosseum

For those who still doubt whether to go to Rome, help you make the right decision video with the beauties of the Colosseum:

For 20 centuries, the Colosseum has not lost its splendor or grandeur, and continues to excite the imagination and hearts of both the Italians themselves and millions of admiring tourists.

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Why is the Colosseum so named? How has it changed over the centuries? And, most importantly, what secrets does the number one attraction of Italy keep?

"Attention, construction work is underway"

In order to build, the Romans took a little more than 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 (calcareous tufa) were used to build the outer walls alone. The result was "colossal" (colossal): the amphitheater, 189 meters long, 156 meters wide and 48 meters high, was able to accommodate 50 to 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 were fought had an elliptical 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 fighters opened the day with a "parade" in the amphitheater, in rich armor and fully armed. Then fights began between animals or between animals and people.

Death Lunch

Lunch hours in the Colosseum were reserved for the executions of those sentenced to death: people were burned at the stake, crucified, or given to wild beasts to eat. All this took place in the format of a live show.

The highlight of the program

The most anticipated 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.

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 from the Flavian dynasty. The name "Coliseum" did not appear until the Middle Ages: the most popular theory is that the name "Colosseo" was given to the amphitheater because it was built next to the "Colossus" of Nero, 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 the 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 there was a pagan temple on the site of the Colosseum, where they worshiped the devil. 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 veil protected the audience from sunburn during the daytime shows.

Seats in the Colosseum were strictly reserved. On the upper rows there were wooden benches intended for the population, while the places for privileged guests were finished with marble. Everyone could take part in the show, the entrance was free, but it was not allowed to change the places assigned to each of the visitors. The senators of Rome sat in the front row with the vestals, behind them were the warriors (equites), in the attics places were reserved for slaves and foreigners.

The first elevator in history and scenery for the "performance"

One of the earliest examples of working elevator systems was the one in operation at the Colosseum. The arena and the basement were actually connected by elevators.

The basement consisted of alternating corridors. Some contained sets of scenery for battles, which, thanks to a system of cables, were raised to the arena, others contained animals and gladiators preparing for battle.

The scenery was installed in the arena in advance. Gladiators and animals climbed into the arena immediately at the start of the battle on the first prototype of the elevator. Thanks to these systems of lifting from the 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 sights

The marble façade and some of the interior of the Colosseum were also used to build various civil buildings in Rome, such as, for example, the Palazzo Barberini. Having been in a state of neglect 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 suddenly there was a love for the ancient ruins of Rome. It is assumed that only one third of what was in the original design remained from the Colosseum.

In the thirteenth century, even the palazzo of the Roman family Frangipane was built inside the amphitheater, and later other civil houses.

The Colosseum was also damaged by numerous earthquakes. So, in 851, an earthquake triggered the collapse of two rows of arches on the south side, and the amphitheater took on a familiar asymmetric aspect.

Colosseum and pool

Inside the amphitheater, at one time, water fights, "Naumachie" were held: 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, a 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 time of gladiator fights, the Colosseum acquired an ominous reputation, so much so that it was considered one of the seven gates of hell (still, tens of thousands of people died in the arena). They say that devilish rites were even held in the Colosseum, for which the blood of those who died in the arena was used. In the Middle Ages, then, gangs of bandits used the arena to bury their victims. And in the 16th century, wizards and sorcerers aspired here, who, for witchcraft, used grass with magical powers that grew among the blood and ruins.

Jungle Colosseum

For decades, botanists have been studying plants that have grown spontaneously inside the Colosseum. There are more than 350 different types of plants that have taken root among the ruins - some of them of absolutely exotic origin and their growth is supported by the unique microclimate of the amphitheater.

Coliseum and Hollywood

The Colosseum has been the setting for many films, but the film that made it even more famous around the world, Gladiator, was not filmed inside the amphitheatre. A series of unanswered questions prompted director Ridley Scott to film the gladiator fight scenes at the Roman amphitheater El Jem in Tunisia and the fake Colosseum, specially built for filming in Malta. It took only 19 weeks to build the amphitheater, but the structure was made of wood and only partially: most of it was recreated on a computer in post-production.

Sunny Colosseum

Emperor Vespasian, who ascended the throne of the Roman Empire in 69 AD, spent enormous amounts of money on the restoration of places of worship (such as, for example, the Capitol). But in 72, he decided to take on a more ambitious project and commissioned the best builders in the region to build the Flavian amphitheater, which would forever mark his dynasty in world culture. Vespasian also had an ulterior motive. The foundation of the Colosseum was laid on the site of a lake near the Golden House of Nero, the predecessor and enemy of the new ruler. Such construction completely erased the traces of its existence from the map of Rome.

According to historians, about 100 thousand workers took part in the construction of the amphitheater, most of which were prisoners of war and slaves. After eight years of exhausting and non-stop work, the Colosseum was completely completed and approved by the emperor.

For the first centuries of its existence, the structure really occupied a huge place in the life of the Romans and always reminded them of its founder, since until the VIII century it was called the Flavian amphitheater. Gladiatorial fights, animal fights and festive performances were regularly held here. In addition to entertainment events, executions were also carried out here, which served as the reason for the cessation of the use of the Colosseum by Emperor Constantine I. Throughout the Middle Ages, this religious building was either completely ignored by the authorities, or was used as a memorial place in honor of early Christians who died a martyr's death. All this led to the fact that until the 18th century no one thought about the need for reconstruction and restoration of the Colosseum, and many of its parts were irretrievably destroyed.

At the end of the 19th century, the Catholic Church decided to resume work around the amphitheater in order to preserve as many of the surviving elements as possible. Thanks to this change in attitude towards the monument, the Colosseum began to attract the attention of historians, architects and art historians, who in a few decades were able to turn the once forgotten building into a symbol of European civilization.

In 2007, the New Open World Corporation held a competition in which people from all over the world were able to take part in the voting and choose those buildings that, in their opinion, are worthy of the title of the New Seven Wonders of the World. The first place was taken by the Colosseum, which became the only attraction on the list representing the heritage of European culture.

Night panorama of the Colosseum

The device and architecture of the Colosseum

According to approximate estimates of scientists, the modern Colosseum is only one third of the original building, but even this fact does not detract from the greatness of the building. At the beginning of our era, when all the inhabitants of Rome flocked to the Colosseum to watch the next gladiator fight or theatrical performance, 50,000 spectators could easily accommodate seating around the arena, and up to 18,000 could watch performances standing. Today, the capacity of the Colosseum is much smaller, but this does not prevent thousands of guests from coming to the iconic place.

An ingenious solution that greatly facilitated the construction: 240 huge arches in three tiers, lined with travertine on the outside, surround a concrete-brick ellipse, the length of the walls of which is 524 m, width - 156 m, height - 57 m. It was a revolution in world construction: the invention of concrete and terracotta bricks. For the building of the Colosseum, it took about 1 million pieces.

Panoramic view

The fourth continuous tier was completed later. Today, on its cornice, you can see holes where supports were inserted to quickly stretch a huge awning over the arena and amphitheater. He protected the audience from rain and the scorching sun. On the pavement of the Colosseum, you can see the posts, the purpose of which is still controversial. According to one version, awning ropes were additionally attached to them, according to another, the 5 remaining pedestals served as turnstiles to contain and streamline the crowd.

Inside the ancient amphitheater there were vaulted galleries - places of rest for spectators and brisk trade. At first glance, there are so many “leaky” arches that they resemble numerous honeycombs in a bee hive, but at the same time there is no monotony among them. Each turns out to be at a slightly different angle both to the sun and to the viewer, so shadows fall on the arches in different ways. Pay attention - they are homogeneous, but not ordinary!

The first tier of the Colosseum contains 76 spans through which one could enter the amphitheater. Above them, and today you can see the Roman numerals of the numbering of the entrances. Such an unusually large number of arches made it possible to significantly increase the capacity of the amphitheater - if necessary, the audience could leave the Colosseum in 5-10 minutes. There are no buildings with a similar architectural organization anywhere in the world today!

Another interesting idea to lighten the construction of the Colosseum was the support of different styles, which, in addition to protecting against collapse, made the structure look more airy. In the first tier, the heaviest, made of stone, there are semi-columns of the Doric order, in the second (concrete) - Ionic, and on the third - Corinthian, with elegant, decorated with foliage, capitals.

It was believed that the openings of the second and third tiers were decorated with white marble statues. However, none of them was found, which caused disputes among historians - whether they actually existed or were only in the project.

Upper tier of the Colosseum

The elliptical shape of the arena gave neither the gladiators nor the doomed animals a chance to hide from the bloodshed, huddled in a corner. The floor of the arena was paved with boards, which were easily removed when it was necessary to flood the place where naval battles were performed. Slave cells, animal cages, and other outbuildings were built later in the basement below the arena, as was the complex system of turntables and other devices that created special effects during performances. Much of the interior decoration has not been preserved. However, despite the destruction, you can carefully consider the arrangement of the premises under the arena. Perhaps the animals, gladiators, and backstage were taken to the arena by freight elevators.

It is curious that for a long time tourists visited the amphitheater only at night to admire the beautiful illumination of the building. But scientists wanted to restore the historical glory of the Colosseum and developed exciting sightseeing tours. With their stories, guides try to immerse listeners as much as possible into the atmosphere of the past, when the foundation of the Flavian amphitheater was just being laid, thereby allowing them to see something more than ancient ruins.

Meal'n'Real!

Shot from the series "Spartacus"

Panem et circenses, "bread and circuses" - this was the motto of the grandiose amphitheater in the city center for centuries! People not only wanted to be fed: they wanted entertainment. And the Colosseum provided them with a plentiful program of deadly duels and bloody battles.

The first officially recorded protest against the brutal performances in the arena dates back to 404 AD, when the monk Telemachus jumped up from his seat in the podium, screaming, demanding that the fight be cancelled. Angry spectators stoned him to death. The last gladiatorial fights and baiting of animals were arranged in 523, after which the Colosseum fell into decay. In the 7th century one monk wrote: “While the Colosseum stands, Rome stands. The Colosseum will fall, and Rome will fall with it.”

Video: Aria - Colosseum

Opening hours and ticket prices

More recently, the approach to the Colosseum was open around the clock. But the authorities of the Italian capital realized that this could negatively affect the state of the building and hurried to establish security. Now the amphitheater is open only for daytime visits from 9:00 to 19:00 in summer (April-October) and from 9:00 to 16:00 in winter (November-March). But do not despair if you did not manage to get here during the daytime, because in this case, the city planners decorated the outer walls with beautiful illumination, which is the highlight of the night Rome.

The year provides only two days off when tourists cannot visit the attraction - December 25 and January 1.

Entrance and excursion program will cost 12€ for an adult visitor and 7€ for a child (+2€ for exhibition events). Schoolchildren, students and pensioners have the opportunity to purchase a reduced ticket, but for this you need to have the relevant documents with you. The purchase itself can be a little problematic. The fact is that most tourists decide to pay for the entrance at the very walls of the Colosseum, which is why by 10:00 long lines line up at the box office.

If you want to save your time and money, order tickets on the site of the complex or purchase them at pre-sale points. In the latter case, you can get a document that allows you to visit several attractions at once.

Online ordering - www.pierreci.it (service available in Italian and English) and www.ticketdic.it (available in Italian, English and French) - 10.50€, 12.50€ (with exhibition). A single ticket - with the Palatine Museum, the Roman Forum - is valid for 24 hours from the date of purchase.

Information center phone: 399 67 700.

How to get to the Colosseum

Most often, international flights land at the Leonardo da Vinci airport, which all Italians call Fiumicino. It is located 20 km from Rome itself, but this small distance is not so easy to overcome, given the intensity of traffic towards the capital of Italy.

Very often, tourists travel from the airport to the city by train, which departs from one of the terminals. The ticket price is 14 euros and the journey takes about 35 minutes. But in this case, it should be borne in mind that you will only get to the city station, from which you will have to go to the hotel by another means of transport.

If you are traveling with a large company, it would be most logical to take a taxi near the airport walls. These are white cars with the signature "Comune di Roma", which are the property of the city, which means they have fixed rates. The minimum cost of the trip is 40€, and then depends on the location of the hotel.

In addition, several bus companies operate regular flights from the airport to various parts of the city. The cost of a trip on such transport can vary from 9 € to 20 €, so you should familiarize yourself with the price list on the website of the company of interest in advance.

Once you finally find yourself in Rome, getting to the Colosseum will not be difficult. The majestic amphitheater is located at the Colosseo metro station of the same name in the very center of the city. The ticket price is 1€ and gives you the opportunity to travel by underground transport for 75 minutes.

Bus numbers to the Colosseum: 60, 75, 81, 85, 117, 175, 271, 571, 673, 810, 850. Tram number 3 also runs.

Address: Piazza del Colosseo.

01.09.2016

Who built the Colosseum and when?

Who does not know the calling card of Rome, but when, by whom and for what purpose was the Colosseum built in Rome - Italy? The history of the Roman Colosseum or how it turned from the Flavius ​​amphitheater into the Colosseum. But too much in the history of ancient Rome does not fit together, so as not to think about this new wonder of the world and its origin.

One close look at the Colosseum is enough to discover that it was immediately built as "ancient ruins". But examples of its rather late construction are clearly visible. It is known that "the Colosseum is built of stone, concrete and brick." Isn't it strange that CONCRETE was used in such an allegedly very ancient structure? Historians may argue that concrete was invented by the "ancient" Romans more than 2,000 years ago. But why then was it not widely used in medieval construction?

Rather, all the supposedly "ancient" buildings made of concrete are of a much later origin than historians think.

The Colosseum (Colloseo) was built during the reign of the emperors of Ancient Rome, Titus Vespassian and his son Titus from the Flavian dynasty. Therefore, the Colosseum is also called the Flavian Amphitheatre. Construction began in the 72nd century AD. e. under Vespassian, and ended in 80 under Titus. Vespassian wanted to perpetuate the memory of his dynasty and strengthen the greatness of Rome, adding to this the triumph of Titus after the suppression of the uprising of the Jews.

More than 100,000 prisoners and captives built the Colosseum. Building stones were mined in quarries near Tivoli (now it is a suburb of Rome with beautiful palaces, gardens and fountains). The main building materials of all Roman structures are travertine and marble. As know-how, red brick and concrete were used in the construction of the Colosseum. The stones were hewn and fastened with steel brackets to strengthen the stone blocks.

The amphitheaters of antiquity were marvels of architecture and engineering, which modern specialists never cease to admire. The Colosseum Amphitheater, like other such buildings, has the shape of an ellipse, the outer length of which is 524m. The height of the walls is 50 m. The length of the stadium is 188 m along the major axis and 156 m along the minor axis. The length of the arena is 85.5 m, its width is 53.5 m. The width of the foundation is 13 m. To build such a grandiose structure, and even on the site of a dried lake, set a number of important tasks for the Flavian engineers.

First, the lake had to be drained. For this, a system of hydroflows, slopes and gutters was invented, which can still be seen today, once inside the Colosseum. Drains and gutters were also used to divert storm flows that flowed into the sewerage system of the ancient city.

Secondly, it was necessary to make the mega-structure so strong that it would not collapse under its own weight. For this, the structure was made arched. Pay attention to the image of the Colosseum - it has the arches of the lower tier, above them the arches of the middle, upper, etc. It was an ingenious solution, capable of holding a colossal weight, as well as giving the structure an air of lightness. Here it is necessary to mention one more advantage of arched structures. Their harvesting did not require super-skilled labor. The workers were mainly engaged in the creation of standardized arches.

Thirdly, there was the issue of building materials. We have already mentioned here travertine, red brick, marble, and the use of concrete as a strong bonding mortar.

Surprisingly, the ancient architects calculated even the most favorable angle of inclination at which the seats for the public should be placed. This angle is 30'. On the topmost seats, the angle of inclination is already 35 '. There were a number of other engineering and construction issues that were successfully resolved during the construction of the ancient arena.

The Flavian Amphitheater in its heyday had 64 entrances and exits, which made it possible to let the public in and out in a matter of time. This invention of the ancient world is used in the construction of modern stadiums, which can simultaneously let spectators in streams through different passages into different sections without creating a crowd. In addition, there was a well-thought-out system of corridors and steps, and people could climb the tiers to their places very quickly. And now you can see the numbers engraved above the entrances.

The arena at the Colosseum was covered with boards. The floor level could be adjusted using engineering structures. If necessary, the boards were removed and it became possible to organize even naval battles and battles with animals. Chariot races were not held in the Colosseum; for this, the Circus Maximus was built in Rome. Under the arena were technical rooms. They could contain animals, equipment, etc.

Around the arena, behind the outer walls, in the basement, the gladiators were waiting for their entry into the arena, cages with animals were placed there, there were rooms for the wounded and the dead. All rooms were connected by a system of elevators that rose on cables and chains. In the Colosseum, 38 elevators were counted.

From the outside, the Flavian Theater was lined with marble. The entrances to the amphitheater were decorated with marble statues of gods, heroes and noble citizens. Barriers were put up to hold back the onslaught of the crowd trying to get inside.

At present, inside this miracle of the ancient world, only the grandiose scale of the structure testifies to its former grandeur and amazing adaptations.

The arena was surrounded by rows of seats for the public, arranged in three tiers. A special place (podium) was set aside for the emperor, members of his family, vestals (virgin priestesses) and senators.

Citizens of Rome and guests were seated on the seats of three tiers, strictly according to the social hierarchy. The first tier was intended for city authorities, noble citizens, horsemen (a type of estate in Ancient Rome). On the second tier there were places for Roman citizens. The third tier was intended for the poor. Titus completed another fourth tier. Gravediggers, actors and former gladiators were forbidden to be among the audience.

During the performances, merchants scurried between the audience, offering their goods and food. Details of gladiatorial costumes and figurines of the most outstanding gladiators were a special type of souvenir. Like the Forum, the Colosseum served as the focus of social life and a place of communication for citizens.

The beginning of the destruction of the Colosseum was provoked by the invasion of the barbarians in 408-410 AD, when the arena arrived in desolation and without proper care. From the beginning of the 11th century until 1132, the amphitheater was used by the noble families of Rome as a fortress in the struggle between themselves, the Frangipani and Annibaldi families are especially famous. Which were forced to cede the Colosseum to the English Emperor Henry VII, who handed it over to the Roman Senate.

As a result of a powerful earthquake in 1349, the Colosseum was severely damaged, and its southern part also collapsed. After this event, the ancient arena began to be used for the extraction of building material, but not only its collapsed part, stones were also broken out of the surviving walls. So, from the stones of the Colosseum in the 15th and 16th centuries, the Venetian palace, the palace of the office (Cancelleria), and the Palazzo Farnese were built. Despite all the destruction, most of the Colosseum survived, although in general the great arena remained disfigured.

The attitude of the church towards the old monument of ancient architecture has improved since the middle of the 18th century, when Pope Benedict XIV was elected. The new pope dedicated the ancient arena to the Passion of Christ - the place where the blood of Christian martyrs was shed. By order of the pope, a large cross was placed in the middle of the arena of the Colosseum, and several altars were erected around. In 1874, church attributes were removed from the Colosseum. After the departure of Benedict XIV, church hierarchs continued to monitor the safety of the Colosseum.

The modern Colosseum, as an architectural monument, is protected, and its fragments, if possible, were installed in their original places. Despite all the trials that have befallen the ancient arena over the millennia, the ruins of the Colosseum, devoid of expensive decoration, still make a strong impression and make it possible to imagine the former grandeur of the arena.

Today, the Colosseum is a symbol of Rome, as well as a famous tourist attraction.

If you look closely at the brickwork of the inner walls of the Colosseum, it is striking that the edges of the bricks are upholstered, very ordered, and the upholstery was made before laying, and not over the centuries, which they tried to portray, and the bricks are fastened together with a composition very reminiscent of cement XIX century. All brickwork appears to be roughly the same and is built from uniform bricks. It seems that during the construction of the Colosseum, the appearance of the supposedly centuries-old deterioration of the structure was immediately faked.

This is even better seen in the places of the supposedly “collapsed” brick wall. These masonry places are undoubtedly fake, built in today's "collapsed" form. If the brick wall really collapsed, then its exposed “remains of ancient vaults” would look unnatural on the smooth brickwork of the Colosseum. All these "alterations" were built immediately during the initial construction, so they were confused to show the antiquity of the structure. Real alterations of vaults are inevitable in old houses buried in the ground, they look completely different.

For example, the church of St. Irene in Istanbul-Constantinople. There are perfectly representative countless traces of real alterations. Moreover, the upper part of the walls looks much newer than the lower part, in which more crossovers are visible. But in the Colosseum, the walls are strangely identical: upstairs, downstairs.

In real ancient structures, the bottom of the structure is usually located underground or in a pit, if archaeological work is underway. Church of St. Irene goes underground to a depth of 4 meters. And we are talking about a medieval building. And there is no noticeable subsidence in the ground around the Colosseum. It turns out that for two thousand years, the arena was immersed in some kind of vacuum and the rules of nature, which apply to all other places on the planet, were not dominated by it, and are, by the way, the main dating milestone in archeology.

But what can I say, if under the guise of reconstruction, absolutely openly, in full view of tourists, with the help of portable scaffolding, the completion of the Colosseum is taking place in our time.

The Vatican strongly and does not hide the history of the building. In the Vatican Palace, you can see a fresco that depicts the freshly designed ruins of the Colosseum! Nearby is an angel with a compass and a building angle. He helps build the Colosseum. But to whom? Really - to the pagan emperor, which would be inappropriate for an angel? Far from it. The name of the builder, as well as the year of construction, are directly indicated on the fresco. Next to the image, it says: "SEVENTH YEAR OF POPE PIO VII"

“The Colosseum is the largest ancient Roman amphitheater and one of the wonders of the world. Located in Rome on the site of a pond. The emperor Vespasian Flavius ​​began construction, and his son finished it in 80 AD. emperor Titus Flavius ​​... Initially, the Colosseum was called, by the name of the Flavian emperors, the Flavian amphitheater, its current name (in Latin Colosseum, in Italian Coliseo) was assigned to it later .... This place was for the citizens of Rome a place of fun and spectacles ... The invasions of the barbarians marked the beginning of the destruction of the amphitheater. In the XI-XII centuries, the amphitheater was used as a citadel by the Roman families Annibaldi and Frangipani. Then the Flavian amphitheater passed to Henry VII, who presented it as a gift to the Roman people. Back in 1332, bullfights were held here. But most likely, in 1332, bullfights took place not in the current Colosseum, but in that city amphitheater of Italian Rome, which was later converted into the castle of the Holy Angel, but since then its regular defeat begins ...

The very word "amphitheater" combines two Greek words meaning "double theater" or "theater on both sides" and very accurately conveys the architectural features of this type of ancient Roman architecture. As for the name "Colosseum", according to one version it comes from the Latin "colosseum", which means "colossal", and according to another, it is associated with a gigantic statue of Nero located nearby, which was called "Colossus". Both versions have equal rights to exist ", fortunately, they agree on one thing - they emphasize the cyclopean dimensions of the Colosseum. Not without reason, more than 100 thousand cubic meters of natural stone were used for its construction, while 45 thousand - for the outer wall. It is not surprising that a special road was built for the transport of marble. Well As for the name "Flavian Amphitheatre", it is due to the fact that the Colosseum became a collective building of representatives of this imperial dynasty - Vespasian, Titus and Domitian built it for 8 years, from 72 to 80 AD.

The construction was started by Vespasian after his military victories in Judea, and the construction was already completed by his son Titus, according to the well-known historian Suetonius - “During the consecration of the amphitheater and the baths hastily built nearby, he (Titus - ed.) showed a gladiator fight, surprisingly rich and lush; he also arranged a sea battle in the same place, and then brought out gladiators there too and released five thousand different wild animals in one day. Such a beginning of the history of the Colosseum to some extent determined its future fate - for a long time it was the main place for specific entertainment spectacles that are so familiar to us from modern cinema and fiction - gladiator fights and baiting of animals, only a small part of the fun that attracted Romans to the arena. The reign of Emperor Macrinus was marked by a strong fire for the Colosseum, however, by order of Alexander Severus, it was restored, and in 248, under Emperor Philip, the celebration of the thousand-year existence of Rome took place in it with great solemnity.

According to surviving eyewitness accounts, 60 lions, 32 elephants, 40 wild horses and dozens of other animals such as elks, zebras, tigers, giraffes and hippos were killed during the "festivities". In addition, the matter was not limited to animals, and enthusiastic spectators were able to witness the fights of a total of 2,000 gladiators. Centuries passed, and the Colosseum still retained the status of the main cultural center of Ancient Rome, the nature of the performances for the townspeople practically did not change - only in 405, Emperor Honorius imposed a ban on gladiatorial fights, since this was contrary to the spirit of Christianity, which, starting from the time of Constantine Great, became the state religion of the Roman Empire. However, animal persecution continued to delight the Romans until the death of Theodoric the Great. The period of the Middle Ages was the time of the sunset of the Colosseum - in the XI-XII centuries, it served as a fortress for the noble families of Rome competing with each other, Frangipani and Annibaldi were especially successful in this field, who eventually were forced to give the Colosseum to Emperor Henry VII. The latter donated the famous arena to the Roman senate and people, thanks to which, until the first third of the 14th century, various games were still held in the Colosseum, including bullfights.

Paradoxically, but the reason for the further decline of the Colosseum was its magnificence. The fact is that the walls of the Colosseum were built from large blocks of travertine marble, which was mined in the city of Tivoli. Marble blocks were fastened with steel brackets, since they were carefully ground together and did not require mortar for better adhesion. The materials used, as well as the construction technology itself, led not only to the fact that the Colosseum could exist for many centuries, but also to the fact that for the Romans of the XV-XVI centuries. it has become a source of valuable materials, moreover, it is easily disassembled into separate parts. The marble of the Colosseum contributed to the construction of the Venetian Palace, the Palace of the Chancellery and the Palazzo Farnese.

Only in the 18th century did the popes change their utilitarian approach to the Colosseum, so Benedict XIV took it under his protection, turning it into a kind of Christian sanctuary - a huge cross was installed in the middle of the arena, which was framed by altars in memory of the tortures, the procession to Calvary and the death of the Savior on the cross. This complex was dismantled at the end of the 19th century.

The outer side of the Colosseum consisted of three tiers of arches, between which there were semi-columns, in the lower tier - Tuscan, in the middle - Ionic, and in the upper - Corinthian style. The surviving images of the Colosseum from the time of its glory, allow us to conclude that the spans of the arches of the middle and upper tiers were decorated with statues. Above the upper tier, the fourth floor was built, representing a solid wall, which was cut into compartments by Corinthian pilasters and had a quadrangular window in the middle of each compartment. The cornice of this floor had special holes for the installation of wooden beams that serve as a support for the awning stretched over the arena. At the ends of the large and small axes of the ellipse there were four main entrances, which were three-arched gates, two of which were intended for the emperor, and the rest were used both for solemn processions before the start of performances, and for transporting animals and necessary vehicles to the Colosseum.

Spectators were located in the stands in accordance with their social status:
- the bottom row, or podium (lat. podium) was intended for the emperor, his family and the highest nobility of Roman society.

Note that the place of the emperor towered above the rest.
- further, in three tiers, there were places for the public. The first tier belonged to the city authorities and people from the equestrian class. The second tier was reserved for the citizens of Rome. The third tier was occupied by the lower classes.

Under the arena was a complex labyrinth for the movement of gladiators and the keeping of predatory animals, which were used for performances.

In general, the structure of the Colosseum alone, even without taking into account its scale, would be enough to rightfully call this building one of the "wonders of the world." It organically combines the symbolism of the power of Rome, the architectural complexity, which speaks of a high technological culture and the pagan violence of the pre-Christian past of the empire. In one building, a huge layer of the history of one of the most ancient states, the cradle of European history, was embodied. The Colosseum is a true heritage of world culture, one of those few threads that makes the connection of times and epochs visible.

Let's get back to the probable story. So, in the XV and XVI centuries. Pope Paul II used the material from the amphitheater when building the Venetian Palace, Cardinal Riario - when building the Chancellery Palace, Pope Paul III - the Farnetse Palace. The Colosseum has nothing to do with it - just a stone and brick of the old city of the XIV century. was used for papal buildings, after which the old part of Italian Rome turned into ruins. However, most of the amphitheater survived, Sixtus V wanted to use it and built a cloth factory, and Pope Clement IX used the amphitheater building as a saltpeter factory. In the eighteenth century the popes came to their senses or decided that they could earn more on pilgrims than on saltpeter. Benedict IV (1740-1758) ordered the installation of a grandiose cross in the arena, and around it a series of altars in memory of the death of the Savior on the cross, which the cross and altars were removed from the Colosseum only in 1874. Probably, they too much contradicted the imaginary antiquity of the Colosseum, giving it frankly Christian appearance, therefore they were removed.

So, under Clement IX (1592-1605), a cloth factory worked on the site of the Colosseum, and before that there was probably just a pond. Nothing like that in those days, most likely, was not in sight. Probably the first who came up with the idea to erect some kind of grandiose structure was Pope Benedict XIV (1740-1758). But he clearly intended to erect not an “ancient amphitheater”, but a monument to Christian martyrs. However, his successors took things in a different direction. Under them, the real construction of the modern Colosseum begins, portrayed as supposedly "a light restoration of the ancient amphitheater."

Here is what the Encyclopedic Dictionary reports: “The popes who ruled after Benedict XIV, in particular Pius VII and Leo XII, reinforced the walls with buttresses that threatened destruction (we read between the lines: they built the walls), and Pius IX repaired a number of internal passages in the amphitheater (we read between the lines : lined up the inside). With considerable care, the Colosseum is guarded by the modern government of Italy. On his orders, under the guidance of archaeologists, basements were excavated in the arena, which were once used to bring people and animals to the arena and scenery, or to dam the arena to arrange “naumachia”.

The thought of historians about "naumachia" - naval battles presented in the water-filled arena of the Colosseum sounds especially ridiculous. At the same time, no intelligible explanations are given - how exactly and with the help of what mechanisms could water fill the arena of the Colosseum? Where are the drain and fill pipes? Water devices? Waterproof walls with traces of water filling? There is none of that in the Colosseum.

Now let's look at the history of the Roman Colosseum in historical sources, and what they tell us about this ancient amphitheater, and even the Flavians. After all, they should have told about such a landmark building as the Colosseum. But it so happened that not a single chronicle of the Colosseum mentions anything. Here are two of the most striking examples.

The front chronicle is a detailed account of world and Russian history, usually dating from the 16th century. The second and third volumes describe in detail the history of ancient Rome. Moreover, which is fortunate, especially a lot of space is given to the reign of Emperor Flavius ​​Vespasian, who, according to historians, founded the amphitheater of the Colosseum. In general, the Obverse Chronicle is a very detailed chronicle and contains more than sixteen thousand beautiful color drawings, made especially for the kings. Therefore, even if there is no mention of the Colosseum - either in the text or in the drawings - then we have to conclude that in Moscow in the 16th-17th centuries. knew nothing about the Colosseum. Surprisingly, there really are no such references.

But perhaps the Facial Vault is silent about the Colosseum simply because it does not refer to the buildings erected by the first Flavius ​​in Rome at all? No, it's not. In the Facial Vault, it is described in sufficient detail how Vespasian, returning to Rome from the Jewish War, immediately started the construction of huge and amazing buildings. But the Colosseum is not mentioned among them. And in general, nothing is said about the theater. It is only about temples, treasuries, libraries. Here is an excerpt:

“Vespasian thought about how to create an altar to an idol and soon erected something that surpassed all human imagination. And he put all valuable garments there, and everything wonderful and inaccessible was gathered there and laid out in plain sight. For the sake of all this, people around the world travel and work, just to see with their own eyes. He hung up the Jewish curtains there, as if proud of them, and all the robes embroidered with gold, and ordered the books with the laws to be kept in the chamber.

The front vault tells about the remarkable buildings of Vespasian in Rome, built after the end of the Jewish war. But the Colosseum is not mentioned among them.

Nothing is said about the Colosseum and the Lutheran chronograph of 1680 - the world chronicle, which describes in detail all the Roman incidents. She, like the Facial Vault, only reports on the construction by Vespasian of a certain “temple of peace” at the end of the Jewish War: “The year of Christ’s 77, the temple of peace is being built, the decorations of the temple of Jerusalem are laid in it, and there are vessels of Judaic gold. Save the law and the scarlet veils in the chambers by the command of Vespesian.

This is where the description of Vespasian's buildings ends. About the Colosseum - and in general, about any amphitheater built by Vespasian in Rome, the Lutheran Chronograph is completely silent. Moreover, in the detailed index of names and titles given at the end of the Chronograph, there is no name "Coliseum". There are no similar names either. How is it that the Colosseum is not mentioned in the Lutheran Chronograph, as well as in the Obverse Vault. Although it was written in 1680 and, it would seem, its author should have known about such an outstanding building as the Colosseum. And call it "Colosseum". After all, this name, as historians tell us, has been assigned to the Colosseum since the 8th century. Why is the author of the second half of the seventeenth century. doesn't know him yet? It turns out that in the seventeenth century. Europe really did not yet know anything about the Colosseum.

Let us now turn to the "ancient" writers. What do they know about the greatest amphitheater of ancient Rome, the grand Colosseum? It is believed that Suetonius, Eutropius and other "ancient" authors wrote about the Colosseum. There is also an opinion that the Colosseum was allegedly sung by an "ancient" poet of the 1st century AD. Martial. And he even tried to rank it among the seven wonders of the world, surprisingly anticipating the decision of contemporary historians (in 2007) to classify the Colosseum as one of the "seven new wonders of the world."

But were the “ancient” writers really talking about the Colosseum in Italy, and not about some other amphitheater? But then, maybe the real Colosseum is not in Italy, but in some other place? And one more important question. When, by whom and where were the supposedly “most ancient” writings, which are generally known today, talking about the Colosseum, discovered? Isn't it in the Vatican? And already after it was decided to build the Roman Colosseum, and it was required to create a history for it, to find “primary sources” that “confirm” its existence in the past?

Let's take the book of Suetonius as an example (the others say approximately the same thing). Suetonius reports on the construction in Rome by Emperor Vespasian, upon his return from the Jewish War, several structures at once: the Temple of Peace, another temple, a certain nameless amphitheater in the middle of the city. Suetonius writes: "... Vespasian also undertook new construction projects: the temple of Peace ... the temple of Claudius ... an amphitheater in the city center ...". Modern commentators believe that Suetonius is talking about the Colosseum here. But Suetonius by no means calls the amphitheater the Colosseum and, in general, does not report any details about it. He writes simply about the "amphitheater". Why is it necessarily the Colosseum? There is no evidence for that.

Eutropius, in his Brief History from the Foundation of the City, attributes the building of the amphitheater to Emperor Titus Vespasian, son of Emperor Vespasian. But he also does not provide any data to identify the amphitheater of Titus with the Colosseum. It is only sparingly reported that Titus Vespasian "built an amphitheater in Rome, during the consecration of which 5 thousand animals were killed in the arena."

Another “ancient” historian, Sextus Aurelius Victor, writes in the “History of Rome” that under the emperor Flavius ​​Vespasian, Rome began and completed the restoration of the Capitol ... the temple of Peace, the monuments of Claudius, the Forum, and a huge amphitheater was created. But even here there are no details to identify this amphitheater with the Colosseum. It is not said what size the amphitheater was, nor how it was arranged, nor in what place of the city it was located. And again the question arises: why is this the Colosseum? Maybe Aurelius Victor had in mind a completely different amphitheater?

Nowadays, the Colosseum is under the special protection of the Italian government, work is underway to collect randomly scattered marble fragments and install them in places supposedly intended for this. Archaeological excavations and restoration work going hand in hand have made a number of remarkable discoveries possible. However, today the defenders of this unique monument face new problems - ranging from numerous tourists, many of whom are not averse to taking something "memorial" with them, to the negative impact on the Colosseum's stone of atmospheric pollution, vibration caused by urban traffic and other factors. man-made nature.

Despite its complex history and difficult existence today, the Colosseum, albeit in the form of ruins, has retained such a majestic appearance that, according to the results of a vote, in 2007 it was recognized as one of the 7 New Wonders of the World.