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HOTEL DEGLI IMPERATORI · SURROUNDINGS · COLOSSEUM |
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A trip to the world famous Colosseum is a must when visiting Rome. The history of this monumental piece of architecture dates back to Rome's Flavian Dynasty ruled by emperor Vespasian (70-79).
In fact, the original name of the Colosseum was the Flavian Amphitheater, and it wasn't until centuries later that it took on the more common and well-know name of Colosseum due to a colossal statue of Nero that was moved to the grounds by the emperor Hadrian.
Work on the Colosseum took approximately 10 years to complete; it began in the year 70 A.D. by Vespasian and was inaugurated in 81 A.D. by his youngest son Domitian.
The amphitheater hosted many events, the most well-known being the gladiator fights, and was way beyond its time for the style and structure of accommodating up to 50,000 people in a seating system used even today in modern stadiums.
The seating was divided into sections that consisted of a lower podium and an upper podium and a third level that was again divided into another three sections.
The emperor and his entourage had there own private archway entrance on the ground level which led to their private seating.
The measurements of the Colosseum are quite remarkable measuring at 48 meters high, 188 meters long, and 156 meters wide with a wooden floor, 84 by 54 meters, in the middle and 80 entranceway arches.
Other events, probably less known, were the mock sea battles that took place on water which was brought to the ground level of the stadium through substructures that included enormous basins, called "naumachia". Like many of the games held here, the naval war games were played out until the ultimate objective of death finished the show.
The events at the Colosseum lasted for nearly four centuries when they were finally abandoned primarily for lack of funds necessary to have the animals brought in form Africa.
Restorations, to keep the architectural structure in tact, were carried out until the 6th century but the Colosseum was later neglected leading it to fall to the ruins that millions of world travellers visit each year.
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