Sorry guys, I didn't get to do my blog because I was sick and haven't moved for the past two days. ( apparently when there is a sudden thunder and lighting storm with pouring rain, going outside in it isn't such a GOOD idea. Not that I had much of a choice. ) Anyway, on Saturday we went to the Colosseum and we went on a special tour which included the basement and the third floor. Ok here's some facts about the Colosseum.
The Colosseum is actually called the Flaviuman Amphitheatrum. The Flavium Amphitheatrum was the largest ever built in Rome and the Romans (slaves) started building it in 72 ad and finished in 80 ad. ( I can see you saying ONLY 8 years!!!!!! Well we don't know how many slaves worked on it. ) It could hold 50,000 people and it was used for gladiator fights, mock sea battles, animal hunts, and Christan executions. ( another "fun" fact is back then there was a law stating that if you were caught worshiping God instead of the emperor you were executed. Happy times right!?!?!?!!?!?! ) Later it was used for housing a religious order, as a quarry, and as a Christan shrine. Although today in the 21st century it stays partially ruined because of earthquakes and stone robbers, I think everyone knows that it is the most popular attraction in Rome.
So, my tour started with a very 'knowledgeable" (obsessed) tour guide giving us instructions on how to use our walkie talkies, too bad I didn't understand Italian! We walked down a dark hallway to a ramp that took us down to the "ground level". This ramp was actually where the ships were floated out into the amphitheatre for the sea battles. It was pretty cool to imagine how it must have looked. The Romans would flood the underground chambers using water from a man made lake, thank you Nero!, then the interior of the theatre was flooded and the boats were then floated out. When the battle was over, flood gates were opened and the water was channeled back to the lake. While I was there it was raining and water was naturally gathering in the canals under the theatre so it was easy to see how it would have worked. The first hall our guide took us through was the main entrance that the Gladiators used to enter the arena. Basically it was long, narrow, and dark. the only way out was into the arena and most likely the only way out again was on a cart full of other dead gladiators. I took a picture so you can have a feeling of what it was like for these poor guys. Next our guide started getting very excited about some holes in the stone floors, my friend Dario explained that these were for wooden pillars which were wrapped with thick rope. These pillars had handles and wooden pulleys attached to them. Basically these were the first elevators! Slaves would turn the pillars using the wooden handles, the ropes would then wrap around the pillars and in turn lift wooden platforms up to the arena floor. It is kind of hard to explain, I will try to find a link....Ok, these elevators were used to bring animals and other fighters to the arena floor above. The arena floor was made of wood and covered in sand, the floor was supported by columns and arches underneath. These in turn were used as stables and slaves quarters. (The slaves played a huge part in all the productions....) So...next we saw the part of the Colosseum that everyone gets to see, did I mention that when I was down below I made it a point to stand where everyone above could see me and wave? well I did! After viewing the partially rebuilt arena floor( pretty cool) our guide took us up to the 3rd level, again a place where only a few get to go. It was so cool, I could see all of the center of Rome and again I made it a point to wave to all the people not lucky enough to be where I was. ( I swear the people were jealous of me =] ) The Colosseum was built in such a way that everyone had a good view of the show. The closest to the arena were the richest, then the business men, then so on and so on until the last level. Now you would assume that this is where the poorest sat but it wasn't. This is where the women sat! Yep, us poor women had to sit as far away from the violence as possible because it was believed that for women to be closer would be more dangerous for them, as the men would be all excited form the fighting and they might try to 'harm" the women. ( not fair right?!?!?!?!? )
Any way this is where the tour ended but I wonder how many of you are asking " why is the Colosseum called the Colosseum when it was actually an amphitheater?" That is easy enough to answer. At one point during his reign, Nero erected a huge "colossal" statue of himself right next to the amphitheater. This statue no longer exists but can't you just imagine what might have happened? "Hey, lets meet near the Colossal statue" "I'll see you in front of colossel" and when the statue wasn't there any longer, The amphitheater flavium was, but that would be a bit long "I'll meet you at the amphitheater flavium" Nope, it was just called the colossel or Colosseum by then, as it is still today. Here is something you might think is funny. When an Emperor was overthrown or killed, the new Emperor would get rid of his "memory". He would demolish buildings, paint over any fresco's with the old emperor in them ,etc. However, the Colossal statue was so well done that all the Emperors after Nero just took off the head of the previous emperor and replaced it with his own likeness, pretty funny huh? Well, I have to go blow my nose now, yep, I'm still sick.
Ciao
This is the main entrance for the Gladiators, no other way out!
This is where the boats were floated out.
Looking up to all those not lucky enough to be on my tour. The Pillars were the main support
for the arena floor. These were then turned into pens for the animals and slaves.
Looking down onto the arena. You can see the partially rebuilt wooden floor. You can also see
how the columns and arches could have been used to house the animals.
One of the interior walkways.
Me, on the top level, making everybody below jealous
Check out this link, you can see how the elevators worked and you get to see where I was on my tour.
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