a }OOKS COLOSSEUM ROME'S ARENA OF DEATH earl ly | ah Wy A sinning wm \inetin=civ pdr hn Sa epee any ‘The mph cars ans ge Nap bo ny be iene te et seen may ge ap ini ssaN05048021 thay BBC Rok, BC Weide emis ite Fee je ati ibe Copper a St iden ini Bn by aa un Rabe Rin a eka by Lame ln ‘Netapere ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS woul ke to thank the lowing for the lp in wering his ook etl is vice on the bung ectigus od motrs ‘Amanda hide ooking ve the capes onthe cha ad che nerhiry che {Closet in Ens hvac on he water sup forthe atemaci Hin Jurgen Boe or ‘italy and esourgsment when war woking inthe basen of he Closcum: the decor safe Beis School at Rome a ticle Mata Pia Maes who range or ‘et sy inthe Cols ad emine the plitr smoura Np: the af be ay of Grek nd Roman Seis in London Jin peru Soe Wile an Pal akon fo ‘help fining bate ices nd oo sd lly he Soren Archeslgin Rone. er Col, Ober 2005 pe: Amc ae af ri wiseCONTENTS: Inwroduction Chapter On: The Ancient Romans Chapter Ta: Chapter Thee Enter the Gladiators Chapter Four: The Life of GladiatorCChaper Five Inthe Arena uo Cape Six The Nexmachia Chapter Seve “Theil of che Colosseum 1 Caper Eight ‘The Excavations Append: Beneath the Areas 195, Appendie Wing about she Caosseum 207 Glossary 214 Farther resting 217 Inder 219 leare edits 226INTRODUCTION Easter when [head the sins of “Ave, Ave, Ave Mars! wating dwn to sme. A aml roop oF pins lad phere wo remeber the Chistian mays who ha suffered nd ded there forthe bli, ner tw tho sand years 280 ‘The Colosseum is the most impeesive, and the most notrious, of Rome's casa runs, buildng forever ssciated with death and gory spectcle, Some years ago, when decided to iavestigute how the world’s ‘port fous amphidestre had functioned, colleague said xo me, "Why eri hat disgusting place?” Heft provokes that ort of ection, butt ‘he lions of vistors who have been drawn thereover the yer it sill Ilda greene fnciatien. ‘Many of us look upon the ancient Romans with ambivalence. We may dice thei achievements a «sophistication while abhoring ‘he brutality ofa society tat but «huge and powerfl empie based on swarmongeing, slavery, tyranny and toture, When we think shout che Colosseum and the glaitoral games that wok place there most of us IDink of the popoler Hollywood inage ofthe mb, urge on by 2 ma ‘emperor, baying for Hood. But is made sce 0 very diferent? Weall teve an inti! Sor violence, ven if moat of us manage to contri mow of che ime, Bearing, bull-ghtngfoxhuntng, hare-coursing - Boot sorts have ben poplar since the beginning of ime. Some counties sil allow publi executions, and we have only to look back 135 yeas or soc ‘Thoous Hardy (who died in 1928) to Find an Englishman who wimessod a public hanging ‘And ust ax public executions were always bound to dae not jon he common rabble but people fiom all comer of socket, so did the blood- ‘hirsy gladistoril games in ancient Rome. They were not put on ja to plese the lower case, at is sometimes clsimed. There are plenty of cvamples of moice and bueeliefs that came from wealthy people's | Is working inthe batement below the arent of the Colotseutn cnt | | | |houses or tombs glorifying the glaitors, and cir images have been found on everyday houshold items, such a ass, lamps and hone knie- andl One would peraps expr hat mow Roman inlletuals would find the games distasteful, bu this rot always the ase. While some ‘witers and pilowphers sw the lado and those who sponsored them 1 profesional minders others could ne help appreciating ther courage and sil Seneca the Elis ($5 RC-AD 9) appreciated their rir while onderning the culture in which they owrishe and Cicero (106-43 BC, ‘though ric, col sil adv ther: Look plies wha either inl men barbara: wha Hows they eure! How eit that men, wb hive Ben well nd, pert recive abow han hey aid i? Hv fequstl iis me evident ‘ha thes eng thy pat higher than ing ston othr ‘enero othe pope! Eve when weakened with wound they send ‘reed ther owners ose hips: if they hve ve ‘icon oth they te cote fl Wha lair oir ‘eit verted ron change ounce Who of thes dace ims, | wil yo hi fe ba whos cing isl isl? Who Fe ing hs dan ia is eck when odered lr the fils? A itor how apt to seem cruel and ‘tal ome yes and Tine ohik tht ow cna i. But inthe ay when was criminals who cred sors inthe doth serugle, ht could be ober scholing git pin death aay ‘afore eye thugh x the prhap here might be mary “The swenteth century will probably be remembered as the most violent period ever two world wars, the Russian Revolution and its IMermath, the Holocaust ~ genocide perpezatel on sn unimaginable, Canprecedemed scale, noe only in Europe but also in Aca and the Far ast, The only ral liffrence is cht the Romans openly and without « shed of hypocrisy organized deliberate acs of violence for their own frterainment and bul arenas spill fr the purpose. I people teday ‘were honest many woul admit ha the fc the gaol contest bad ‘on Alypis, the Chisian fend of St Augustine of Hippo (AD 334430, right also apply co them, St Augustine oles che flowing anecdote in is Confesion:He (Alps hd gnew Rame fre mei ode sey I nd in Rome beh een quite ep away credibly nd with moet ‘nce sion, by the dati shows He ws oppose tach hing ad dette thems bu he happened o meet mea hi ede td flowed om ts ay ck ra oe ayn pi is pte nd is vigorusesice, wd nly kindof ine nd foe hi tog long wih the tothe athe as a day whe one ofthe cruel an Baody shows was ring peste Ashe went he ‘sd othe You cen deg my Boly the, but Sn iain tht you can ke me tay yes or ve my mind tthe shoe Though theresa et be thera 0 al hare the beter ttf yo and ofthe shoe” After hing hit hi end were lhe heer ring im long, seth hem. No doe they wanes ee whether ecoul do his ora Sothey mero there! ok what tthe ou Gd The whe ice wa sting with sage emu, bt he sh hip and fata iso goin ene of such evi only he cel ae ck up his carta Fein he oun ofthe igh some mn fil ‘hee wat get or fom he whale ms ofthe pecs which ll ‘ania he was over by cron nope hse fling esl pepe ot whiter he might se with ce and tebe But ether reine ia his sul wore wound ha tht as, ‘whom he ad wanted ose, ha cielo hit aly. iowa ll sve moe wretched than ht of thea wich had caused all ha shouting which a ered hiss and unlocked his eye ad de an opening the drs th wast overthohie sol~ soa tha ad on els er ha song ws lhe weber eset ad seul nal when caght shave rae in you Hes the ond Ad glpd dw sage. Farm turning ry. ied is exon ‘8 Wiehout swing wht wa happening ed in aes he wit the wih he uly comes, dunk wih she as fr ood. He sean longer the mun who acre hee bu wa eo thc 0 which he come tu companion af hse who ad ough hi, ‘Thermo more be Head e shouted he sed wits ‘examen Hetok ay with his mades which woul pa into comeback i, dhe woul at oly go with thos who in go hie here e woul gohan them nde woul eget inCHAPTER ONE |» THE ANCIENT ROMANS Tea, you stand onthe Fane Hl, \wherethe Roman emperors bit their palaces, andlook towards the Arch of Tiusand he Calosseum itis itfeutto imagine how the ares must have sppeated at the dawnt istry Whit ‘would t have looked lke to Romulus, the mythological feunder of fame, in 7538? His view would havelbeen garialybscuedby the Vein Hl, which haslong sincebeen fatened but where the Colosseum nowstands he would have seen an open arezaf | marshland surrounded bya | range of ow hilIn the area where the Colosseum now sands, in region known as Latium, {smal steam flowed westwards down the broad Labican valley which was Flank onthe noth snd south by tw of Rome's fas seven hills~the Exquline and he Cain respectively: ding its couse blocked by the laine and its nrthem spur, the Vein Hil the szeam was diver southarls between de Celi and Pine. I then join another steam {nd flowed lang the southern edge of the Palatine to eck the River Tibet “The broad, low-lying Mloodplan, where the Lbican Seam turned south, ‘was the chen efor sever vues wing doen the ills, anit was ‘on the ills ovrookig his marth thatthe ty af Rome was established “The urban development of Rome ws a ow proces that ban inthe Lae Bronze Ags in abt 10008. Achiologia evidence, including burial remains, sugges tha thee were a fe sll setlemens of thatched huts on the Plitine and neighbouring hills at this time. By the ely Ion Age ‘here wat substan population ving there, with fer development sorta in he Forum Valley sed the Qirnal Hil. These elements ‘ecupie a tage positon in relton to Use River Tiber, which formal a raul border onan inpotant route between the regions of irra the oth and Campania tothe south. The description por marinus chief Inidge bilder post xgnally held by the ead pret ofthe ty of Rome tod ate subeguently adopted first by the emperes and then from the beginning ofthe Chron eral the popes, uderines the pis. ‘While the hilop villages continued to grow, an urkan population ‘gant colonize the valleys, a the town planers and engineers desided ‘odin and scan the arhlnds sly insipons indicate Rome's Latin tgs but the Etruscan influence on te ity particularly in the religious Spee, was also substantia. There had ben other incursion, to ~ fom the Sabine il tes othe est fled inthe legend ofthe ape ofthe Shine women) and rom Geedk colonists othe south or about & hundred years, from around 616 BC, Rome came under ‘Eiruca domination and the elon was rule by thre elected kings. The fiat was an Exrsca, Tain Prscs. He was suceeded by his son-in law Serius Tullius, who wa Latin, and he was fllowed by Tarquin Superbus (Taguin the Proud, who was eter the son or the grandson of Tiruinius Prisus - these rulers ae semilegendary and what lie is known about them cones mainly from the Roman hisorian Livy (GeRCADID.Jn S10 Targinis Seperbus was deposed and expelled rom the ity boys group of Roman riers flowing» anda involving his som Sent, who raped a woman nani Lucretia (an incident that ha since sired the imagination of many an ari ooking fran ancient casi subjot ith erotic overtones). With his supporters, among them Lars Rorsnna, Targuinius Superbus wed to reuke Rome several times, and may have succeed, briefly, but he was repelled forthe last vime after 4 Latin cory a Ai in 506 C “nruscan rule was over but a process of urban and civic development had begun thatthe Remns would continue for the nex thownand years. By the time they were driven out of Rome the invaders had lef Behind "he concep of the city-state and had built the fllowing: stone houses with tied rot a system of paved roads: 4 main sewer, the Cloact Maxima, which was fed by a network of underground dnins coming down fom the bill: Uke Pons Sublicus, which was the Fs bide over ‘he Tike: the Forum Romanum, = fe those in the Naples olson a provestre® eles. ‘With trimmer more dificult to daconer which rype of Gator would Ive worn the. The min difizence eween them is hit fe types alt rim and he chr hasan undlaing brim. AP ri ro tected the wearer nly fom Hows coming from above wheres an undulating im give farther potecton apis sideways ssh, One cou reasnatiy expect ach typeof brimmes helmet o be used by a diferente of gla tor for example 4 Than or 2 marl, but the oaly way they can be istingished is by the shape ofthe res a the emblems sed fo decors, ‘The fino example inthe Naples cllcon of te fla-brimmed ype of hlmet has crest hat curves Frwerd, tering ina ifn head is genelly considered ro bea Traci helmet but put rom the shape of its erst and its decoration i is deni ro another hele that has 3 wodgeshaps ces and ie cherfre ented scat of muri When comparing to of the bliss with undulating brim inthe [Naples collection thing tae to ge confusing, Like the wo fa-brimmed helers, one as been dered Thracian helmet and the other one 2 marl belet, purely onthe bass of the typeof crest they have IF ‘these identifications sre correct chen one can enly assume that by AD 9 thi knd of protective headgear wis merely fancy dres and glalistor types cold be densified only by their ressrimmed Helmets Type “The flavbrmmed type of elec clearly evolve from a le Hellenic ype used by Greek sand Roman cxaleymes in the second to frst century BC. A well-preserved oe] xample fom Naples bas the me ‘hacer, with ges on 1 flat sim and a dar-shaped SS J sdge spaying downwards from the centre of the brow This helmet, which is made of bronze, is toully Fesonal, with no deco edd rig tive futes whattoever, and it wat arsine tat | GJ / soos dees ain a opens armed with 2 downwardstiking sing ‘weapon. There at visible cut marks on the vlute (che sal dosrtion above thee, swggesting thst the helt bad been wie in comb. The volute ian important Fnture of the design because it helps to absorb che force of «blow, andthe dar-shaped rie is thereto delet it from the lapper part of the feshead. Below che volute ease extending all the ‘way aud the helmet tht eres to stengthe it and also helps to break the force of a blows The brim, which most kimaely stop the blow, is einfred by changes of plane: Rather Lik cergatd ro, i is far more Alifical o bend something shaped inthis way than flat meta “ast above the pone where the sll of the helmet curns out to frm ‘the brim there are de ag vets, one at each side and one in he mille hove the nose, These secure a strip of Bronze stretching around the inside OF the font haf of the hele. Al he elerents of te iso and chek piss aerveted to this sip. In the cente the sip protrudes downwards to cover the op ofthe now. sche holding the cheek pices togethers riveted onto this Above ech cr the ed of the strip extends ourmarst0 form a flange jst below the brim, These Aanges secure the rer end of reinforcing strips covering the per par of the chek-pecs. The other fends are held in place hy the rivers of the socket above the nose. Two pile hinged atthe top and with smal tongues at the bottom sling {mo brackets onthe cheek-peces, protect the ees These would have tobe renwould five needed the asistnce af another person to do this, The lower art of the chekepeces runs curwards to deflect Hows ay fom che neck. This frase 6 common to wily all ghdbror ©” @ helmets, a the vertical reinforcing stip cover- fg the nose and mouth Towards the bottom of : ‘the righthand cheel-pice ita marrow slo ext Ino the inside ee. This probably fied behind a ised pia on the inside of the other check piece, ensuring that the 80 check: pices were eorecy aligned Bridal pe? The eco ype of binned be his trod daltg ig tee lke appernnce. No fever than eight of thee were fund t Pompei They ‘aonly decom. The chesepc nd ‘ior nit dow in sew ferent ay tothe fvbimned kind. Therein backer {owe he nose Intend the pons ofthe ches Fie pe through bles in the rin of te hele ad tpemigste {nen portion. The eyegurisa oo kinged at theo but ave | See’ ‘ong th fis in ssl hl nthe wim Tie sie gus onal how tte hola se steed fo the rim of the kel. vey wllpesred | Merersvanethad ‘example of an undulating brimmed helmet with no raised decoration isin the cllation fhe rth Meum, ls proven utinorn bre fandametly the mame ache Naples hints hough made po fw snore ini ic and of he ae dae. The sal and nec gud ae tale spl dt eclenge ah on dg ote hcp Sho male puny, i ered on, The info sip tha wuld ne tally cover the junction of hero cpl en the ine a the Inde A locking devine ac of i cdr sms tsb rem improvement o the Naples naples. The anda bm one Telnet ve the weer gar poten tothe side of the Ge io ling stm isome with complex igual senes in high eb. The undecoste pai is estflly made, being moulded ot he msl contoe of hele, the examples found havea pronounced asd ridge a the lower thigh to deflect blows away ftom the knee. Tse discovered at Pompeii vay length fom 48 wo 38 centineties and ae very brood at mid-thigh eel to sllow for ping sad ence of movement. Ancient authors often rele to this thick ping, which was attached tothe leg and ot the rem. ‘The tutor slays wore a short shin guard nine bromze examples of Which were found at Pompeii and Herculaneum. Like he thigh length _reaves, most ofthese at highly deconted. (Only one, fom Herculaneum, is without decoration, and may be pr ofthe same equipment athe eator helmet mentioned above) These shin-uards vary in length fms 28 0 35 ‘ceimetres and are held in place by so oe thee taps. All ave a hallow dome rsed over the ankle, and about half of those fund ave arsed horizontal side js above theft which vas mended to break the free ofa ident sling down the grewe. The dimensions of these shor grees show tha they were worm over very thick pang, which was probably made of linen. This an be seen on may pict presentations. Arm-Guards ‘Marcus Jnkelmans argues hat he metal argu di atest and that ‘the aem-guars shown on mosis, which are usually white orgy, were in ‘ac fabric paling trappto the am It is re that no arm guards were found among the gadstor amour dncovered 2 Pompei and Hercslanea ‘but these were very early excaatons skin to tease hunts, and smal, strips of meal fiom segmented arn-quucis may have been discarded as ‘ring of no valu. Bering in mind the constant interchange of armour and ‘weapons beween solders and gldiors, Jukelman’s argument seems Aico sustain 4s many meal arm-guars have bee found on Roman silty sites. Funhermore, many bonze pices of sour were tinned and ‘cis nor known wae percentage of aro was made of roa. I bth es these would be shown a white o roy ‘Sbonlder Guards All four known surviving shoulde-guards (gue) come from the Naples sre, thre from Pompei and one from Herculaneum, The surviving exam- les are made of bronze, butt seems certain tht ll eximples of gladitorThe upper partis strongly curved defect blows down onto the wel the back. The lower of these mas have secured i tothe arm and the upper ad the neck acros the ches. These aps ‘THE GLADIATOR TRAINING SCHOOLS i ere etblched not in Rome bt in Capua, the chief cay in. Campania, 1 These schools were privately ran and thee ritors grew rich a the games became more pals They functioned like a combina nilary aeracks and men thee were not fe, binge inion The leptin were harsh, When Pompeii was exe uncovered the skeletons of ators wearing lg shackles. The rom they were found in ad Sparracus tus thatthe mort fimous gldiazr of al 2 Tesi cle 2 thousands of slves and farm workers flocked t join him. The sis extablihed a camp on te slopes of Vesuvius and the Romans tent the practor Gaius Claudius Glaber to pu the mutiny down. He wasstacked by the grand defd a wre Gabe prin amin ‘Wa cneved seg nd cafdenes Spurr ands lowes ow femiateconingent fame 7200 mem, ached outa aed lng ing couse (One of Sura’ msn spots, Ooms, wailed drag ne ofthe ely sss nd anater, Ce wn deed wh pr fe tbe ay sn th peer Ging the ce al “re paces command He moved up the Abaca with bisarny,mendingtoc the Alpine neal eo. Hews paved. Pile suinena ty two Roms contr amie nd when he ached th Po valley fend | teams ime fice oc with hie by the ecnsl Longines Span | Ponce on changed is pln and evel south ain, cuting a swath ough te | Met etn Rem amie ae we He hel or Lacs in ster ely. flowed | aon ty he Ren ral Crm wh wa paid by oles sme | scmscmerysaa 200 men Cina Fly maaged vo eve Spararas rit Jown ino ooetoce ‘he oe’ of Tay and spent awl winter Bing samp ad ch Ome to th rina top im he Spaced wo ek hgh | © Sora ‘hsb wc bt Sled wd sfc ey lowes He mcd on he | § Su ‘hed ance bos Crome i on cng up with im Spee | © tac Aleply tiled two cenuons bee ms cat dove. Gis boy ws nee found) The tsrvving rls ed othe ll, Thos thn freee woreda i erly = Cua ‘sped hod eo of them cid ox ones nt Set up at regular intenals along che Appian ‘Wy, he nad cht linked Capua o Rome, Rome had lamed « bard leson: kesping large numbers of plats pent up together in one place was aking for trouble, The Senate lime the numb fen tying in the capital and disperse the et 1 Capua and other towns Jn Campi Br the ug elite were ot about to abolish he gladitrs, fr chey knew just ow useful they were, Fst ofall sr commaity = ‘hey were hgh and sl just ike thesis but were worth caniderably more - and secondly asameans of wooing the electoratedag “Tratwine SctHo0Ls IN ROME By the end of the Firt century AD the focus of lator taining hal shied fee Cap ro Rome and fur msn sehols were esublshed there: Lads Magnus, Lads Dacius, Lads Gllicusand Lads Maatnss As ‘sve now they wereallexablishe during he eign of Domitian (AD 1-6) tnd they would have assmmmadted around 09 thousand glados Lerween them st anyone tine "According o surviving fagments ofthe Severin marble plan of Ram, the Forma Uris Rome ating fiom the ssond century AD, which showed every sect and building that exited athe tine, the Ludus Dies was situated immediately t the nth of the Lads Magnus on che oppsite ‘de ofthe Via Labicana twas abou the same ie athe Ludus Magnus, A gets its name frm the Dacian, the Danubian people who Fought the Romans during the reigns of bath Domitian and Teja. To the south of the Ludus Magn, again of similar ine, ws the Lads Maatinus (so known asthe Luts Bestaras and thisis where the anal Fighters lived tan tained. The name ‘Matatinu’ mean of the morning’ and this fers to the fc thatthe animal uses anally tok pace inthe momings. There is nothing lef today to show where the Lidus Galcus war but i is believed to have heen next door tothe Lads Matias and was named after the Gauls, the rina Celtic enemies of Rome “The Casta Mise, name fer he Roman nal base at Misenum in the Bay of Naples, was where the mines who were responsible fo the awnings ofthe Coloscum lv. The building was stated wo the noth of ‘the Vi Labcins. The gladstors” weapon store armamersaria) was south ofthis das Maps “Aste mime sugges, the Lads Magnus was the nin lao choo in Rome. The construction is of bricficed concrete throughout and the Inalding was stated by Domitian and completed some time during the reign of Hain. was situated right nex tothe Coloncum, on he east side, andthe two buildings were connec by a eo-metee underground psagewa. specie lacs was nce until 1937aldbough ts yout ‘ss partly kaown fom the Forme Urs Roma. “The man enrance ofthe Lads Magnus wis on he nor sie, where 1 wide ssrase led down from the Vis Labcan. This gave onto a largerectangular courtyard surrounded by porticoes. Behind these was «series (of rooms, onthe longer sides and ten onthe shore. Ii thought tha the building wae probably three sores high with up to 144 rooms altogether, The courtyard functioned ike an amphithestre and this was where the gladiators did thir ening. There wasn aren in the mile that metsured 63 42 metres and shis was susounded by wall metres high sopped by comic of white marble. There were enances atthe ends ofthe main cites asi and four more on the curves, ro on each Fide, A macrow canes, aly just over metzes wide, was supported on 4 seis of vaulted substructures, which were divided into underground rooms that were accesible only from he atens. One of these rooms twas laine and itis believed thatthe thers were used for‘The cana ws lng enough told eight or nine reraces and had room for upto 100 spectators, -RunwNg tHE Schoous Ech glaioe caning cool waseadd by procustor who was appoined ley by the emperor This person was sully a member ofthe eques- tan clas (he css below che senatorial cs) and he was responsible for the finances and gener atscsration of the school. He managed age suff of experts, including trainers, medics, masseurs, amourers, security suas, accountants and scbes. Each laisor belonged vo specific group oc roupe mila lads belonging toa chieftain known a lity (a word of Eerscan origin that would support the theory that gladiators «ame ergy from Exar From the ime of the firs Roman empero, ‘Augustus, the lana was drety accountable tothe sovereign and it was ‘one of his main asks to make sure that chece was alway rsh supply of tesine glitregrdusting ftom the school, He was likes talent scout, and he would goto the slave auctions to bid for the ftet men he could find. The major gladiator schools, such as those st Rome and Capus, had specialise instructors (doce) i dhe deen forms of combat. Mary ofthese are known from inscriptions sich a dicor rerio, dicor secon, dactr Torey, Galen One of the founding fathers of modern molicin, and the author of numerous works on anatomy and physiology, was the Greck physician Galen (AD 123-198). He spent che last par af his ie in Rome a ee pyscian a che imperial court, tenting, among others, Marcas Aurelio, Commodi and Seeimius Severs, but a young man he was tached 9 the gladisior school im Pergamaum (Berga He was cere fir four years fiom AD 187 t 61, ding which ime he ainda grst deal of his pat ‘al experience and knowledge fom tring te gladiators in his cate He ‘si hat wounds were ‘windows inc the body’ and aimed dat his Sil allowed hm to reduce the glintrs’ morality rate quite considerably. AS well as teatng thei injuries he also advised on their dit, which was inctined to be minishing ater than tty Huey sop wn eooaraded but Galen etcized the pacice of xing it wih hess, saying hat they rad the muscles soBaste TRAINING Exactly how longa laa’ asc sng lasted pt known, bu it was ener reckoned to be «bru regime. Buta least the strc discipline produced fghers who had superior combs skills and selconol and it tras thee uate tat gave them the grates chance of saying lve inthe ‘ucts, When they were taining they were nitlly given heavier weupons than normal in ener to toughen them up and strengthen thei mare. ‘These moths were #0 well-especal thar the ary adopted the same tech niques. In AD e400 the Roman writer Vetus described the gladiator ‘ening practices adopted by the legions in 105 8: sake wa plana in the rudy cch rin sch manner hat Is projated se in igh and could not say. Aint this soe the rest paced with hie wickerwork shield nd woden ave jos at ithe wes fighing enemy Sonetines he sine pins the hed fie tmetines he theta the Mans, sometimes he endeared tose down athe kes and leg He eve ground he tacked be lied and eile the ae with ll the land coer required ‘nacalighting jt fi were lenny and in tis exer cre itt ose tht the ecto era yer ‘wound ao ay himself pen wa counters Foes ey quan, (Once novice had finished his inl traning he became ta and he only needed to win one fight to became 4 veteran (team A novice would roe normaly be mashed agsnsta veteran bt would usually face an oppo- nent of similar experience. This was not ecesarly becuse of any sense ‘of frness on the part of the organizes ofthe mer or the lisa. The fem would want 0 give the cows thee moneys worth ike he spec tates ta made boxing mitch, Roman aienes would have fle cheted by shore, uneven contests that ied to entertain ~ andthe ater would be reluctant 0 waste all the time and money it had taken 0 tan the Fighter Inthe firs place. However, there are oe or two recoded examples of {ti being match against veteran, One of the graffi from Pompe "son a fight between 3 veteran Tacan named Hilarus with 1 ices and a novice marnillo calle Avilus.lerediby, Atlus woo, though Hiss survived. Anilus went om to defeat another Thescan, Lucius Racca Fel, who had twelve victory crowns He lived oo,A GLapiaton’s CaRuen “The lw desided what nye of fghting wold mont aut the new sorts, #38 ea SS 1,80," 4p POS ood so jo sponnows Sue spam ssune qd arpoou o: Buyin sa soya poys Seas pur pum ype ex>uvEN F wo pasar uoneg ry unosof2> 98 son 2 Kg EHUB pe panes Se eae us jo tussad suse gp pe snseoje) a paras rare ae ome yg Suyeanarsoas poss Cenugiy snessnyy "ays 44200 HK ey sp jo 207 3bq sos, JO TH aH puns aS | senooread wes oy avs santo Fs psB9pURUIHED se LDSOTE 9EP HK PHAN ‘pues 242 Jo pud ayy spusoy ey -buaneg ay) Bupooy Baten ‘poo 30m ays wai aBeuEp BUR PY I 3S NIST) us Jupunouns eur yp ot sewxp ajguspysus pone oe aay 24h 40 Bupyng aq -paSonsep Spund sen anaes pop 50 90 pL Ss pe pauouny see wanoyserpag my at 96 dn a. EEO suas pur 2p SuxSonsep ‘SenUeSuE 30 ESE 2H Jo BY. {HHL Sr 249 Bross Sem payoaue pees ada Hay A RA AR | dogonsuna ap sm “pT NoHo aA PRN Suo HK “esa sone ap jo aunadopnp asonsenp oe a. OHPIAD Mp Po ‘pny pound ana Suunp ape as9m suoconaiuan poy suman :nopue 94161 vor ou 309 por aan a0 sbOMEYPOW >, “Ses atu snout ot eps ages 1 pe ata 00 se mot a spicy poe pa ey ap Beso! pomaroo asa sag Se i os sfeuxp oyqeopinics Taine ‘raoienracap youd sp ase sue MEO aL HR RON ssHRENY HoH IF Po nn Gog sme oot suonmaras ago howpry antes o won zpayod ap puns sea. rao panama ap 7 ue SHB 5, ‘upsenp feojoxypa sno. oY Supe pony eae yo ap por pays aH wanasog 2xp Uo empMOAIND ACPICHAPTER EIGHT THE EXCAVATIONS The first official excavation ofthe Colosseum site ook place inthe fteenth century when the ancient drainage system was lscovered twas not unt the end ofthe eighteenth century however, hat systema surveys vweremade by Carl Lucangel a alin ‘engineer who cleared th land fill and rubble deposited curing thousand years of neglect and uncovered vauits and tunnelsinthe Faundations. The discovery of vals, its and long tunnels beneath he arenainthe early rineteemth century fed the imagination of successive archaeologists whose painstaking wotkhashelpedto complete the picture of ‘exactly what took place inthe Amphitheatre Oxete Sus may hense cs aber Fo nantly five hundred years, since the at known event st the Closeum (a wild animal show in AD 529), Rome's famous arphithae was allowed to dgenerento a ate of dea: Almow immediacy looters hl begun to strip ofits valuable len iting and elped themselves ta whatever bts of stone and marble were left lying around Serious earthquakes in 422 and Se had caused lo of damage and there was anaher one to come in 87 Syuaters had been moving in sine the teach century and some of chem, ke the arsocratic rngipane Gil, dd some estoraion work when it suited ther purpose, During his superstitious age people looked pon the CColsiam aa Former pagan temple ibe by bad spits, though eis snide didnot prevent the vandals chat continued ona massive cl |Asthe bri ofthe building continued to suffer, the ruin that was the Colosseum became a stark reminder ofthe past glory of Rome, andin time tists came to look on it a8 something worthy of commemoration and tourists putt on thee Hstofesenial places of histo interest 0 Vist The Kalan poet Rett (1304-70), who was an admirer of cassie Latin Tnertare and did much wo peomete it fst visited the Colosseum in. 187, four years before he was crowned Poet Laureate i the city: When be serumed to Rome forthe lt time in 1350 he was shock to se the Aamage ha yet athe eathguake had done the year before ‘The cai known drawing showing che Amphitheaeis = plan of the cixy of Rome dating from 1520, and the firs atic impression is an ceching bythe ish ast Jan Gasser. Done the wie of 1508-0, 5 shows the building leaning bit ke the Tower of Ps. Thre ae tees and weeds growing ut ofthe masonry andthe ground floor of the cave inbuied undera mound of ean, “The Fie known oficial investigation of the site tok place in the ffcenh century. when archaoloists esablshed where the orga] round level had been and so were abe to projet with almost otal acu ‘acy how the facade had looked. They were helped bythe fc ha some of the structure aboveground had survived, especially along the noth tide of the eves, The relly exiting discoveries were made when the excavators dug down and uncovered the ancient subteranean drsnage ayetem inthe Bernt contary. Te was nly inthe mide ofthe seventeenth entry thi he author sies rely fied up tothe Bir thatthe Amphihestze would dipper alkogeter if they did na put op to the astm quarrying that watping on. Evens, varius popes went on giving themselves permission 0 take what they wanted from the Colosseum ro be re-used inthe construc tion of ther gand efces elsewhere in the ci. Fom the beginning of the eighteenth centary, however, the Church Besse more responsible tnd eventually the popes took a sctveimeres in che restoration work that was eae ou there. “Thee ate no farther rsords of any systematic excavations until 1714, sven a shaft was sunk jus inside che surviving remine of the caves. The excivstors dug dv for 448 meso reach the travertine png of ane fof the tunnels, which wat assumed tobe the flor ofthe arena. Restor ‘on on a minoe sale was cried ou forthe nex 75 yess oso but there ‘were no important discoveries made during this period. I wa not unt ‘the 179e that moe serious work was cared cut, by Calo Luangel, an Tullan engineer By this ime the landfill outside the Colosseum was almost 4 mets dex in places and the inner rng soir tha gave acess to the senor ringside seats was totally blocked. Lacangel heed gangs of labourers to ler the rubble from the upper wauks ofthe cara and super- aed the excavation of the lower two level 1 805 the Church's Commissioner of Antiquity, Abbot Calo Fes at fiarward proposal Pope Pas VII fora mach more extensive programe of excwation and Lacagel was co-opted to werk alongside the offic chitets and archaeologist asigned to the project. The suerte placed sound 160 prisoners at cher disposal ro do the dankey work insolved in ‘xcivaing the ground floor. They uncovered the comple drainage system. jst below the travertine pavement beth aside and outside the even. Vals ‘under the stps were cleared and Lacangli and Fea confidently decaral them tbe atrnes and brothels. They lao uncoverd a vauled tunnel in the southeastern sector of the ana chat had been ct through the concrete foundations in the ler blf of the second century AD. This cunnel, nich has succond cling an i ichly decorated with wall punting, merges inthe sensorial sein aren and it was suggested tat tis was the route tha the emperor Conamodus woud have tken to enter the nen, Certainly te wll pinings in thi section can be dated o hse ‘rk winter rely when Napoleon invade the Papal Sern 1907 but his enthusiasm frarchaccogy ensued that no damage was done 1 the st. And in fc French rchazolopsts tated working onthe excavation loogsde the eins in 1811 They were responsible for clearing the nothPetcare side of the pias and built «buttrest wall along the fot of the hill wo prevent landslide, Lcangeli spent 22 years working on the Colotseum and fr much of this time he had no offical postion but continued the excavation this ven expense. He war 2 maser model-maker and he produce a superbly eile theedimensiona cork mode ac «sale of 160 of the Amphi theatre ait speed ler ten years of excsaion work. The ese des ‘Benux-Arts in Paris purchased the model in 1809 andi reine Ling, tsbute this dedication. second model in wood, was completed by bis sexvi-law, Palo Dabo, and ison display atthe Colosseum. Shorly bre his death in 1812 Lacangeli was made custodian of the Coloseusn in recogition of his contsiution to the tak of unravelling che myers ‘of Rome's most fimaus monumentUp to this poin it was generly believed thatthe earth inthe enue of che arena covered an elipialbikelind pit, which could be ‘ooded to fight the sex bates a esribed by Mania and Cassius Dio It seemed thatthe theory would be disproved when the Pench excavators occ ass i ml filing tebe Thay eepwal the nee Bet ofthese substructures, finding che vaulted chambers along the nrc side ‘that housed the lif in the perimeter wall Tete were exvated to well below the level of the tern consoles. Virwally all he crucial le- ments were revealed, inching the sloping ha arches along the sides of the central condor and all the ltr lif shafis in the adjcen passages ‘The arguments about the possibilty of sagingse-hatles in the Colos- sur aged on, Wee these the original Roman walls or wese chy liter sions, posly medieval? IF the walls were Roman then there could ‘nots boon smb in the Coloesa.i 1T2 tt It echt. Bianchi mange o prove chat he wall date from the Roman period but not everyone was convinced [Between 111 and 1814 the French exavtors peneated deep into the Jong ss tunnels at both ends of the Colosseum. At the west end they explored the tunnel until ic curned nom beneth the piazza ouside the Itking, ccing the dep lade thecal sng Bt £8 metres below the pavement along the perimeter. The sturted ground made the work increasingly iffcul, and when they load » manhole rea the site of the chapel of Suna Maia dalla Piet on the edge of the arena they were forced to abandon the dig sta depth of 33 metres because the ra was Mooi. The wet tunnel sneer been reexcaated, lowing, rumours of buried tear, che aces runnl on the south ide was opened tp but thing of vale was found hee, Napoleon's Buropesn emitecllspsd in 1814 and the Pench with drow fom Rome. No further stempt was made to excsate the sement far abother half century. The French achites LovirJoseph Duc had said Lacangeli's cork model athe Ecole de Beaux-Arts before going 0 Romeo sce the Colsscum fr the firs ime, He made a series of coloured Aeawings of the Ampbithete in around 1829-5. These show i great etl the condition ofthe building an he also sketched out hs ideas of how it might have looked orginally Frenately, Duc also studied the excavated structures inthe lasement 50 providing an invaluable recon of ‘he ste of many ofthe subteranein ares His drawings show thattheasement had once mot land, with «water level 35 metres blow the arena. The basen ves filled na ater dite wo preserve the ascent In 164-65 eae hunters cid out mone ‘enensive excsations hrween the Coloscum and the Caclin Hill They unintentionally managed 10 flood the whole arch a fir the Arch of Constantine sehen they breed san underground water souse, andthe ditia- ished Taian archicologise Rolo Lanciant ‘ws defen to sort the mess out. When he czcarated below the ancient pavement inthis snea he opened up an old drain wo find it had been blocked with Christian lamps tnd the skal and bones of bers, ons an tigers “xcraions began agin in eamest ia 173, the easter end ofthe sma This ime the diggers reached the herngbone brisk footy spat) ofthe basement an they aso uncovered the entrance to the main axial sin. Once gain the work crested more flooding inthe are and the water hd tobe pumped out Ie was during this time thatthe raft (page 15) ves found hich eecmed to how theo lift shits tito the perieter wall withthe lor ofthe arena some 2 metres blow it ltr level 18% John Henry Parker, the cursor ofthe Asean Museum in (Oxford, published thereat ofthis excavation. His book The Archaely «of Rome: The Closenm crac t the sy ofthe building it contains phovographs and drawings of certain afc now lost, but his interpret tion of the dita mast bere crtlly He was convinced, fo instance, ‘thar much of what he sw; especilly the vaulted chambers in the peri meter wal, was built daring Nero's tine and he chimed that the rh walls were even exer, However, bedi acutely identify the ie shafts in the conde around the petimete ofthe arena By this ime, of course, ‘he Coloscum war a popular tourist destination, ashe abservd ‘The estan f 174 and 1975 very mach onshedth people oF Rome, nd ore eel the Engh str who hal ee ng secre consider the ‘ean the rma ete me hing ‘hey were ana oct whole of hear umd by walls Plt gn event woescraton bench the piaza suneunding the Coloseum continu! ‘Beoughout the ater gusts of the ninetsenth century andthe danage system was further reveled, One dig, in 1881, atthe southeastern end, broke ino the nel leading tothe Las Magaus andthe dria bensth By this time exsvators had uncovered the foundations ofthe complete ‘ecern half of the Imsement, much of which had been alone totally desroyed st some ear period. They had explored slong the perimeter ‘wall i the nother sector and had made detailed study ofthe vaulted chambers and the sft behind them. Thy had also penetrated into the ‘stern tunnel, clearing the rooms on ether side andthe eo lower Ing, alesis, continuing for some distance under the pasa, The area neath ‘he sanel wa alo excavated and Burke eports: ‘There are evident masks of «great lod gate orice drawn up ata porcli, tte entrance to ‘his dain?” ‘The exiation of the exe end of the cent lng ass cortidor tncovere about 255 metres of wooden boarding complete with joists st ineras of 2 Roman fet about 60 centimetres). At the time tis was eacibed a «cradle for «galley tobe ued in the maumachis but late scholars lew it is moe likely to have ben gangway’ ase above the ‘sted up floor because ofthe reguent looting Unfoeuntly, the suc ture soon disapeared and even the mest basic fs, such a8 the exact, Aimensions and what sype of wood i was, were never published ‘The wescern end of the ena wis not excvated until 138-9, when 4m Tain engineer, Giseppe Gonzo, bean clering the area. Corso had ‘een involve inthe study ofthe basement fr more than fry years and had publishes bok, agers Romans in 1928. This included a inal able section outlining his theories om the consracion ofthe Coloscum, He re-eamined the basement and cored many of Parker’ dating ears, He alo ented the oiginl nial Hs se into the perimeter wal, though he fled to zeae that these could only have Futioned before ‘the cul pillars were bu i font of them. Conz's results have tbe viewed with some caution, however, for his excvaton reports, which ‘were never published, show tha he ws responsible fr demolishing more than 1.09 cubic meres of masonty that he considered unstable, Cozzo began is excavation by clearing the ental cordorunderneth the arena, whe he found housings for the machinery tht had been usd forrising besvysenery ura His resontraction of how this pat ofthepacer finan herman be CClossum fantioned is sil accepted lay mos: experts today: When arcseal- ats re-examined the ental coroe in 175 they discovered thatthe fun Abion ofthe ewa wills on ether side were a lest 14 meues below the Trick lor and thatthe floor itself was tui on top of + dente thick concrete bie. These sturdy founds ‘ons, both ofthe walls nd the corridor ‘nlf, suppor the view thatthe pega ‘was located here. This ater excavation also uncovered the whole width ofthe central coro a its westem end for {distance of 23 meres A this point, to ther astonish, the excrete uncover the aartwenern corner of 2 substi building made of eas locks, Kees estimated shat his struc ture pede the Caloscu by at eas ‘Archaclgits ave always wanted to know exacly where Net's lke ad ben, and this dncovery loked as though it would provide the anewes, The remains ofthe rf stone bul ing were an eximaed 5 meres Below the level ofthe surrounding re, so the assumption is that twas knocked dwn andthe sie levelled oF wo form the bed ofthe lake, There was one thing thatthe excavators def sitely proved the area was naturally prone wo Moding. Thee test wench (ikl filled with water and they had to keep pumping it out. Unfors ‘aly, this meant tha they could nt dig down ay deep CCorzo went on to cleat the passageways that Fanked the cn condor, with thei ater if shai, until he fnally came tothe vauked ‘hambers inthe perimeter wall. This ren was Hocked with rable, which head emoved, Here arts ofthe colonnaded prio and othe fragments ofthe can were found in heap. In the southwestern sear he discovered, 2 pr of the curved tus wal shat wat almost nat igh up tothe level ofalway system, Work tare with «huge rensh being dg, western sie ofthe pizza tat almost touched the founda 4 the Arch of sum itl. Whi just avoided the building the tench cut righ into the ancient Ronan sewerage system. And although they were table to hal this undergroun necting wit the leastallowed in to examine the dsins, The main d rent wis prticolry interesting. I was conduit emerging fom the bul of brick and, beause cy idensifid. The maces in this cae dated back 10 mans samp ther bricks, they were in of Domican Thi x paricalrly in rue the question 0 “Tits, An examination of the the basement wat dined a the time point where the conduit of the Vespsanie pe Amphitheatre produced another surprise, showing thatthe conduit had oth in and out of che accommodate 4“The Ladus Magnus wae discovered during building operations in. 1957 “The ste was left open but excavation dil not sist uti 1957, Over the next four years abou Ralf the school was uncovered, leaving the rest of the remains bene the rood and builngs to the south. The excavations showed hat although the building was stated by Domitian it was not ‘completed uni dhe ine of Hada. ‘There were only afew minor investigations of the Colosseum in the last quarter ofthe went ceciry. Between 1973 and 1977 achaeloges arsine the conduits the nother and soutem ends ofthe shor ans and these were the Fit totaly sient excavations By the sth century AD, by which tine che Romans acl opp ‘sing the Coloseur as an entenment venue, the short ‘the south and north sides had ited up to the poat where was totaly Docket some ime afer it had become Bock it was wale aff wich bricks. The siking-up laid down various sa, some of which conned stchaccogcal mater the ute beng deposed when the Ammphidhesee was oo ue Th amongst he various ayer fst the excvators uncovered some thre ‘hous animal and bid bones ~ fom lions, panthers, bas dow, horses, donkeys, pgs, cows and sheep and chickens, swans, gcse and birds of ‘ry ~ together with shards f postery and small persona items like dice tnd hairpins. They also found the shells of Kimpes and oysters and the Sones of fui uch as peaches, chev, pms snd olives all of which had ‘een dad by the specutors to be washed down eheough the drains into the basement when it rine. The presence of bones beh in these Arsns and in the main dein some 500 mez further down the sytem fast opened by Rodsfs Lancia’ inthe neteenth cena) suggest that the animale killed in the arena were dumped inthe basement dans, or maybe the mest was exten by te slaves operating the machinery beneath the aren and they dict the bones, which Finished up in the dis. In June 1986 tench was dug onthe southeastern side ofthe Coles seum by Kage to lay gas main which clipped the alge of the site Smumeditely south of the entern entrance, A team of rescue achaelogss ‘immediately tock over and managed ¢o examine the upper pat of the Trickficed foundations. The gas tench cut through che upper annul Aran which was brick Lined with a pet roof made from ew pede, the toworfot square flac Roman bricks (1 Roman foot equals approximately is dein oa30 centimetre). The els ofthis invesigatin have not ben filly pubs lished yet hut one interesting feature as emerge the bick-ased concrete containing the drain appears to have been added onto the outside of the Trica concrete of the fondasons,posbly indicating two sete bing periods Excavations just north of the Arch of Constntine during the 19804 uncovered a prio belonging to Nero's Golden Place, which extended tnd the weiter pr of che Coloseum. This again raised speculition 2s to the exact lcition of Nev's lake bu ts dificult ro reject Mana’ statement: “Where sses before our eyer the noble structure of the ‘Amphichcae, was once Nero's lake” One must assume that the portico ordered the lake t would be difficult to imagine the cicumstances ter which the remains ofthe late Republican us building discovered st {depth of 15 metres beneath the basement flor could have ben left in si far any cher reson than hat they were on the bed of the Lake. Further investigations have taken place beneath the basement floor recently, eveing more tices of late Republica buildings, including 2 ‘ack and white moni oor dating ro abou 1008 “The Caloucum is possibly the mos tied bldg ia Rome, but mary eile sill unknown, The problem of howe water was introduced into ‘the bildng semaine uncertain, (This is dsansed in detain Appeni .) "There have been several sutra studies published inthe laner ball of. ‘the twentieth century. In paricular one should mention C, Mosca Carpano and R. Lacan's I reazurt del Auf Flavio (981) and an rhacologl survey of the southwestern sector of the basement y the [Netherlands Insiute in Rome (1991). Cantently Heinz Jurgen Bese is making detailed survey af the basement complet with plans and sections st aseaeof 125. Oly afew detail of this vst emerpise hve so i been publishedAPPENDIX I BENEATH THE ARENA ‘THE BASEMENT AT THE TIME OF TITUS ‘The AXIAL Townes “The containing wall of the batment of the Colosseum is divided into fur by tunnel leading to ouside fives. One of chese tunnels led to ‘the Ladus Maga and two came up inthe paz, hut the destination of the other is unknown, The short ass tunnels leading 10 the north and south ae shout 3.3 meses wide and 3 metres high but in ech the oe fas been ised about 12 metres to accommodate a water conduit beneath the floor. The long ais unl are also ase about 1.2 metres to acom= rmodatea water conduit underneath but ae more comples, “The east tunnel, but of well-cut tsvertine blocks, is very well pre secved It is about 3.3 metres wide a the entrance, opening aut into 3 fanaaped aren scommodating four roms a the same level, 0 on eck side ofthe passage. Two strays lad from the sll font rooms up 19 the level of the arena. The fan-shaped are is flanked by two galleries shout 24 mere longa the sme level asthe basement aor and opening ‘onto i. Six travertine capstan Blocks, some with the remains of bronze calla (resumably fr removable capstans) arse ito the lor ofeach of the gills, These two galleries were oid by a tunnel running a the higher level along the back ofthe fa ssped area, Doorway rm the four rooms also gave access tthe galleries. The axial passge extends beyond the farsa are and is link by four more rooms 9 on either side, before entering parily leszed vled une ast under 2 metres wide _appeently connecting the basrent tothe Lads Magna 'At the west end there appears to have been «similar arrangement, though ti poorly preserved, The north side of the fan-shaped aren is severely damaged, bur thre were two rooms on the south sie with «pial” sires aie ita the dividing val and entered firm the larger back room A connestng asage and dor ‘ways fom the rooms, similar to those the caer end, open oto the owe Tying galeries. The ely nineteenth century excvtors pened beyoad the finsaped ares, reaching a point just outside the building, where the funnel turned nor befoe ising to the evel of the paz. ‘Tie Vavisen CHawnens ‘The four tunnels divide the batement perimeter wall ino Four sectors each yarn indented by it shall vated com tpn paren 295 mets wide, 16 metres wa ep and 53 meter high They ate Element | similar tothe chambers in Hellenistic iaeeriaca curtain walls. The brick fig of che meter wall a the lvl ofthe walt as generilly dissppeared and what, remains is fa later date: Originally it had been built ou further towards the ene ofthe bseten with « wedge-shaped hein the top ofthe va “his ws fille in when te wal wis ut ack The res wall of ech compar ments pie by 2 salle, 0 cemsimetes wide and 110 centimenes igh, with its threshold about 265 meres above lor lev, leading «shat 0 centimetres square and 3 eres high, emerging che ve ofthe aera. “The vaulted chamber ae spate yaw 1 meres wide, which jus ‘out 6 centimetres beyond the present fe of the perimeter wall The bse of this extension isi of brick, bu 2 height of abou 10 metres ge travertine Hock, 75-100 centimetres in height and about 70 centimetres in depth, szetching the whole width of the dividing wal, as been inseed "Above this the nck wal continues fo another mete but iis now splints two rectangular pilasters with 2 gap of 9 centimetres beeween them eich topped with tnvertine cose abou 2 meres ong nd centimetres deep tad the sane width asthe brik piste. The console i se into the main‘A ustecinchanber 4 Oninageehn | Len ening in US nipwoeethetamve » Onpralpotanehe | akonmring swereontegrie" sasuroontngtiemem cnr tmor store a Uacagenpedide——g Vonaahantinghe Strep ougealiaot taupe ated crane Aime fe cer tay ofthe poimeter wal and exends 40 centimetres beyond the fe ofthe brick ple Both the tvertine Bac snd the consoles ae cles oal- tearing. The tuck ofthe trough eeween the brick pilasters is set out about 1S centimetres fom the resent evel af she upper prof the pit wal. “The basement peimeter wall bifly described shove ean intl pat ‘ofthe cao fis bai ofthe sime materials and i unquestionably of the eter age secur Thevpperpot Danan dee Sted nee cou enema eer, gesame date. Nothing elo i the basement ofthis date - ii al fom a later pei. The enlet internal structures ofthe basement ae bulk of tuts Not ony are they demonstrably ltr but they alto show a complete chnge of function, rendering the taverine consoles Kerween the valtd chambers redundant; in ft, atthe northwestern and southern ends they ane actully bul ino the tus of the ter phase. Although the ‘saultedcomportments were alaped wo a new function, being divided into an upper and lower level, the Floor dividing the two lew pail blocks of the aperture lending tothe vert safe behind the back wall, re ngits height oa ile ver 6 centimetes. ll the evidence suggests that during the east period ofthe Colosseum the basement conseted of « briklined pit 4407 metres wide, 762 metres long and 6 EVIDENCE #08 THE Navi [remember vis the Colosseum for the f ime in 194 and wandering round thei le of the bling looking down st the complet system of walls that once support the wooden loring ofthe arena. One enol sh sever diferent building mses; brick predominated easly dis be there was ali light brown voeanic ta nd the occasional piece of site riverine. The walls were sored with a mate of incoepechenbleruts and slots, mite witness othe svi that went on ew the arena [AST sood there, imagining what it must ave bee ike 1 work down there, ‘group of English-speaking tourists moved up net wo me an earl heir [ide sy, ‘Mock seats were fought here” Taso hear another voice rumble, ‘Oh yen, pl heater le "A muwnachia uly featured cerain sonic fats. One ofthese was ‘wooden Bill tha formed an island in dhe middle of the Nooded are, ‘which norully hada painted wooden freon it. This fort would have ten placed beneath the island and then jacked up into positon by men woking underneath The island would have lage gaps in its base wo ec the seater flow unde it I's possible oextinae the dimensions ofthis struc: ture in the tasement of the Colosseum very accurately a5 it omer towers ad to corespond with the poss ha supported the arena Tre ofthe four ‘reve block into wich the piles would have been slowed ave been “denied here. They foe rectangle meaturing 85 metres. Ke could nt hve been ny biger than this the Bots adobe ae wo manoeuvre “Thee is Further evidence in the basement to suggest thai could have been flooded for a nnwmachi. Tres of opr sigma, the platedike cement used for waterproofing, have Bees found ining the brick fing of ‘he perimeter wall at trious pints dhioughout the souther half ofthe Isement The raised level of the fn-shaped ses with chee lowersying, ‘recordetapa ‘Aanking tunnels the ised entrances to the sls behind the vaulted com- prmens andthe fur oversized water channels all suppor the hypothesis ‘hat would have heen possible to ood the basement in contol way “The two 2¢metne-ong lanking galleries a either end of the log sit sunnes could have been ship sheds fr sallow-deaaght galley. The oe slop slighly down towards the rena Groping 2 ceninees fom back © fron with shallow drainage channel down either side. leis about a mete Telow the level ofthe fan-shaped tea atthe back and 1.19 metres atthe ooray nea the foe. The fin-shape area col ave served as. guny fom, which the pally could be boarded, But this woud ony work the water were na more than 12 ates dees above this the pasiages on both sues trou flood A depth of 12 metres woul be sufficient for Roman horses 12-14 hands in height to be fred to wim as desibed by Casas Dio snd forthe option of hallow drag galley of the Lake Nem eype: However, it would have ben more impressive with deeper water IF was posible to lod the basement rssnably quickly then the slr could board the boats before the water teachod he level of che axial passge: they woul the ie wih the water: Ech Ranking tunel could house ithe evo galleys 1 metres long and eeween 24nd 3 ete wide, or oe consberaby ager ‘one, The smal galleys could ascommodte eight owers a side. There is serous objection to a wate level of 1.2 metres becase only ‘wo tics of the ares would be wsble ro spettrs opposite the shore assand three guar tothe opposite the lng si To increase the depth of the water would require watertight door closing the tunnels. Unert= rely, che entrances tal four tunnels re now so hay damaged that all ‘evidence bas hee lot, bu sich things were not beyond the cpl of Roman engineers “Tue Supeiy aND Drainace or Wari ome compltely ignores the posityof« maumachie within the Cal seum, one sil ee with the problem of how the wate for supplying the large numberof fountains and nrnes within he uiliing wat piped in “The alan engineer Leonardo Lombardi, inhi arile onthe water system, ofthe Caloseum, points tothe large number of verse channels inthe intenal walling of the building, arguing ha haf ofthese must have ben forinflow pipes which opected on siphon sytem fom ange cistern on the Caclian Hil tthe south, We know thi there was definitely a cistern, there dating fom the third century AD but the fet thar Claudia built a temple om the bill, which Nero ter converte its 3 wpmpacan Aecontive fountain, would mages tha here was an eater citer there ‘The ste was supplied with water tha cme vs the Claudan aqueduct, ‘which was completed in AD 52, not long befre the Calosseum wa bil ‘Excavators digging in an area berween the Colosseum andthe Caelan Fil Jin 164-65 broke into an underground wate condui and mansged to lee the pias fr the Arch of Constantine ‘We may assume chat there wis a similar citer onthe Exgulne Hill, to the northess, supplying Net's Golden Paice and ler the Baths of Titus Such cistern cern existd a quar of cemury later supply ‘Tesje's Barks This ser, known a Set Sale, was long considered tobe 1 pu ofthe Golden Palace complex because is rintation was the same 5 the alice, But a ecnt achaologiel survey has shown tha it ws ult a ‘he time of Tran. However, iis posible that Train eebuilt an elie ‘Sem onthe sme sie, which would account forts orientation, The wo Cinems would have had a maximum elevtin of 30 metres above the Closscum pez and therefore could not have suppl tanks at higher level than the second Moor of the hilding, There might ls have been 2 {hied cine supped by che Labican Steam before it joined the sewer Such dstems could well hve been sd to flood he basement, though is imposible with our presen knowledge of the water conduits bestep ay the paca toestablish ow the water got fom the items tothe basement of the Colossus, ‘The deinage ysem of the Colosseum hasbeen caefily studied and swell eseuthed over the centuries The whole building was designed ike a Hane fannl, channelling all che rainwater ino the basement beneath the ‘none hs Boe etind that a Bexy downgaur 175 Hues of water a second would rach the huement. This vlume could be cal dachaged ‘through the four lge dinge conde lending from the basement 10 the rin diag system outside the Ampithetre. The north and south co {ute were examined in 1973-7. The south dri ie 18 mates high and 13 ses wide with a ent roo. The arth din is sighly smaller: 14 meres Iighand 12 mets wide Bath lope oatwarde san ange of bout 1 ‘Jt cuside the Amphitestre the ely excavators discovered two dine running round the entice building a ferent evel. The uper dein, st Aepth of 2 mete, allested water fem the per pata the building and from outside the Amphitheatre. It was connected By a series of ver overflows to larger din aa depth of meres. The lower dsin, measur- ing 55 centimetres wide and 15 metres dep, was connected to the four ‘ail conduits coming ou of the basement. The water was the cid 0 ‘the main drain, sunning beneuth what is now the Via di S. Giorgio and ‘ukimately discharging into the Tbe The outer drsiage system beneath he CClosseum pass has been located at many points over the last wo cenares. The sytem is exceedingly complex tnd is all not completly tmndersood. It incorpo rine Goon an ter period and one at he west end Ini afer the opening of the Coloscum. The wes conduit had een ape just outside the building to pers an ulow and inflow system. [eis possible tht the now snd south conduits, which hive only been parillyexcavated, might show the ame feature: When the south isin was exam {nad inthe 1970s the excavators found tht the lor had ben lsd 2 the time of Domitian, sogesing possible change of function The junctions of the north and south radial conduits withthe deep snnolar drain have never been examined but thee ie some evidence 10 suggest that the conduits continued beyond the #metre annular drain Most archaeologists have seated the dex that four ris] conduits could be wed t lod the basement, arguing that 2 the deine lope out wards they were designe fr drainage. This is ofcourse tue. And madera Ibydaulieengicers age thatthe pecbler the orignal diners ofthe CCalossum had, bering in mind where i was built was how to keep i Arsine. Anyone who has ben down into the basemen wl rember i ssadank, unhealthy pace, where, san Ameria college once put will load ofits own accor This was the experience ofthe ea exci tors and nothing has change. A hole du inthe Aloe of the Basement wl il with water within hours I was therefore neces that the water conduits should be primsiy designed to desis the kasertent, but the fct that chey have a outward slope of does no preslide tei ing used to lood the hasement with water coming rom the much higher skinude of "heb the north an south 1 presented this working hypothesis to dsiage engineer, John Elms, ‘who has experience of working inthe Fes ia easter England, and posed ‘the question: how long would i tke to flood the basement toa depth of 1.2 metres allowing fora diop of spprosimatey 30 meres overs diance of shout 20 mazes from dst on the Caclan and Esplin Hl, coupled with a supposed Labia reservoir? Elms gave an ssonishing answer four minutes. Theol: He warned that might cause consi cable damage. When [asked him about the upward slope ofthe conduit, be replied immediately tite would help to slow the water down, Using all four conduits he estimated thatthe basemen could desined in es than half a hour ‘So theoretically it would have been posible to introduce water nto ‘the Amphitheatre trough the four radial runs, but no evidence fo an- duis connecting the main rsnage syste tos water supply has ever been Found. Having sd that ne ist consider che limitations of the evidence, ‘Suetonius snd Cassius Dio ofr line help at tey give ws a idea ofthe state ofthe area surrounding the Colosseum inthe summer of AD £0, butMari cll erst safflingiemplyng hat work was ongoing, eis penelly accepted thatthe huiling wis unfinished a the time of the pening but co whit extent is at known. Did the are ill have the appecance of «building site? We know tht the glautor schools Ludus ‘Magnus and the Ladus Dacicus were baile Inter Given such uncertainty cone must acept the posblity of temporary wood-lined agueducts con nected to the unfinished drinage system. There certainly must have ben sch temporary dain atthe west end pediting the ater rick drain bat ho tice of it has ever ren fan, We cannot even be sure thatthe loa ing of the Coloncum war et restated to is opening and then sbandoned. Archacolgy often offers details of an ove picture in which ican be shown tat one element predates or pstdates mater bat cn very seldom provide precise dating TE we assume for a taomen tha ¢ sae poste ro induce water though the main radial dns, then bythe mos conservative eximate the Isement could be fled of desned i Tes than half an hour. The process would requ luce gates a the cisterns at the poits of entrance {nto the basement and where the temporry conduits joined the main ‘rail disins. There sone very patinent question: why isthe capacity of the deep outside din les than that of the smallest of the main radial Arsine when the outer drain had to cope with a ir greater volume of ‘water? Could the answer be that the fur radial drains were designed to ope witha massive inflow when the basement was Flooded? ‘Some scholars have sugested that the basement could be looted ssing the internal rainwater drainage system in the case but this does fut sole the problem of getting sufficient water tothe Amphitheatre fin ander cdo it quickly. It abo presents enormous problems, 26 the internal drainage system i cumulative, increasing in capacity a it gets lower, and even if such a system could be used ie woul be very slow. “The system would segue large cisterns atthe highest possible level the cave. These probably di ens to supply the fountains and latrines tthe first second and third levels but thee capacity would nr be su ficient to supply the 3 million Tires of water required to flood the basement toa dep of 1.2 metes, However ie would be visually excit= ing to incorporate this system into the Aooding process with water coming dowa the shaft at she bck ofthe vaulted chambers and escal= Inginto the basementBabine Oven ‘The original elements ofthe conning wall, which became redundant when the Line of wl pillar was built ae clea elated to the baring over of the burement, The travertine blacks and consoles seem tobe designed to support aleve beans projecting ou inc che arena. Ata maximam distinc of 67 meres tee would ned to be supported by upright posts “Thee isa series of travertine Hacks in conidar Cte pln of baseren, ge 186) All have a square ole inthe mile the same width ste pace ween the cools (45 x4 centiewe). They ae about {© metes from the conning wall and postioned opposite the consoles. Hinz Jurgen Beste estimaced were two aber shouldbe located and excavations fonfimed his gues. We smay threo atone there were such features opposite most, if not all of the consoles. A series of square pools fas been discovered eneith the laer brick wall eros the wo Dishaped areas another 5 meer ji the basement, but these may have been fr a wooden parton. In condor G here are four travertine block similar to thos in oridor C. LE ‘here ae fr wooden piles then the noth nd south sections could each be spanned by Ue joists 57 metres Jong, This isan exceedingly long spn, reqirng some sepport in the mile. Cerny there is evidence for 3 cantilever system inthe perimeter wall. This system of supporting piles ‘would leave 3 Zee wide central isle, posiby let open fo the cee devices (genoa. Constructing the arena would requze thousands of ‘wooden pars, piles, beams, prefibricted trapdoor ad lorbasds plas ‘nnamerble wooden pegs. All must have been numbered and divided ito secs eamarked fr ceri aes. The various resin the basement would Ive nea te fecal off wo prevent the wild anil fom escaping The arena at this early period must have Been level withthe op ofthe ‘asmens primer wal at was when the intra stractres were bul the tine of Doman. However, a fio found in 174 appears to show the upper pat of the pvimeter wall, with the vaulted chambers closed wich rill and base proesting spectator frm the wild animals above ‘them, I also seems eo suggest tht the arena was nly at lowe level but ay only show what the viewer could sce during neumachia ‘Snepuon Th rvhoy anon seca toy Sreoindyithen‘THE MODIFICATIONS OF DOMITIAN We do not know the reason but Domitian decided to shundon the naw ‘machin in the Colosseum and install permanent sructures beneath the ‘tens, probably inthe mid-AD Sts Though often obscured by subsequent repairs, shoring up and restrctring,hisalteratons are ex identifiable ts they were done with Mocks of tf, the sof Brownish stone used 10 build the Servian Wall. However, ie seems thit Domitian deusiclly altered he orginal plan. The new stracures consisted of series of wall 80 centimetres thick, the emsine of which canbe see allover the Fasement tdy. although much of the origina stonework as been ‘encased in brick or dese altogether Fanhermore, the excavation o the ‘user end in 194-75 appa to have Ben hasty aed 30, uafounately tnuch of the evidence has hee lost forever Assuming thatthe design was Symmes, however, iis possible to deuce wha the rest oft loked lke even before Bert's survey and reconstruct the substructures benesth the aren as they were inthe time of Daten in almost every del‘The new permanent aren rest on six ssight walls ple o he ‘msn axis and thre eligi was running pall tothe perimeter wall ‘These wall reed cridrs in which the hidden machinery ofthe ead operated. As the basement floor consied only of 4 0-entimesre-thick layer of concrete iced with ck ai in herringbone fishin, cesing on the demolished buildings ofthe previous cenury, deep foundation, st lens for the walls on either side ofthe longa, hid to be inserted. These vere essen enable heavy scenic machinery to be persed in thisare In other areas Domiian’s builders appear made no sl atempt to sink deep foundations bu se shllow sis of concrete int the exaing Foor sd bul he light tft walls ontop of them, Within a shor time, pethaps ssl a en years these walls gar to cllpee and had tobe shoved! up with bricwork Bi end of the frst ceeary. More shoring up took place at the ime of Tan and tll more at the end of the second century when the lower half of stamps show dt dispatching up began before the sever ofthe walls a o be encased in brick Doman engines appt orginally to have planned just two walls pale tothe perimeter wall running the shoe way round the basement. The outermost wall ys jut under 35 metres Geom the perimeter wall andthe secon was 3 mses furher in. Both walls were pierced bya series of tad aches to llow easy movement. One of the arches in each wall was aligned with the shore ani 0 crew a poth-south cent cored. Tere ‘vasa 4metr break nthe walls where they crossed the lng axis to crete “Tong sus coridor. The system of curved and stright walls left age Deahaped area between the inner curved wal and the outer suaght wal. hat this as all prt ofa ingle concep is proved hy the existence of the pill ssght wal (At some pone it was decided so abandon the HF shat st into the perimeter wall and place team next ro the fist of the new curved walls The uper par ofthe ald shafs was et back, possibly to allow a marrow wondcn walkway halfway up the wall and Ine of massive stone piers test builtin front of them rendering them asless. This line of piers ‘appel with tone intel ran the whole way round the sen leaving Ps for access atthe four tunnels, Tweny-cight or possibly thinytwo hits ‘were inal in the narow 2mete-wide space between the new tft rll andthe line of pillars, Thiry-two life would sem 10 be the more Tey figure asthe whole building is based on muliples of eight. This would be earily the same number at those previously housed in thepesimeter wll The corridors formed by the curved and sight wall are ow identified with letters, ‘A being the ter curved coridor and 'H the msi contend The plcing of the line of tf pes in font of the vaulted charter, in places acully touching the travertine consoles stint the pecimetet wal, proves without a doube thatthe orginal i shafts had been aban ddoned. Traces of the new lift system can be clsly detected in the northwestern and southwestern sectors where the runners canbe seen cut into the curved tus wall dividing comidors Band C. These are machod bythe grooves long the edges ofthe rectangular tu piers. Rectangular tervertine Mock ited with one aches for operating cpatan, oi nally eight in each sector, are set ino the flor of the corridor opposite alter spaces between the taf pillars, These blocks ually have a round hole in the centre and ofen show traces of the bronze socket that ws ited imo the hole. Aa alos complete crample has survived in one of the flanking tuaels atthe southeastern end and can be reconstructed with resonable cern. Thte ia sallow cavity inthe curved wal oppoie cach of the blocks to allow the handles of the Capstan our, Similar hallow cavities higher up the wall prove hat the eapstins operated a ore than one level in smie way those in [Neloo’s flagship the Victory A sere of joist holes at wo levels shows tha there were 10 imtermotite floors, one at 1.75 meees and another at 35 meres above the basement floor, These intermediate flors di not cous the lift shafs. The pacing ofthe capstan bloks shows = system of aerate capstan and Lf shafts, Tecan be atumed thi these new Hite must have been an afterthought because the new if shats dd aot coincide wih the aches inthe tf wall bur cut aero them in etl hp hard manner, eendeing some of them unusible. The lft themslves sew the chid level to the pit just Blow the sens whereramen ‘ean ang ae snecmstodelnpeton srokiatol ater da wiper este pes aso beta otnecoanple sng sec esneabng outa the animals would have been driven up samp through a wapoor into che sen, goaded by the animal handlers standing on a narrow swooen wrk, None of this woodwork survives, bur eating inthe stone ell the whole story. The lifts operating in this cotdar coal be no more than 18 metres square with an ier measurement of somewhat les thin this. One could conceivably have git lon and tigers ito them Bat cer tally nothing larger. ‘There ina group of well-preserved rf ies inthe nonhestem stor where one an se the grooves or hemp cu into the intel above ler reps. The mos practi incerpretion is tht the it box rose ups Gi 2 the joists supporting the arena flooe and thatthe ail was deve out ‘onto che ramp and up into the arena The angle ofthe ramp and the postin ofthe Lit would allow « height clerance of abour 85 cemimens if the ‘eapdoor inthe ten lor wa raised to et he animal through but atleast 10 centimetres ls ifthe updo was lowered. However, the evidence isambiguous as below some of the lintel, where Ite brick reinforcement survives, one cn ey tht est fom te time the reinforcing Irickwouk wat inert, the camps extended across the Kft sais, Similar traces can be sen onthe curved wall. This suggests an ltersive but more complied slution. ln his ce, the ramp extended right back to the second floor level obstructing he shat and only allowing it to rise to tit level, fm which the animal ‘woul be deiven up the mach longer ramp co the stena The only advantage of this would be lage aploce ging 2 year height clearance The leser height cleance was probiby ade te for most snimals but may not have been tnffcet for Inger ones, such as bere uy fave ben possible to modify the system when it was planned cose big animal. tho ih the new lift sy well designe, ic was ely anther change of plana the arches and dors in the wll dividing comidorsB and C do nat ecm to relate in any xin way to thee halis, which ofen partially or toullyblck them. The route of the animals to helt cannot patbly be along sortiderB, which wis Mock by the cipstans and Lif chad ro be slong the OS:meere wide condor Aor the Ime wide corridor C vith an opening in the Hoyweve, where the If shai id otc The D-shaped aes DIE with hy hl hes giving aces to C sem alike The underground animal cages o holding pens were sos cerainly made of wood and no race of then has ever been found, but in th Dakaped aren thee are the resis of seve sockets, Thee run parallel ote straight wal and ragget ha the aren was divided into two, fia a fence and Iter with brick wall, which may have been put there sm eepunts the inal fv the pore ope Animals that were to large fr the Lift in crsdorB would have been taken up tothe aren in one of fou large ifs tht were installed in cheespa onto sat onner of the two elongsted D-shaped ses 2 the junction of the curved And snight walls, The curved walls havea most peculiar race these pons and thee are capstan blocks se int the lor thee. The tui wall tn the outermost ofthe stig cardors in the southwestern sector Si ‘ives sight up 1 che arena level and oe can se aces of ube enormous famps at an angle of 20 degees thir lod up tothe arena. Measuring 1 meee wide, this corridor was definitely lage enough tallow animals ss bigs rhinor an elephants to as though EXPANDING SCENERY “The four wal forming he cents msn axis condor H and the coeds on ether side, G, mike up 2 single unit, ehe scenery unfolding down the centze and the psn fr rasing i operating in she Marking cori.The remains of the complex ui walls that Flinked the cen sale ae sill clearly visible, aluhough nowhere does, the upper part aurvve. The noth side ofthe conidia image of the south side, which is desrbed here Stating fom the west end, eontidrs [Nand B were spanned by a tu arch [Nexto this ws the entrance ro cor doe C, now partly blocked by ow0 reverting blocks, There were then rw wide rectangular doorways with ‘nindons’ of the sine width above ther, Beyond hee a 4S: srech of wall possibly with a window’ at the upper level This fllowed by a succession of hal arches supporting ramps sloping at 30 degrees to the horizontal, The arches rest against pright tua pers 38 metres wide £0 seh they ee ware bowtie ea whorl Thee were eight or possibly nine of these essures along the whole length of the rin ais i is mponsible to be cartin as the eastern ed is so bay bamage. The system was probably completed with another ach spanning coecdors AB u the cnter sud. Cnty the sloping ches supertd some scenic ester that folded daw besenth the sen, but clas exti- tation ofthe 35 metre wide upright raf ill shows that «Kt stem also oper inthe cena corridor. As it would be imposible fr mare than one system to opeie atthe sme time one mas assume that twat sn altemative system. This infinite vary is found all over the basement ‘one can sce where lifts have been moved and amps extended. This is bach ‘ppl of and unigue tothe Colosseum, The walle farming curidors G on either side of the cera cmidor are much more dificalt to study. These to credors were later converted to hous concrete if shafts andthe lower bal ofthe wall forming co ec F sree coca i beac coven oes eming the spices beoween the lif shifs andthe upper par ofthe walls fcng onto ‘ardor F we an reconstruct oth wall with varying degree of scuray “They appear tobe sila tothe walls anking the west end of the mainentra corridor H, having wide doorways 25 metes high and 15-20 metres wide, spared by walls fa snr width, They were matched by window ike openings ofthe sume wide and 15 meses high atthe spperlevl “The srs of half arches, like ying butresss, ith che wp sloping sapere at an angle of 30 dees in the cena cortdor iH) and the cap sans inthe corridors on cithe side of i (Gare all the semsine of the ‘mechani for operating the pepmata the system which rise scenery and ‘rope up ino the arena and brought them down again as and when ‘egived. All the experts agree that there could have Been large tapdoos along the cena crridor which could be lowered to an angle of 30 Aegres. The minima argue tha tapdoors were lowered, scenery was Inde onto them and they were hoisted up again, but eis could hardly rouse the spectacular effets described inthe ancient sources. The masi- alias, myself among them, ague for a much more compler system of expanding senry ‘Seneca, Juehut and few other Roman authors give us «glimmer of an idea ofthe attic scenic fF shat this system of expanding scenery ‘ool conjure up ‘tthe pres f a button’, But we know very ine about how thee illsions were cee. Thre assign Apuleius book The olde Aor where Lacs, the man wo has ben turned into 2855, entrs the there at Corinth and desribes the opening cee ofthe ames: Fit there wa il of wed ed up exceeding high and priahad sour witha of ren verre sd ely es oe the op ‘where an down led fe usin, made by the ile ands fe afer, ing ou wer elo There weres ew young vender gas plucking nding daily oa the bung ra. [Ac the en ofthe scene the arena is lero and “by crain engines the round opened and swallowed up the bl f wood ‘Applei's novel i picresque and llegar and we ave to accept his ascoun sfincfl ~ no amphitheatre has ever been found a Corinth for example, eventhough i wis & Roman colony ~ but i emping ‘hink hate drew his descipon ofthe see fom personal experience ‘There ia minimalist anda maxima interpeatin of the seni efets the Colosseum wat capable of producing fom beneath che ens. Some‘Using this method, tx posible to produce scenery towering as mach 215 metres above the ten. This isthe maximum potential f the stern Normally an elevation of 10 mates would be tore than adequate. To lower the contraption, the paints scenery would be pull up over the trpoors from the inside. The trapdoor were then opened wide and the ssrucure wound down beneith the atena Smile machines mounted on hess could have been sed i he perio before he permanent arena was inal Bring made of wood, no remains of the Calosseum’'stapoos, age or sll, have survived However, the amphitheatre at Caps in southern aly has yielded some useful daa. The substructures beesth the arena bere have ayrem of pure conidrs alot identical to the Colosseum, Je was moi mich less ad the concrete lor ofthe sensi substan tally inact, hough the section shove the ent seis missing, and if there were lapown ramps here there i m0 longer any trace of them ‘he masonry: But we do know cht there were 62 trapoors stint the ‘ule concrete floor of the arena, and above the two corridor lnking, ‘he main ss chere wore tapdoor fo hiy ifs. These are others, some of them double the normal size, at various points in the arena. As the CColonsur ie sigh lager, itmay have had more ha this “Traces of the wooden flooring ofthe Colosseum can been where the top ofthe tt wall survives in sever ples. Thee consis of slats approx ‘mae 10 centimetres or 14 centimetres wide and shout 10-15 metes part ‘The sos themselves ate dovetailed Beste suggests that thee were wed 6 Jock wooden bests othe top ofthe wall nd that its and floor boa Jing rested on op ofthese. The get advanage of «wooden loo was that Se could be altered easly, enabling the producers of show to create unex- ected speci effets.APPENDIX II WRITING ABOUT THE COLOSSEUM Many writer, poets, historians and even scientists have been moved to record their impression of the Coloscum oer the years, resented here tne some extras from Gibbon, Byron, Shelley, Goethe, Dickens and the bonis Richard Deskin, ll of who were writing nthe cghtenth and nineteeth centres, bore the Amphisheare was the cleaned and stored structure visitors encounter ody. Tn the mid-ighteenth century the win cies of Pompei and Hercule sium were discovered almost inte under 4 blanks of vlenic shin the Ty of Naples. They had been buried following the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 7, one yeir before the inauguration of the Coloscum, tnd thir discovery helped to spk x new popular ends inthe cls sic word. Many pple embarked on whit came to be known as the "Grind Tour of ancient sites, and the English hinorian award Gikbon (0737-30, wh visited Rome for the first ime at the age of 25, ws among, ther, He wate graphically of the Calosseam’sblody spectacles in his lassie history, The Dette end Fall of tbe Roman Empire (177688 Inthe Glowing exace Gibbon desres the anise of the emperor Commo, ‘who faci himel at beat hunter and glatrin the Amphitheatre. very sentient of wi an aman asin in the mid of CCommodus, Whit he this indo he ins of empie these cunmothy Botts, he val nothing in overpower, exp the ‘abounded ence of ining esl apse. His hours were pent ina sai free handed Keuflwome, a + may oy, fey rink nd of very pone and, wherever the arse slut prove infer the a ver enue ven. The ance arin ae rated o thee kedoned sees of prostion. whch one every resi of stir ode: baie wold nat ‘ray toad theron hf desrqon into the decency of modern lang. Th irl flat wee ile p with the set—Commadus, Fam his ato ify, donee an aesiono what ‘vr wis inl oli nd fn atachment the amsemes of ‘he poplr:the prs of the circa nd amphithente te combs ator an he unc of wild Bu Os the pine ay the various maves of ary ean coi, tate to the amybithae a inure mule of prin an some ere of plane wa etre booed on he speonmon sil ofthe perl petoemex Whether eine tthe hed bet f the aima the wound wa like eran and mora. Wh seo; whoo pin as shaped ito the frm of crescent, Como ‘fen nsec the apd caer, nc anndr the long bony nek ‘heoarich. Apaches tose and he ache ated ni he ad Jee upon trembling ltr athe mens he sh le, ‘hehe doe deal andthe man emsinal unhurt The dens of the ampbithee digngedatoce handed is hundred dans fm he ‘mening nd of Commodi then deed they ing sod the ‘Arena Neiher the huge ul he lp, the wl ie ofthe ‘ince cul eed them rm ie ke ‘Bur the memes f the poplbewereafeted with shame and ‘indica when hey bbl hie ner ente he ia gor, A lr naps which the lws and mane the Romans ha rand withthe jue ote fifi He choke the bisa amo the Ser woe combat withthe Retiri frmedone ofthe moe lively ces in the Handy sors of he anpbihee. Te Sect was armed than belt, sword and cer his nd nai hl nly ‘large nen rien: with he ope he endeavoured he ean, weit ‘he ther dtc, his ne: If he mised the fist th be was ge fly rom the puns af he Sct il be ad peared is et fea eon cat The emperor ought in th chracer seven indeed apd ‘hiny-fve seve ine. Thee glo achiewement were fly cond inthe blac of he epee might mit no clcenstane of infin, he esive om the common ut of ates, ‘pend m cto, htt bee aw aod wet igneinioo en pen the Rats pope, “The German pot, dramas and scholar Johann Wolfgang von Gothe (07091852) spee two years in Il He desebed one of his vss tothe CCloncum in hit Travels nial, France and Switerland polished in 1787,Append oskiethe hao, ye shy oad ‘Within bowsbo—Where the Casas del And del he tunel ids fg, aise ‘Agave wich pings hough lees talemens, ‘And ines ots wth he ipl Bears. Tay wsurpshe lel ice af om — Bache ate! Hoy Gru ids, ‘Aoble wis in ainous pectic! While Cae’ charber and he Agua all, Groveland day. — ‘And tho dt shin, tho ling 08, epee liso casa wide and ender ‘Which afield down thew ey (OF ged desolation, an ill up. A owereane the apf cee Leaving hei which il a0 ‘And malig: which wa oil he pce ecme lion, andthe bea ee Wish len worhipof the et ofl — ‘Theda sept svecigs who ill ue uc sp rm te wns — ‘Byron's epi oem Childe Harold's Pgrimage (1812-18 so contains long, Aescrption ofthe Colosseum, which closes with the fllowing passage But ere where Marder athe her lo ster: — And here, whee sng ations choked he way, ‘And roud or manure ike nounain ream Dishingce winding its tne sys ere, whee the Roma milo Bane or pase Wor Desh r Life — the plaything «ow — My wie sound much —and fl ee tars in ay (theses vid — sen crash — allowed — ‘And alii, where my sep sem cos engl Tod. Ba when he sng moon giao im Is opmon sch, and geal puss thee — ‘When the sas twine hough the oops Tie, And he low nighc- ree waver slang he ieByron's get fiend the English poet Percy Bysh Shelley (192-182 ive in aly foo 1818, din thar year stout his own impresions ofthe Faia throught rnc nd the wld wend of his cin of omens he skins of amauta nth cane ofthe brake aches sad But open othe hy and it wa th cer andra weather f th end f The English novelist Charles Dickens (1812-70 visited Rome in 184 and published his thoughts about the Closeusn in his Pitre romiced tobe with hoods of eger ee ing, dwninc there and uch whi ef ie, and ond and dat, ging on die hee, on recon deve std, its fl bey, disuse delton, rk poo the sage te ie ie, erap, il hee o moved and overcome lyri ot immetiaely connec wit is vm ferns nd fin vel and ches oven wth encode pen tthe ay the lang rowing in ts ces young eescf yea, siging Pon rage raps and ering: chanee pode fhe eds roped shee hed who hl cir ons within i chink nd enn si cof ight ils up with eh andthe pee halls and ok down on in, ial out Ieisthe ot imprenive, the mont ately, the mont sole, ad nije ourfl igh, oestable Nee, Medio prime in thei ide ve moved one esa ri. Goo beth raint Benet th cc ofS sims of eerie rng of ers bewa out of the ok, and sid have mother ete ndereih the Calum ~ tremendous dares of ‘st eet bun theca and perl, whee the dul tes, shed by he ated glimmer down lang ge of zat vat ranching tothe righ and ie ike zetia sy of the de dnd show the cold damp staling doa the wal di-don tain he poof wat tht ie ere a sere and neve nd eve will ne ene yo theo, Smee fie wild bets deine or the snphihee: some the pica f he tondemned Yaar; ame, bath But he ged mort paling che fay hatin he upper ge Gr thee aro seo these es) the Euly Ceiians deined oh etn athe Caines Shs, sd the wild Beas, hungry fr them, ating down below: an, upon thenight and soli o tipi, there bret the sden nom nd cf the at he cowded tothe ripe and of dee hai dren wighbours, ounding a {1971 the Kalan archacologie Peto Bom sem ioen tein Wott the Colosseum of the vegetation tht clung t0 i ruins. Let than 60 dscdes ein, the English boxnis Richa Deakin published his Fla ofthe Colasen (1859), which te legued for posterity the enormous vavery of trees snd plants that ha sma the building their hore fr more hana thousand yer. “The plans which we ve od rowing upon the Cols amount to soles number tan 20 seein this umber thee ramet 53 Gener, and ilo of 6 the Natl Orde of at + sae lela Tee esc of te onder Compose ce Spent plans ~and A the Lee nou or Ps ske:b it mut be emer though th grouod ‘xcopy the bldg i sbout sin ace, the sure ofthe wall aed ladgeme once ruin pen which hey ow each or exes sd be vio such pater, than would Be suposed without ‘examin fr, onthe lwer sr si, damp, and oun the pdt of many plat, le the upper walle nd ced ld are mama yer, nd conse, ter ed forthe develope of there and cn the oth de in od dy aed suited ony fr the gro of ifieemlyconsrced ibes. Thecallesa of the planned pce ated haben mee year sneha time many ofthe plans ve een destroyed rm cumstances ut be mented To peeve furthering sng pio met Sb br ry te scar lsc b> ingandclesing othe etn to whch it as ben subjected ised of levine wld and solemn ganar, et dest the npn notary lesen which so magficet ain alee tomeGLOSSARY mphteate erly dosehone sere aly ange Aohaatram atm The sm ‘ein, Tarn Demi The os ec ely se cy Show ridin cnet ‘nd he ny eho (ratty agin nari Si Ted ued Roe peau a manera Themen seta ciple ght il pec ‘Tha hicks wo Ram fc vee Snig etches chess Saami ring The ‘ial hone $y tel irate ron yoy eee dey the pole etal gdb ‘noire nthe ope potas Avr besily ame ile liar (eel, wal ingen ‘hewn. (oipioadin Geek nees fori dewe sone ‘heya y Ne ae he feo ADO Thema of puo (Shea wen on hel eo mat tiscaencen seins emule vo fought facie Taye gir me fm bain feign Gow of lite iacketenl eat Somer mon pr ns alas (Cos Bnpay the rt n y Sener deer isan ‘Sd heymermmer a Rene ‘Sol Rene hong the pun an Ey huing wp mb ea ct tnd fo merry AB. forum nd ae Polisi die th pees che Tiervord:enedisecemeadalse shar ur worn by Saal stin eid bythe Cee ‘shinning ston fy mae eit anton wate ‘een ios entrance hse Sed ga ac dome as Sc el by he on {ioe cin wale wed y mn tir peo eae Implomichs Gainr pte (Cont ccgi cand wah hla ate Thi gis Inga. Oca pe ier Eos og ne tan min smn pee Pre todec mpenled eal pontine us einige for gino ce Sse The mo mss ee ace (clefts Ghotan Tla of he aber imaenira_Sening el eval ‘irene cnkntn spare Te weve he Caran Tin toe of daring ipa, mamma pet Tolan weg ep nea Soest met mgd rons pl mares Ghirsow ‘dio stpet dar ohn settee pare mots Omar unin cpus pect meet ‘toring ol pega Modan cenie Gereisesg ican ‘afresh np peregueis Ong he rund Nel ed by th Roman ney as he fhe nese 3 wm ere by asa! go ‘Sheth onal sts dougaed incur named wi ane Shel Cigsand Tus ere bh eid pecs Then gene ‘ew bent lo a he ee ep ett sete posta a sateen See sroemeterane ee <=otc iy ‘me ‘gale dh be em he pruritic Sih ant ed, satin ene fea mt oc reve hia typed im {Seen gon: Hosa hci ha eal ded nce rearieLihy ama gic wo ‘Sag hed. is Woe prin ed by (dre ara hemes he ‘lesion inthewen, sages. Anse Snnuconpe int aen a sara Theil Sa at (Serr dn wae eng SnD Curl mer ere adapt hi eal Sel ith age aa ing fm pane wah sat Newent Down mech i satan Lapel ring ay abt wy per oe ag secre Thehaior act eralayd ies ka SA SSi tomy oa Sete Thepemane pola ety {foment comport ses Al penis seas loan, pay Sai ‘tr esi the amour tase Atoen rie pagent the Aghia Tacin A vey pub pot Goer gs Theoden Sip ewe armed wih sell lle pr ‘eweting Abn tines ed Imp bling Rane pr unas Pat ayes he by Uhelcno ee gh They ete The vrai ie (Cuca orb op ya ls, valtes Ronn igh med oop amed Tice Al nunca ty cael as eres a ane, Sioned ieFURTHER READING “The port Maris he only ancient author wh provides a eyewitness ofthe building and opening of the Colosicum. His Liber de Speci 4 ‘hor ook eis writen to ctchate che opening af the buing a AD f0,iscouched ina lower poet le cht is fe fil to ners, but ienevenbles 3 fad of information. Relying on imperil pasonige, Mart Pine the emperor's works sepiles of how bad they ae. His fawning "nado Vapi’ son Doman resale in is ermanen il rom race Irhen that emperor wae asasintel and condemned. Liker de Speccai Iralible ina du ext lion flatn and Engst in the Loeb Cs brary, Manial Val 1 Harard University Pes 199) “The va maoey of moder itertare onthe Colaseum isin Tan. Tbe Cale rg pubs Kein by Ele in 200 and by the Paul GGity Museu Enghsh ranslaton in 2001s authoritive allecion of scadesc aries on vou arpess ofthe Closeum edd by Ada Gaba nd is exten eating fr anyone interested inthe sujet. David L Bomgudne's Te iso fhe Roman Amphtivare Routledge 20 isan exllnt guide to amphithate in general nd covers all api ‘hore with bean remains, Boman gives deal ach a seating ‘spy ena ae and other lis, and tery enables compres oe Ie eeween various amphtheve in ciffrent pars ofthe Roman wed ‘Thee is 0 shortage of good books in English on glory and che ames Roland Aapue’exllent Cray amd Cito The Roman Games, {Rouslgs, 194 exignlly pened in French more than 30 yes 50 and sure the whole mbjex~ laazr, best hans and chariot ing~ and (ceamines the els of thse on Roman society. Keith Hopkins Doth and Renewal Carteige, 1989) has shore but valuable econ on gadisors. The late Thoms Wideman's nln Enger and Gladiators alee, 192) and Donald G. Kyle's Spectacles of Deh in Ancien Rome Routlede, 1958) och lok a varius ape of the gases, Calin A. Baron's The Sorrons of th ‘cine Ronen: The Gladiator an the Monster Peinceton University Press 1999 i abo eimmended. The clogs othe Bosh Mateus ebiitin (Glades and Cartas by E Kaine and C. Eileen eink Museum Press on is very pore onion wo the ere a nclades x welts ‘of colour llrations of gladiator equpment and ancient reprerensaions Of gladtors e alo ices several of Junkelmann’sreconsructions. An fnommovs number of aides on varous aspects ofthe Closeum and the ames hive ben publish in szxdemi osraal: Many af thee can be acd through the biblogupbies of Boman Kyle and Wiedemaan,Forthose with a ore gine interes in he acento Rome, seve books canbe ecomnended. The Oxford Arlee Guide Rome (Oxo 1998) by Amanda Clade frmer sistant directo a he British choo! at Rome and an expert or Reman hist is by fr the best arcaelopc guide Although sme t serious schol its a mine of information forthe genera ‘cade, The Aion Cie Le ix Clad Atene and Rome (Oxf, 199) by ‘eter Cony and Hast Doge lstrates the development of Rome with the lp of rcoetucins of davens of bilings Fe shows the Roman Frum, 2 vaous sages of ts development and tees the evolution of the hen from Athens to Rome, Wills | MacDonald's The Arbizc of the Roman Empire A Io- ncy Sey Ole, 196), hough 3 le ot of date sll «very goat boul fr studs nd inclaes chapters on the pass of New and Doman. ‘Ancient Rome: The Arcaelgy ofthe Eterna City (Ox, 2000) by Hel Dodge and John Coulson is anther very inomative academic ale (Dodge isanauthorty on Roman building materi, parically marble) ‘Ronan itary Equipment (Sie Publstions, 199) by Mike Bishop and Jon Colston is by fhe Hert book on Roman armour anil weapons. Bop is tually commited tothe subj ais the eftor ofthe Jura of Ram ‘Mattar Equipment Sates Fly, eer Connolly's Gree ad Rome at War (Greenhill Boks, 198, revised ein) is uel asa genera guide 10 the evelopment of armour weapenry, miliary ogiiion and tis in the (Greco Roman wor A Nort ow THE Quorarioss Mos of the exact from cats wks aod to lsat te present text are usted fom the Lob Class Ltrary eons (Harvard University Pres p9 Se Augie of Hippo, Confeson ne. W. Ws, 1314 1912 p20 a 148 Sato The Lies of the Caran JC- Rl 19135 pp.28 and 120 “actus, Anal rane Jackson, 19574 p82, 136 and 46 Maral, Life de Specs rans. D. R Shackleton Bay, 19995 P71 Livy. The History of Rome trans B.O oer, 1919 pp and 81-2 Javea. Te Sais ens ©. G Rama, 1918, 9.107 Laci, Fragments rans. E- HL Warmington, 198) lt Stabe, Gog rns HL one, 1952 p25 Tai, Het rs, (CH. Moore 125 yp. aad 124 Diy che Younger Leer X, 6s 97s 1B Rati, 15 ppt, 48 and 154 Csi Dio, Roman Hoy Cary, 191 1204 Apulis, Te Gallen Am ran, W. Align, 966 eS. Gale, 1919. Extracts Tetlln' On Spotter on pps89, 118 and 13 are fom the TAT Clateeiton 699) WH, Auden’ trasation of Goethe's Tune aly uae om p.209) is poblsed by HarperCollins Publishers 096INDEX Eyer ae 5.196 mee rina 7.8 a Noman Ee pet ‘San 0.2 ee ewe Zee hen f Sa sam. 023,07 Se sini “one Seca SeemaSe ann co eae ee ee 66 ea 1 Cetera t ena maa La, [nai trun ‘lig ta 2b Se, 295 en 56 P88, opm ieaea tenon “pEssnemt ‘ans 584 enna rein ee pre ha. 41962061. 2068 | eam 1.8 emer alee ene Seams Seecei eee eee Et ‘Sima alors Seep 216530, al Fa te Ei Te Porat) Saiomet apm cn 77 eg 56 58 48 ‘Sp poi 8 Tome apc onpon 617,209,276,ete ai ‘en lio 18 eitae Counc: set eo Enea Siena Beye essen ‘pal art 79.18 cea casio Sener, A38 we tek ace nb Se 20 ‘otto fi case ‘Sout ar ror 1,108 Sea sen eg 7.8, Sie cto to 2 Sth Tela Star SB naam ce eee elec tic 6 ae Sern pane tien Sando gana {ins ar 1) ep 5 i i en fei 2item mia Pee ea Scion nes omar, ind 20:10 oie te Sey cfnm a eo Fee am “Then ple. 9495 18 Ne Si care ee Cora atanah hse Semi cent 0 Eee ey ln in in 2120 SS comnts ‘ee fon a en 2-02 orice ete 4 iy er. Peon 8 acrraga 12.22 ‘nom wae Poi si 3 phi 9-63.44 Fea Pees, ‘Raita Beton t05.15 Potent Eps See eam Saega cheater Fo mek Sichaar oh7.8 7.725853, ‘erg nas a Secon” Sree an Raat EER nm Seeder tm Sais See Ren ates Sta oma cue ‘Sd. 19.1. 12151195 rien sie = pecans ‘une ow 33 Tema Some agen tee “Trg 10,125 pie 15LIBL IST hyn id RnR ‘ame ae athe ees ar ‘Sera, 208 Simms Serene? Mma St hPa ih om