Colosseum : Rome

Words & photos by Allison O'Donoghue

It's impossible to state in words just how extraordinary this building really is. The iconic structure of Rome was nearly lost to weather erosion, looting and constant earthquake damage until Pope Benedict XV consecrated the site in honour of all the Christians slaughtered in the name of entertainment. The people of Rome rallied in 1750 to save the site for all time and we tourists are the lucky recipients of the continual preservation of the colossus that is the Colosseum.

But this didn’t stop people looting. Rumour has it; many Romans have a wall or BBQ area made from the bricks of the Colosseum until the Italian government put a stop to this practice in the 1950’s. To this day the Colosseum is guarded overnight.

Disembarking from the Colosseum metro station, I take the escalator to the top and as I slowly rise I begin to see a partial view of the enormousness of the Colosseum, and what a view. No matter how many documentaries I’ve watched on this amazing building, nothing prepares you for the real thing.

Initially, I was put off by the long queues waiting patiently in the heat to get in and was nearly tempted to buy an overpriced ticket  from the “skip the queues” spruikers out the front vying for your business, offering fast track guided tours. However, this is not necessary, the queue moves very quickly and efficiently and you can buy an audio-guided tour that is just as informative as the personal approach.

This grand monument was commissioned by Vaspasian and inaugurated by his son Titus in 80 AD originally named Flavian Amphitheatre and is a technological masterpiece. Built out of travertine tufa, brick and the new invention, cement, as an entertainment venue for the starving Romans to distract them from their rumbling tummies. The Colosseum is a tour de force in terms of construction, 156 metres long, 527 metres in circumference and four floors high holding an audience of 50,000 with three floors of arches divided by columns in various styles, Doric, Ionian and Corinthian. The arch less fourth floor was decorated with Corinthian lace and had a covering system that sheltered spectators from the rain and hot sun. Of course, the cover no longer exists and the walls are slowly crumbling, however all efforts are made to shore up the structure for posterity.

As you walk through one of the four main entrances the sheer enormity of the Colosseum swallows you whole. It is huge and still has an aura of grandeur that hovers over the arena. Maybe it is images of the film Gladiator that makes this place come alive in my mind, but looking at the podium where the Emperor and his cohorts sat, I’m tempted to put my thumbs up.

The centre floor of the Colosseum has gone, revealing the bowels and operational tunnels and corridors of the arena. Gladiators and beasts roamed this area awaiting their death or triumph. In the case of the beasts, death was assured to such an extent that some species came close to extinction.

You can still see where the masses sat. Like our own sporting arenas there was a hierarchy system to the seating arrangements. The general public sat on three ranges of seats, the interior sat the masses, the centre sat the knights and the upper decks sat the aristocrats. There was also a standing room only area where the very poor stood for hours on end, but they were in a prime position to catch the bread and fruit thrown out to the crowd by the grace of the Emperor, sometimes it was the only meal they had for the day.

There were 80 numbered arcades selling all manner of wares, fast food, wine, produce and souvenirs but only remnants of these arcades remain. On the third floor is now the museum and gift shop, absolutely worth visiting. Rescued ancient artefacts, sculptures, and tablets are displayed here, and even better entry is included in the price. The gift shop sells mass manufactured trinkets that will still be sold in years to come but if you only plan on visiting once then grab your souvenirs from here.

From this vantage point, you can see the full scale of the Arch of Constantine built by the Senate to celebrate the victory against Maxentius in 313 AD and is the best-preserved triumphal arch in Rome, built with fragments from other ancient monuments and temples of Trajan, Adrian and Marcus Aurelius. You can also 2000 year-old olive trees, the most expensive olive oil in Rome, which you can buy at the gift shop.

Looking down the Via Sacra you get a glimpse of the Roman Forum and an archaeological dig in progress. For the price of admission and a hard hat you can watch at close range as archaeologists and students from all over the world dig up ancient artefacts right before your eyes. To this day Rome is still offering up its history and magnificence. Every time the council decides to clear an area to construct a new building or car park, the earth closes down the project due to its historical significance.

In spite of 20 centuries of deterioration the Colosseum still has the character of Roman greatness. The fact that it is still standing 2000 years later is a testament to the engineers and their ‘modern’ techniques that are copied and imitated to this day.

According to an ancient prophecy ‘the end of the Colosseum is bound to be the end of Rome and the end of Rome to that of the world’. Well then, it is within everyone’s interest to preserve this amazing building for the survival of us all.