COLOSSEUM
A Handbook of Rome and Its Environs

Admission.--The area and the galleries immediately round it are open day and night without charge. The upper galleries can be visited; admission 1 lira; Sundays free.
Dimensions .--The measurements are variously given; the following have been taken from the best sources: Height, 160 ft. to the top of the fourth story, which is an addition made in the third century A.D. Length, 615 ft. on the major axis, 510 ft. on the minor axis. Arena, 281 ft. on the major axis, 177 ft. on the minor axis. The circumference of the ellipse is about a third of a mile, and the whole covers about six acres of ground. The Colosseum was capable of seating about 45,000 spectators, and had standing room for about 8,000.
It was originally called the Flavian Amphitheatre. The name Colosseum appears in the eighth century and was probably derived from the colossal statue of Nero which stood near the entrance. It was begun in A.D. 72 by Vespasian, and finished in 80, under Titus. It was inaugurated that year by gladiatorial fights which lasted a hundred days and during which 5,000 wild beasts and many gladiators were killed; the arena also was flooded and mimic naval fights were held. One of the greatest spectacles recorded was given by Philip (249) on the occasion of the foundation of Rome. During this show, 2,000 gladiators took part, and a large number of animals were slaughtered, including elephants, lion, tigers, giraffes, zebras, hippopotami, wild horses and asses, etc., etc. Fights between gladiators were suppressed in 405 by the Emperor Honorius; a legend says that in that year an Asiatic monk named Telemachus rushed into the arena and tried to separate two combatants and was slain by them. Wild animals were baited, however, till the sixth century, after which the Colosseum seems to have been abandoned. It was several times struck by lightning and damaged by earthquake, and in the Middle Ages served as a fortress for the Frangipani, in the course of which it suffered further destruction. Later it became a quarry for building materials, and it would have altogether disappeared, no doubt, had not Pope Benedict XIV (in 1750) set up the Stations of the Cross within its precincts and thus turned it into a Christian shrine, dedicated to the Passion of Christ and the memory of the martyrs who perished within. It has been preserved from falling into utter ruin by buttresses built against the side, and the prophecy found in Bede and rendered-- "While stands the Colosseum Rome shall stand, When falls the Colosseum Rome shall fall; And when Rome falls, with it shall fall the World," has not yet been put to the test. In the centre of the Colosseum a Cross has been erected in memory of the Christian Martyrs. The Colosseum is built in four tiers, the lowest with half-columns of the Doric order, the next above with Ionic and the third with Corinthian columns; a fourth story has windows in place of arches and an entablature faced with Corinthian pilasters, a late addition, the top structure have originally been made of wood. There are in all eighty archways, serving as entrances. All but four were for the admission of the public. Of these four, the two on the major axis led straight into the arena through trap-doors. Of the two entrances on the minor axis, which led straight into the Podium, or grand tier, one was used by the Emperor and his court, and the other by the chief officials of the state and city. The other seventy-six entrances were so arranged the the public could get to their places without confusion, order being kept by marshaling the people into long avenues, kept by bronze railings, till they reached the arch corresponding with the number of the ticket (tessera). A wide staircase ascended in connection with every fourth arch, leading into broad corridors and thence by stairways to the next two tiers of seats, occupied according to the degree of the spectator. It is thought that women occupied the tier above these, and that the roof of their tier was occupied by the class who wore no "toga." These upper parts should be visited; the staircases are modern. From ancient sources we learn that in order to shield the spectators from the rain and sun, an immense sailcloth used to be drawn across, to manipulate which a special detachment of sailors from the fleet at Cape Misenum was provided. The Colosseum should also be visited upon a moonlight night, when the effect is very fine.

ABOUT THE COLOSSEUM