Spartacus

Author: (Italian) Giovanni Giovanoli
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-09-01
Features: The Colosseum stands in the Valley of Murcia between Mount Palatine and Mount Aventine. However, during the events depicted in this book, it had not yet reached the magnificence and grandeur of the later eras of Julius Caesar and Augustus Octavian. Nevertheless, it was still an enormous and astonishing structure. It was 2,180 Roman feet long, 998 Roman feet wide, and could accommodate over 120,000 spectators. The shape of the Colosseum was almost elliptical. Its eastern end was semicircular, while its western end was cut straight across, with a series of arches. It was a tall building with thirteen arches, with the central arch serving as the main entrance, hence called the "Main Gate." Before the gladiatorial combat began, the procession of gods would enter through this gate. The arches beneath the remaining twelve arches served as stables or "arcades," where chariots and horses were housed during chariot races, and where gladiators rested and kept wild animals during the bloodthirsty gladiatorial combats favored by the Romans.
From the series of arches, the Colosseum featured semicircular rows of stone steps that served as the seats for the spectators. Many flights of stairs separated these seats, and the spectators ascended them to their seats. These stairs were connected to numerous additional stairs behind the seating area, allowing Romans to descend from the surrounding side entrances. The top of the seating area was crowned with a colonnade, reserved for women to watch the performances. Opposite the Main Gate, a triumphal arch was built, where triumphators would enter. However, on the right side of the series of arches, there was another gate called the "Gate of Death." The workers of the Colosseum, using long hooks, would drag the bloody, mutilated bodies of defeated or dying gladiators through this grim gate and remove them from the arena.
On the flat top of the series of arches, several benches were placed, reserved for the highest officials—the consuls, Vestal Virgins, and senators. In other areas, there were no designated or assigned seats. In the arena, from the series of arches to the triumphal arch, there was a short wall about 500 steps long called the "Hill Wall," used to measure distances during chariot races. At both ends of the wall stood small pillars called "markers." In the center of the "Hill Wall" stood a square tower dedicated to the sun, flanked by numerous columns, altars, and statues of gods. Among these statues were those of Ceres and the Venus of Murcia.
Around the interior of the Colosseum, a wall 18 feet high was built, called the "Protective Wall." Along the wall, a deep trench was dug, filled with water, and an iron railing was placed outside. All of this was to protect the spectators from the fierce, roaring beasts that roamed the arena.
In the year 675 of the Roman era, the place where the Romans were entertained was such a magnificent building. This colossal structure is now filled with the respectable Roman citizens—whose invincible eagle has flown across the entire world.