Reading Response 3: The Colosseum as a Symbol of Rome

       The Colosseum represents one of the most perfectly planned, supervised, and constructed buildings in history.  Despite being built in the first century C.E., it still remains largely intact, and might still be complete if it weren't for earthquakes in 1231 and 1349.  It was a powerful cultural symbol of the Roman Empire during its height, and even today remains one of the most easily recognizable structures in the world. 

     The Colosseum, while not the first theater to be built in Rome, was in fact the first theater built as a freestanding object.  It could hold fifty thousand spectators, who would gather to watch various events.  The large capacity was possible because of the Roman's innovative idea to combine two smaller, half-circle theaters to form one large oval-shaped space that could host multiple events.  The Colosseum is most famous for hosting gladitorial fights, but it also hosted the exhibitions of wild animals, a variety of games,and public punishments.  The skill and precision that went into the Colosseum's construction is apparent in multiple aspects of the historical and modern record.

     The name of the Colosseum's chief architect is now unknown, but he must have been very famous in his day.  This is because the Colosseum was being constructed by multiple work crews in several areas and over a long span of time--it would take a master architect and supervisor to successfully coordinate such an effort.  The Colosseum itself is an incredible structure, both in size and in detail.  It is divided into four stories:  the first three each utilize a specific style of column (Doric, Ionic, or Corinthian), while the fourth is adorned with brackets that allowed for awnings to be stretched over the audience.  However, while these columns seem to be more ornamental than structural in purpose, the truth is in fact the opposite.  The columns bear much more weight than is immediately obvious, while the vaults bear much less.  This is an incredibly risky, yet ultimately powerful, construction choice that helps make the Colosseum that much more impressive.

Some final thoughts:
--  Built in 80 C.E. and remains standing, a clear indicator of well-planned and executed construction.
--  Host to many different events, the last of which (public punishments) was not ended until the 8th century.
--  An awe-inspiring structure that perfectly balances function and beauty, the Colosseum remains an impressive cultural icon.

Image sources:
--http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/rome-colosseum
--http://www.legionxxiv.org/colosseum/
--http://www.aboutroma.com/colosseum.html