Colosseo Colosseo The Coliseum originally known as Anfiteatro

Colosseo

Colosseo • • • The Coliseum, originally known as Anfiteatro Flavio, is the most famous Roman Amphitheater, and is located in the city centre of Rome. As it can contain up to 50. 000 spectators, it is the largest and the most important Roman amphitheatre, and the most imposing monument of ancient Rome that has come to us. The Amphitheater was built on an area on the eastern boundary of the Forum. Its construction was begun by Vaspasian in 72 a. d and was inagurated by Titus in 80 a. d, with more changes made during the Domitian reign. No longer in use after the 6 th century, the huge structure was variously reused throughout the centuries, as well as the material. The name ‘colosseum’, which derives from the nearby statue of Colossus of the Sun God , only became widespread in the middle ages. Soon the building became a symbol of the imperial City, the expression of an ideology of the desire to define templates celebratory recreation of the people. Today it is the symbol of the city and one of it’s major tourist attractions.

Colosseo face outdoor

Imperial Age • Nerva and Trajan did the work, attested by inscriptions, but the first restoration took place under Antoninus Pius. In 217, a fire, likely sparked by lightning, caused the collapse of the upper structures, the work restoration of the Coliseum did quit for five years, from 217 to 222, during which time the games were moved to the Circus Maximus. The restoration work was begun under Elagabalus (218 -222) and carried out by Alexander Severus who remade the colonnade on summacavea. The building was reopened in 222, but only under Gordian III, the work could be considered closed. Another fire caused by lightning was the origin of the repairs ordered by the emperor Decius in 250. Inscription by Decio Mario Venancio Basilio to celebrate the restoration of the Coliseum, played at his own expense after an earthquake (CIL VI, 32094) After the sack of Rome in 410 by the Visigoths under Alaric, on the podium that surrounded the arena was engraved an inscription in honor of the Emperor Honorius, perhaps due to renovations. Honorius forbade gladiatorial ludi and then was used to venationes. The inscription was later canceled and rewritten to remember the great works of restoration after an earthquake in 442, at the hands of praefecti urbi Flavio Sinesio Gennadius Paul and Rufio Cecina Happy Lamp. Constantius II, the highly admired. Other restoration following an earthquake occurred again in 470, by the consul Messius Phoebus Severus. Restoration work continued even after the fall of the empire: after an earthquake in 484 or 508 the prefect urbi Decio Mario Venancio Basilio oversaw the renovations at its expense.

• Venationes continued until the time of Theodoric. We have the names of the most important senatorial families from the time of Odoacer entered on gradus: this custom is much older, but periodically the names were deleted and replaced with the new occupants (also depending on the different levels between Clarissimi, spectabilis and illustres ), in which only those of the last preparation before the collapse of the empire.

Realizzata da: Elisa e Cristian