The Colosseum: Architecture - Research Paper Example

The Colosseum: Architecture The Colosseum, originally referred to as the Flavian Amphitheatre, is probably the most famous landmark in entire Rome, Italy. Although this monumental structure is now in ruins and a mere shadow of itself, it is still a spectacle to behold. It is among Rome’s most popular tourist attractions. It was the largest amphitheatre built in the Roman Empire. It is regarded as being among the greatest architectural and engineering works of the Romans. Located on the east side of the Roman Forum between the Caelian and Esquiline hills, construction began in 72 AD under Emperor Vespasian. Construction would continue into the reign of both Emperor Titus and his brother Domitian who succeeded him after his death. The amphitheatre was constructed with sitting tiers that had a capacity of about 50,000 spectators. The colosseum had 80 entrances to ensure that spectators had ease in entering and exiting during events (Pepe, “The Colosseum”). From the ground level upwards, the structure was four storied. The upper storey had seats for persons that were considered low class. Prominent citizens occupied the lowest storey. The arena floor was wooden. Below it was a complex maze like design that held rooms and passageways for beasts, gladiators and involved in onstage spectacles (Bomgardner, 159). To protect spectators from the scorching sun, an awning known as the velarium was used to cover the colosseum. Many events were held at the colosseum from gladiatorial combats, public executions, and mock battles at sea, re-enactment of battles and beast hunts. The emperors of the time used the colosseum to popularize themselves by hosting free games. During inauguration, Emperor Titus held a 100 day game event in which over 5000 exotic beasts were slaughtered (Hopkins, “The Colosseum”). Pollice Verso ("Thumbs Down"), an 1872 painting of gladiatorial combat. The painting depicts what used to go on inside the amphitheatre. The Site and Plan The construction site chosen for the amphitheatre was the artificial lake in Nero’s palace. This site was chosen as a symbol for the hatred of Nero’s rule. This are stood between the Palatine and Esquiline Hills. The site had several advantages as well as drawbacks. A major challenge was how to develop a drainage system. The lake was drained. It was further excavated until the clay bed of the lake was reached. This excavated area was then filled in with Roman cement to level the area. A doughnut like ring was created with a thickness of 12 meters (Taylor 138). A brick wall 3 meters thick and 6 meters deep was built to provide reinforcement for the foundation. Unlike other theatres that were usually built into hillsides, the amphitheatre was meant to be free standing. It was designed to be elliptical in shape (Pepe, “The Colosseum”). A drawing of the foundation obtained from Roma (Sotterranea – Luciani) The dimensions of the colosseum put it at 188 m (640 Roman ft/ 615 ft) in length with a width of 156 m (528 Roman ft/ 510 ft). It covered an area of 24,000 m2 at the base. The outer wall is 48 m (528 Roman ft/ 510 ft) in height. Its perimeter was 545 m (1,835 Roman ft/ 1788 ft). The arena was oval in shape with a length of 87 m (287 feet) and a width of 55 m (180 ft). The arena was surrounded by a 5m (15 ft) wall to protect the spectators (Taylor 140). General plan of the colosseum http://www.GreatBuildings.com/buildings/Roman_Colosseum.html Construction Construction started in 72 AD under Emperor Vespasian. The construction used a combination of materials. This ranges from concrete, travertine stone, tuff and iron. The foundation was laid using concrete as the main component. The piers and arcades were made of travertine stone. The materials used to construct the colosseum can be found easily in the Roman area. The travertine stone that used was quarried from Tivoli (known as Tibur during ancient Rome). This was the material used to construct ground floor, the main pillars, and the external walls. It was chosen probably due to its ability to withstand very high pressures (Pepe, “The Colosseum”). A road was constructed from the quarry to the construction site to facilitate transportation of the stone. Tuff was used to construct the radial walls and other pillars. Tuff was also used to make tiles for the walls and floor. Cement used to construct the vaults was made from tuff. Given that the site of construction was a place where a lake previously existed, stringent measures were put in place to ensure that the structure would be strong enough. The area was excavated to expose the clay bed of the lake. This excavated area was then filled in with Roman cement to level the area. A doughnut like ring was created with a thickness of 12 meters (Gabucci 125). A brick wall 3 meters thick and 6 meters deep was built to provide reinforcement to the foundation. Drainage systems were built 8 meters below the structure to drain water that flowed downwards from streams that originated from the surrounding hills. Once the foundation was completed, its base was covered by travertine to make the floor. In average, the floor was 90 cm thick. Reference points that were to be used for installation of the main pillars were marked on the floor. To install the pillars, the base blocks needed to be anchored to the floor. This was done by use of melted metal and a pivot. The pillar skeleton was constructed up to the second floor after which the pillars were connected at the top. Arches made using bricks 2 ft long were placed in order to facilitate the construction of vaults. A combination of these vaults made the caveat that supported the marble seats. It is estimated that the outer wall took over 100,000 m3 of travertine stone. The stones were put together without use of mortar. Iron clamps (300 tons) were used to hold the stones together (Pepe, “The Colosseum”). The wall had windows put at regular intervals. Statues that honored Roman divinities were framed on the walls of the colleseum. The valerium which had a retractable awning was supported by 240 mast corbels. The valerium protected the spectators from sun and rain. It was made of canvas and had a whole at the centre. Ropes were used to make a netlike structure that supported the canvas. Sockets were located all around the fourth to hold 240 beams that supported the valerium. Since the colosseum had a large capacity, 80 entrances were put at the ground level. Seventy six of these entrances were to be used by ordinary spectators while the other four were reserved for special guests. Each of the 76 entrances and exits was numbered. This was also the case for each staircase. The main entrance in the north was reserved for the Emperor and the aides. The other three entrances were reserved for the prominent and elite Roman citizens. These four entrances were highly decorated with paintings and stucco reliefs. A layer of sand about 15 cm thick was used to cover the arena. The sand may have been dyed red as a disguise for blood (Pepe, “The Colosseum). There were trap doors and cages connected to pulleys that were used to let animals into the arena in a dramatic fashion. The picture below shows how the amphitheatre looked like from the inside. The entrances into the seating area are clearly visible. The arena and some of the entrances can also be seen. Source: GreatBuildings.com The exterior of the amphitheatre was well decorated. Superimposed arches with semi circular columns are used on each storey. The order of the columns is different for each storey. The bottom storey used Tuscan. The second storey uses Ionic while the third was made using Corinthian columns. The fourth storey was made using pilasters and Corinthian capitals were use as decoration. Small windows, rectangular in shape, were put in between the pilasters. Plinths were put between and above the windows. These once held masts that supported the awnings. At the top, gilded bronze shields were put as decorations. Painted statues that represented gods and emperors were places at the arches. The entrance used by the emperor was a giant portico. A statue of a horse drawn chariot was placed as decoration. The picture below shows the rectangular shaped windows, the plinths and masts as would have been during ancient Rome. Source: GreatBuidings.com The picture above shows the wooden beams that supported the velarium. Statues can also be seen at the windows all around the wall. Building Strategy Given the enormous size of the project, a building strategy had to be developed to ensure that the amphitheatre was completed as soon as possible. The system used was having a basic structure constructed up to the second floor. In this way, they were able to split the project into sections. This allowed some builders to work on the lower storey while others continued construction of upper ones. There were to construction yards on the site. The first one was below and the second was above the cavea. The lower site was completely covered and protected from rain. Inside, the bridging of stairs, construction of vaults that catered for the ground floor walkway and plastering was done. On the upper site, the walls of the other two floors of the colosseum were built. The seats, podium and the upper portico were also constructed. The combination of materials that were used to construct the colisseum is attributed as the reason for the resilience of the structure to date. The builders explored the different properties of the materials used such as lightness, ease of installation and resistance. A panorama of the interior of the Colosseum in 2011. Even in its state of ruins today, the colosseum still stands out as a magnificent structure. It clearly was a work of genius. Structurally, the colosseum was constructed strikingly different from other Roman public buildings. The choice of location upon where to construct it was unique. It is also prudent to note that the colosseum was special in that it was a free standing amphitheatre as opposed to other theatres of the time which were built into the hillsides for support (Pepe, “The Colosseum”). The size of the structure is a wonder given the fact that it was constructed almost two thousand years ago. Even when compared to the modern sky scrapers which are constructed using very advanced technology, one can see that it was not a simple task to construct the colosseum. The sheer volume of materials that were required to construct the colosseum would put most of our modern structures to shame. The construction takes the approach and model of a classic Greek temple (Gabucci 125). The columns are arranged in triangular rows upon which beams are placed in a triangular pattern. Roman architects invented vaults and arches made out of concrete bricks. This allowed the architects to make a variety of designs. The architects were therefore able to create elaborate arches, passages and stairways that were used by thousands of spectators to access the colosseum and watch the spectacles that defined the amphitheatre. The colosseum's exterior is still as imposing as it was during ancient Rome then. The decorations comprising of sculptures, relief paintings and engravings are still visible. The amphitheatre is still a marvelous monument that attests to the imperial power of ancient Rome. Today, the colosseum is one of the major tourist attractions in Rome. Renovations have been done in various sections of the structure and excavations done to expose those areas that were covered by sand over time. Though the amphitheatre is partially ruined due to earthquakes, fires and stone robbers, it still stands tall and proud as one of Rome’s greatest works of architecture and engineering. Works Cited Pepe Andrea, Daniele Pepe and Catherine McElwee. The Colosseum. n.p.,2001. Web. 2 Dec. 2011. Bomgardner L. David. The Story of the Roman Amphitheatre. New York: Routledge Publishing, 2000. Print. Hopkins, Keith. The Colosseum: Emblem of Rome. BBC History. 22 Mar. 2011. Web. 2 Dec. 2011. Gabucci, Ada. The Colosseum. Los Angeles: Getty Publications, 2000.Print. Taylor Rabun. Roman Builders. London: Cambridge University Press, 2003. Print. Read More