Logopedic portal / Techniques / Fought in the Coliseum. Curious facts about the Colosseum. The building has been abandoned for centuries

Fought in the Coliseum. Curious facts about the Colosseum. The building has been abandoned for centuries

08.02.2022

Games in honor of its discovery (in 80 AD) continued non-stop for 100 days; during this time, 2,000 gladiators and 5,000 wild animals tore and slaughtered each other. In this review, the most interesting and little-known facts about one of the main attractions of Rome.

Colosseum - "Flavian Amphitheater"

Flavian Amphitheatre.

The Colosseum was built around 70 AD. emperor Vespasian, and it was discovered by his son Titus in 80 AD. Vespasian and his sons Titus and Domitian (who reigned 81-96) belonged to the Flavian dynasty. Therefore, the Colosseum was often called the "Flavian amphitheater".

Giant statue of Nero at the Colosseum

Statue of Nero.

The statue was made after the model of the Colossus of Rhodes, its height exceeded 30 meters, and it was called the Colossus of Nero. It is because of this statue that the Colosseum got its name.

The Colosseum was built on the site of a former lake

Golden House of Nero. Reconstruction.

After Nero's suicide in 68 and a brief period of civil wars, Vespasian became emperor in 69, after which the Golden House was destroyed. The baths of Trajan were built in its place. The lake was filled up, and in its place began to build the Colosseum.

The Colosseum was built in just 10 years

Emperor Titus Flavius Vespasian.

After the siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD, Vespasian used some of the booty from the Jerusalem Temple to begin work on an amphitheater for Roman citizens. Although Vespasian died before the building was completed, his son Titus completed the Colosseum.

The largest ever built

The Colosseum is the largest amphitheater in the world.

The Colosseum was built of concrete and stone, unlike most of the amphitheatres of the time, which were simply dug into the hillsides. The elliptical structure is 188 meters long, 155 meters wide and 48 meters high, making it the largest amphitheater in the world.

The amphitheater had sectors for different classes

The Colosseum was intended for all Roman citizens.

Although the Colosseum was intended for all Roman citizens, both rich and poor, spectators were seated in different sectors based on their social status and wealth.

The lower row, or podium, was intended exclusively for the emperor, his family, senators and vestals, and the emperor had a special, elevated seat. The podium was separated from the arena by a parapet high enough to protect spectators from the attack of animals released on it.

This was followed by places for the public, forming three tiers, corresponding to the tiers of the facade of the building. In the first tier, which included 20 rows of benches, the city authorities and persons belonging to the estate of horsemen sat; the second tier, consisting of 16 rows of benches, was intended for people with the rights of Roman citizenship.

The wall separating the second tier from the third was quite high, while the benches of the third tier were located on a steeper sloping surface; this device was intended to give visitors to the third tier the opportunity to better see the arena and everything that happens on it.

The spectators of the third tier belonged to the lower classes - poor citizens, slaves and women. In most cases, these were standing places.

The Colosseum held 50,000 people

According to the Chronograph of 354, the amphitheater could hold about 87,000 people, but according to modern estimates, the Colosseum can only accommodate 50,000 people.

The width of each seat was about 35 centimeters, but there was always a rush during gladiator fights.

Fights between gladiators were carefully planned

Volunteers fought in the Colosseum for the entertainment of the Romans.

For more than four centuries, thousands of slaves, prisoners of war, criminals, former military personnel and even volunteers fought in the Colosseum for the entertainment of the Romans.

The fights were not at all chaotic, but somewhat similar to modern boxing - gladiators were carefully classified according to their height, strength, experience, skill level and fighting style.

The Colosseum became a graveyard for thousands of animals

Animal fights.

Along with fighting between people, the Romans also had fights with animals such as elephants, tigers, lions, bears, hippos, etc.

During the opening ceremony of the Colosseum, 9,000 animals were killed, and during the 123-day festival held by Emperor Trajan, 11,000 animals died.

Naval battles were held in the Colosseum

The Colosseum was periodically flooded.

Before the underground floor was built during the time of Domitian to house the equipment, animals, fighters and workers of the Colosseum, the arena was periodically flooded to a depth of about a meter to arrange sea battles (naumachia). A special aqueduct was used to supply water.

The building has been abandoned for centuries

The Colosseum was abandoned until the 18th century.

It was abandoned until the 18th century, when the Catholic Church decided that a similar site should be preserved.

The Colosseum was partially taken away for building materials

Lateran Basilica.

The beautiful marble that was used in the Colosseum attracted looters and builders, who began removing the stone from the former amphitheater for the construction of the Cathedral of St. John, the Lateran Basilica, the Palazzo Venezia and many other projects.

They wanted to set up a wool factory in the Colosseum

Inside the colosseum.

Pope Sixtus V, who helped rebuild Rome in the late 16th century, planned to rebuild the Colosseum into a wool factory. But after the death of Sixtus in 1590, this project was abandoned.

The most attractive place in Rome for tourists

Palatine Hill.

Along with the Vatican and its shrines, the Colosseum is the second most visited site in Italy and the most visited monument in Rome. the amphitheater is visited by about six million tourists a year. A two-day ticket to the Colosseum and Palatine Hill costs 12 euros (about $13).

The Colosseum has been partially restored

$ 33 million for the reconstruction of the Coliseum.

Italian Minister of Culture Dario Franceschini has announced a $20 million renovation of the Colosseum, which will include restoring the floor of the arena.

And in 2013, billionaire Diego Della Valle provided $33 million for a renovation of the Colosseum, which includes repairing the arches, cleaning the marble, restoring the brick walls, replacing the metal railings, and building a new visitor center and café.

Incredible Facts

Forgotten and neglected, the 2000-year-old Roman Colosseum holds many secrets and there are many interesting facts associated with it.

Ancient Colosseum in Rome

1. Its real name is the Flavian Amphitheatre.

The construction of the Colosseum began in 72 AD. e. by order of the emperor Vespasian. In 80 AD e., under the emperor Titus (son of Vespasian), the construction was completed. Together with Titus, from 81 to 96, Domitian (Tito's brother) ruled the country. All three were of the Flavian dynasty, and in Latin the Colosseum was called Amphitheatrum Flavium.

2. There was a time when next to the Colosseum there was a giant statue of Nero - the Colossus of Nero.

The infamous emperor Nero erected a giant bronze statue of himself, 35 meters high.

Initially, this statue was located in the lobby of the Golden House of Nero, but under Emperor Hadrian, it was decided to move the statue closer to the amphitheater. Some believe the Colosseum was renamed after the Colossus of Nero.

3. The Colosseum was built on the site of a former lake.

The golden house of Nero was built after the Great Fire of 64, and on its territory there was an artificial lake. After the death of Nero in 68 and a series of civil wars, Vespasian became emperor in 69.

He nationalized palace of Nero, after which he completely destroyed it, and the ground on which he stood, handed over to the publicthe people of Rome. All the expensive ornaments of the palace were removed and buried in the mud, and later ( in 104-109 years ) on this site were built the Baths of Trajan. The Romans usedcomplex underground irrigation system to drain thezera near the house of Nero, after which it was filled up and, by order of the emperor, the construction of an amphitheater intended for the entertainment of the people of Rome began.

4. The Colosseum was built in 8 years.

After the Siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Emperor Vespasian completely destroyed The Jerusalem Temple, from which only the "Wailing Wall" remains, which still stands to this day. After that, he began the construction of the Colosseum, using materials left over from the destruction of the Golden House.

5. This is the largest ancient amphitheater ever built.

The Colosseum can be called a "double amphitheater" (two half rings connected in the form of an oval). It is made of cement and stone. The length of the outer ellipse of the Colosseum is 524 meters, the major axis is 187.77 meters long and the minor axis is 155.64 meters. The arena of the Colosseum has a length of 85.75 m and a width of 53.62 m, and the walls rise 48 - 50 meters.

The most important thing about this building is that it is completely built from cast concrete, unlike other buildings made from bricks and stone blocks.

6. The Colosseum had 5 tiers and separate lodges.

The building was designed in such a way that there were places for both the poor and the rich. All spectators were divided into tiers depending on their social status and financial situation. Members of the Senate, for example, sat closer to the arena, and the rest of the inhabitants on other tiers, which were distinguished by a lower price. On the very last - the 5th tier - the poor sat. All tiers were numbered I-LXXVI (i.e. from 1 to 76). There were different entrances and stairs for People of different status, and there were also walls that separated them.

7. The Colosseum held 50,000 spectators.

A seat only 35 cm wide was allocated for each person. Today, not all football stadiums can boast of the attendance that the Colosseum had.

Arena of the Colosseum

8. Battles between gladiators were organized with incredible care.

For 400 years, volunteers fought in the arena, former soldiers, military prisoners, slaves and criminals, all of which served as entertainment for the Romans. But the fighters were chosen for a reason. To enter the arena of the Colosseum, competing gladiators were selected for their weight, size, experience, fighting skill and fighting style.

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9. The Colosseum has become a cemetery for a huge number of animals.

In addition to fights between gladiators, the Romans staged battles between animals and demonstrative hunting. Lions, elephants, tigers, bears, hippos and other exotic animals could be seen in the arena killing or being severely injured.

Fights with animals can be seen to this day - this is a bullfight ("tauromachia" - that is, "bullfight"). Fights with animals were called "morning games", and fights of gladiators - "evening games" The winners were awarded medals (bone or metal), and statistics were kept - the number of fights, victories and defeats.

Of course there were deaths or gladiators were injured, which did not allow them to perform further. After a career as a gladiator, the former warrior received a lifetime pension.

More than 9,000 animals died during the opening of the arena and another 11,000 were killed during the 123-day festival hosted by Emperor Trajan. According to conservative estimates, during its existence, about 400,000 people and more than 1 million animals died in the arena of the Colosseum.

10. Grand battles on ships.

Surprisingly, the arena of the Colosseum was specially flooded by about 1 meter so that ship battles could be arranged. Reconstructions of warships were installed in the arena so that great naval victories could be celebrated. Water flowed through special aqueducts directly to the arena. All this could be seen before the emperor Domitian, during which the Colosseum was made into a basement, where there were rooms, passages, traps and animals.

11. The Colosseum has been in disrepair for many centuries.

When the bloody gladiator fights lost their spectacle and the Roman Empire began to collapse in the 5th century, the Colosseum ceased to be a venue for large public events. Moreover, earthquakes, lightning strikes and other natural phenomena significantly affected the structure.

It wasn't until the 18th century that the Catholic Church and many priests decided that the site of the Colosseum should be preserved.

12. The Colosseum was dismantled for building materials.

The beautiful stone and marble from which the Colosseum was made attracted the attention of many people. After the earthquake of 847, Roman priests and aristocrats began to collect the beautiful marble that adorned the facade of the Colosseum and use it to build churches and houses. Also, for the construction of various city buildings, rubble stone and crushed stone were used in city buildings.

It is worth noting that the Colosseum was used as a source of building materials for buildings such as the Palazzo Venezia and the Lateran Basilica. Also, the marble of the Colosseum was used for the construction of St. Peter's Basilica - the largest building in the Vatican, and the largest historical Christian church in the world.

13. One priest wanted to turn the Colosseum into a cloth factory.

The underground part of the Colosseum eventually filled with mud, and for several centuries the Romans grew vegetables and stored them inside the building, while blacksmiths and merchants occupied the upper tiers.

Pope Sixtus V, who helped rebuild Rome in the late 16th century, tried to convert the Colosseum into a cloth factory, with living quarters on the upper tiers and a workplace in the arena. But in 1590 he died, and the project was not carried out.

Rome's most popular attraction

14. The Colosseum is the most visited attraction in Rome.

Along with the Vatican and its holy places, the Colosseum is the second most visited attraction in Italy and the most visited monument in Rome. Every year it is visited by 6 million tourists.

15. The Colosseum will finally be updated.

To begin with, it is planned to spend 20 million euros on the arrangement of the arena. Billionaire Diego Della Valle also plans to invest $33 million to restore the Colosseum, which began in 2013 and includes restoration of the arches, marble cleaning, restoration of brick walls, replacement of metal railings, and the construction of a new visitor center and cafe.

The Italian Ministry of Culture plans to restore the Colosseum to what it was in the 19th century. Besides, in the arena they want to make a scenebased on images of the Colosseum from the 1800s, which will cover the underground tunnels that are currently open.

Why is the Colosseum so named? How has it changed over the centuries? And, most importantly, what secrets does the number one attraction of Italy keep?

"Attention, construction work is underway"

In order to build, the Romans took a little more than five years: from 75 to 80 AD. The Colosseum was and remains one of the most grandiose buildings: more than 100,000 cubic meters of travertine (calcareous tufa) were used to build the outer walls alone. The result was "colossal" (colossal): the amphitheater, 189 meters long, 156 meters wide and 48 meters high, was able to accommodate 50 to 70 thousand spectators on a total internal area of 24,000 square meters.

Arena. There were only 80 entrances to the amphitheater, the arena where the battles were fought had an elliptical shape, with axes about 80 and 50 meters long and was probably covered with wooden beams.

One day at the Colosseum

The daily routine in the amphitheater was predetermined and strict. On the evening before the upcoming battle, the "editor", that is, the one who organized the games, offered the gladiators a dinner, which was open to the public: this was done so that the crowd could take a closer look at the participants in the fights. The next morning, the fighters opened the day with a "parade" in the amphitheater, in rich armor and fully armed. Then fights began between animals or between animals and people.

Death Lunch

Lunch hours in the Colosseum were reserved for the executions of those sentenced to death: people were burned at the stake, crucified, or given to wild beasts to eat. All this took place in the format of a live show.

The highlight of the program

The most anticipated was the afternoon show, duels between gladiators: Munera. According to a common interpretation, the gladiators entered the field in a column, stood in front of the emperor and shouted: "Ave caesar, morituri te salutant." In fact, Caesar was greeted very rarely.

Mystery of the name

In the beginning it was called the Flavian Amphitheater (Anfiteatro Flavio), because it was built by the emperors Vespasian and Titus from the Flavian dynasty. The name "Coliseum" did not appear until the Middle Ages: the most popular theory is that the name "Colosseo" was given to the amphitheater because it was built next to the "Colossus" of Nero, a statue that was located a few meters from the amphitheater. Others say that the name comes from its location because the amphitheater was built on the hill where the temple of Isis (Collis Isei) once stood.

There is also an interesting legend about the origin of the name "Colosseum": once upon a time there was a pagan temple on the site of the Colosseum, where they worshiped the devil. And at the end of each ceremony, the priests asked the followers: COLIS EUM? (Do you love him? I mean the devil).

Sun protection and seat reservations

On particularly hot sunny days, the Colosseum was covered with a curtain of about 80 triangular pieces of canvas, which were stretched through 320 support cables. The reason is easy to understand: the veil protected the audience from sunburn during the daytime shows.

Seats in the Colosseum were strictly reserved. On the upper rows there were wooden benches intended for the population, while the places for privileged guests were finished with marble. Everyone could take part in the show, the entrance was free, but it was not allowed to change the places assigned to each of the visitors. The senators of Rome sat in the front row with the vestals, behind them were the warriors (equites), in the attics places were reserved for slaves and foreigners.

The first elevator in history and scenery for the "performance"

One of the earliest examples of working elevator systems was the one in operation at the Colosseum. The arena and the basement were actually connected by elevators.

The basement consisted of alternating corridors. Some contained sets of scenery for battles, which, thanks to a system of cables, were raised to the arena, others contained animals and gladiators preparing for battle.

The scenery was installed in the arena in advance. Gladiators and animals climbed into the arena immediately at the start of the battle on the first prototype of the elevator. Thanks to these systems of lifting from the underground space, the show took on a more exciting character: warriors and wild animals appeared in the arena as if from nowhere.

The Colosseum gave life to many of Rome's historical sights

The marble façade and some of the interior of the Colosseum were also used to build various civil buildings in Rome, such as, for example, the Palazzo Barberini. Having been in a state of neglect for a long time, the amphitheater was actually used by the Romans as a source of building materials. This continued until the 18th century, when suddenly there was a love for the ancient ruins of Rome. It is assumed that only one third of what was in the original design remained from the Colosseum.

In the thirteenth century, even the palazzo of the Roman family Frangipane was built inside the amphitheater, and later other civil houses.

The Colosseum was also damaged by numerous earthquakes. So, in 851, an earthquake triggered the collapse of two rows of arches on the south side, and the amphitheater took on a familiar asymmetric aspect.

Colosseum and pool

Inside the amphitheater, at one time, water fights, "Naumachie" were held: these were shows in which gladiators (or convicts) reenacted famous naval battles from Roman imperial history.

The pool also hosted a peaceful water show in which women participated.

According to Martin Krepper, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Edinburgh, the water flowed through a series of internal wells and pipes under the stands. It took about 7 hours to fill the entire arena.

Scary and terrible

During the time of gladiator fights, the Colosseum acquired an ominous reputation, so much so that it was considered one of the seven gates of hell (still, tens of thousands of people died in the arena). They say that devilish rites were even held in the Colosseum, for which the blood of those who died in the arena was used. In the Middle Ages, then, gangs of bandits used the arena to bury their victims. And in the 16th century, wizards and sorcerers aspired here, who, for witchcraft, used grass with magical powers that grew among the blood and ruins.

Jungle Colosseum

For decades, botanists have been studying plants that have grown spontaneously inside the Colosseum. There are more than 350 different types of plants that have taken root among the ruins - some of them of absolutely exotic origin and their growth is supported by the unique microclimate of the amphitheater.

Coliseum and Hollywood

The Colosseum has been the setting for many films, but the film that made it even more famous around the world, Gladiator, was not filmed inside the amphitheatre. A series of unanswered questions prompted director Ridley Scott to film the gladiator fight scenes at the Roman amphitheater El Jem in Tunisia and the fake Colosseum, specially built for filming in Malta. It took only 19 weeks to build the amphitheater, but the structure was made of wood and only partially: most of it was recreated on a computer in post-production.

August 4, 2018

Perhaps nothing excites the imagination of tourists coming to the Eternal City as much as the walls of the ancient Roman Colosseum - silent witnesses of gladiatorial games. The question of their origin is still open. However, regardless of the opinion of historians, the gladiator fights in the arena of the Colosseum were an example of military ethics and were an important part of political and social life in the Roman world.

The bloody games continued for almost a thousand years, reaching their peak even before the appearance of the Flavian Amphitheater - in the period from the 2nd century BC. until the 1st century AD Where and why did such non-trivial entertainment for the public appear in Ancient Rome.

Gladiator fights - the history of occurrence

The early chronicle sources that have come down to us differ in estimates of the dates and causes of the appearance of gladiator fights. So, at the end of the 1st century BC. the Greek historian and philosopher Nicholas of Damascus (born about 64 BC), believed that their origin originates from Etruria - the ancient region of Central Italy, which included: part of Lazio north of Rome, Tuscany, part of Umbria and the Ligurian coast. This version, which became dominant, was subsequently confirmed by ancient artifacts found during archaeological excavations in the Italian city of Tarquinia, located about 45 km from Rome in the province of Viterbo. This city is one of the oldest settlements of the Etruscans. It was he who gave a whole dynasty of ancient Roman kings -.
The hypothesis that gladiator fights were borrowed by the Romans from the Etruscans is based on the graphic images of ritual funerals accompanied by games found in their funerary burials.

Fresco "Wrestlers" in an Etruscan funerary burial, c. 460g. BC.

The funeral games of the Etruscans also provided for the sacrifice of prisoners, in which their blood was poured as a sacrificial offering on the grave of a fallen warrior to rest his soul. This expiatory bloody rite, apparently, anticipated the early Roman gladiator fights.

Fresco "Sacrifice of captured Trojans", ca. IV BC

Gladiator games in the early Roman era and scenery changes

Like many ancient customs, gladiator fights in the arena of the Colosseum, which began as a religious ceremony, became a public spectacle. According to the Roman historian Titus Livy (59 BC - 17 AD), they were first held in Rome in 264. BC. In his work "Ab Urbe Condita Libri", he noted that they were organized by the brothers Marco Junio Pera (Roman consul in 230 BC) and Decimus Junio Pera (Roman consul in 266 BC) on the occasion of the funeral his father, the no less famous politician and aristocrat of Etruscan origin, Decimus Junius Brut Pera, one of the direct descendants of the founder of Rome. Then, in order to honor his memory, three pairs of gladiators fought to the death at the Forum Boarium (Bull Forum) and this bloody action, according to Titus Livius, fully corresponded to the Etruscan funeral rite.

gladiators. OK. 2nd century AD Part of a mosaic found in the city of Zliten, Misurata province in Libya.

In 216 BC. the Roman consul Marcus Aemilius Lepidus was also honored with such a solemn ancient rite - "munera funerari", that is, funeral games. His sons Lucius, Quintus and Marcus, using twenty-two pairs of rivals, organized gladiator fights in the Forum Romanum, which lasted three days.

The next large-scale gladiator fights held as part of the munera funerari took place at the funeral of the Roman consul Publius Licinius Crassus in 183. BC. But they were already more extravagant. The funeral games lasted three days and were attended by about 120 gladiators.

The fascination with gladiatorial games and their adoption as a necessary ritual at burial was enthusiastically received by many allies of Rome, and the cult of gladiators penetrated far beyond its borders. By the beginning of 174. BC. The "small" Roman munera funerari - private or public - already had a rather low significance and were so ordinary and unremarkable that they did not even bother to be mentioned in the writings of the chroniclers. In 105g. BC. the ruling consuls suggested that Rome sponsor a "barbarian battle" from the public treasury as part of a training program for the military. Gladiator fights, first held by specially trained fighters from Capua, proved to be so popular that after that they became public. They were often included in the state games that accompanied the main religious holidays.

Colosseum - the main arena of gladiators

Initially, public gladiator fights were held in the open, crowded areas of city markets, such as the Forum Boarium, around which temporary seats were erected on high ground for high-status spectators. However, as the gladiatorial games became more and more popular, the construction of fundamental structures was required.

Fresco depicting the Roman arena in Pompeii, built c. 79g. BC.

The earliest known Roman amphitheater was built for this purpose around 70 BC. BC. in Pompeii. In Rome, according to the chroniclers, there was a wooden amphitheater of the public orator Gaius Scribonius Curio, built in 53. BC, and the discovery of the first stone took place only in 29g. BC. and was timed to coincide with the celebration of the triple triumph of Octavian Augustus. According to Pliny, the three floors of this amphitheater were finished with marble, contained over 3,000 bronze statues, and seated 80,000 spectators. However, in 64g. AD it burned to the ground, as the building, in all likelihood, had a wooden frame. To replace him, Emperor Titus Flavius Vespasian built in Rome the largest and most famous arena of gladiators in the world - the Flavian Amphitheater, known today as the Colosseum. It was opened in 80 AD. as a personal gift of the Emperor to the Roman people.

The Colosseum, built by the Flavian dynasty, donated to the Roman people by Emperor Vespasian

gladiatorial games

During the Empire, the number of gladiator fights held reached its peak, becoming the favorite pastime of an enthusiastic public. The performances turned into real gladiator shows - the games were announced in advance on billboards, which indicated their reason, place and date, the number and names of the couples performing, and the order in which they appeared. In addition, the audience was informed about the availability of places under an awning that protects from the sun, provided drinks, sweets and food, and prizes for the winners were indicated.
On the night before the games, the gladiators were given the opportunity to give instructions to complete their personal affairs, a banquet was arranged for them, which had an obvious resemblance to the ritual and sacramental "last meal".

Gladiators after the fight. 1882 Painting by José Morino Carbonero, Prado Museum

The next day, solemnly marching through the whole city, luxuriously dressed gladiators were heading to the Flavian amphitheater. At the front were the lictors, Roman civil servants; behind were a small group of trumpeters playing fanfares, and a retinue carrying images of the gods to witness the trials in the arena. The procession was closed by a clerk and a special person who carried a palm branch to honor the winners.

It is interesting!

According to the established opinion, before the battle in the arena of the Colosseum, the gladiators fell under the podium of the emperor, if he was present at the performances, and shouted - "Ave Caesar, morituri te salutant", i.e. "Hello Caesar, those who are about to die greet you". However, recent historiography denies such speculation.

The games of gladiators in the arena of the Colosseum usually began with an entertaining spectacle - either wild animals fighting each other, or with animal hunting (venationes), when a weakly armed gladiator (venator) fought with hungry predators - lions, tigers or bears. The venator, that is, the hunter, was protected only by fasciae - strips of dry-cured leather wrapped around the torso and legs. For his defense, he used only a spear.

Animal hunting in the arena. Byzantine fresco ca. 5th century AD Mosaic Museum in Istanbul, Turkey

The next act was the public condemnation of criminals or Christians who violated the law - Ludi Meridiani, which gained considerable popularity during the period of the Roman Empire. The most barbaric form of the death penalty, Domnatio ad Bestia (Condemnation to beasts), was applied to the guilty, sentenced to death. The unfortunate were simply thrown to the wild beast to be torn to pieces.

Often, the unfortunate were completely or partially naked, and fetters prevented them from resisting in order to protect their lives. Those who controlled this form of execution were called bestiarii (from the Latin Bestia, "beast"). Public death by wild animals in the arena was considered the most humiliating in Rome. The last act of humiliation was the removal of the corpses - they were pulled out of the arena of the Colosseum with hooks, and the torn bodies were subsequently deprived of the proper pagan burial rites.

Fragment of the mosaic "Domnatio ad Bestia", 1st century AD, Zliten, Libya

Before the start of the fights, in the arena of the Colosseum, their simulation was held with wooden weapons as a warm-up, in which pairs of fighters declared for participation in the gladiatorial show participated. Then lanists (entrepreneurs of gladiators, in the modern sense) presented to the public the participants in the upcoming fights and marked the battle space, limiting it with marks.

The fight of gladiators in the arena of the Colosseum, which usually lasted 10-15 minutes, began at the signal of a calling lingering sound from the horn. During the day, 10-13 fights were held, and trained fighters had to follow the professional rules for its conduct. For this, summa rudis was appointed, i.e. the chief referee and his assistant, in order to warn or separate opponents from each other at some most critical moment. Most often, the judges themselves were retired gladiators - their decisions and judgments were unconditionally respected. They could completely stop the fight or suspend it to give the opponents a rest.

Mosaic fragment "Fight of the Gladiators", ca. 320g. AD, Borghese Gallery, Rome, Italy

The downtrodden gladiator could admit defeat himself by turning to the referee with a thumbs-up to stop the fight and turn to the editor, whose decision usually depended on the response of the crowd. The earliest gladiator fights provided for unconditional death for the vanquished, which was considered a righteous punishment for defeat. Somewhat later, during the Roman Empire, those who showed their skills and fought well could get at the whim of the crowd or, more often, from the editor - missione, i.e. forgiveness and save your life from a death sentence. Obviously, this was due to the fact that public fights in the amphitheater arena became a good business for school holders - gladiators were expensive, they were rented for battle, sold and bought as a commodity, and the contract concluded between the lanist and the editor could include the payment of quite a large monetary compensation. for unforeseen deaths. Sometimes the amount could be fifty times higher than the rent of the gladiator.

Painting Pollice Verso (lat. Fingers down), art. Jean-Leon Gerome, 1872

The defeated, who was denied pardon, had to die with dignity, without resisting and without crying out for mercy. Some mosaics that have survived to our time show exactly how the defeated gladiators accepted death. The winner dealt the last fatal blow to the kneeling opponent, lowering his sword from top to bottom - between the collarbone and shoulder blade, in order to reach the heart and, thus, gave him a quick death.

It is interesting!

The blood of a gladiator killed in the arena was considered an effective aphrodisiac, which had a tonic and invigorating effect. The ancient Roman writer and author of "Natural History" Gaius Pliny Secundus (23-79 AD) noted in his writings that "the Romans drank the blood from dying gladiators, as from living bowls, as a remedy for anemia." The blood of wounded fighters was considered an effective remedy for epilepsy, it was collected with sponges right in the arena and even sold.

The manager of the fights in the arena of the Colosseum publicly confirmed the death of the gladiator, touching him with a red-hot iron, and invited the libitinari - special servants of the amphitheater, to carry out the body. Dressed in the clothes of the gods Charon or Mercury, they carried the lifeless remains out of the arena through a special door intended for this - libitina, so named after the ancient Roman goddess of funerals and burials. This door led to the spoliarium, a chamber reserved for corpses, where the dead gladiator was stripped of his armor and weapons.

The winner who won the gladiator fights received a laurel crown from the editor, and money from the grateful crowd of spectators. For the originally condemned gladiator or slave, the greatest reward was to give him a rudis - a training wooden sword. From that moment on, the slave received freedom, being considered a freedman.

Prohibition of gladiatorial games

Alien invasions, plague, civil war and economic depression predetermined the so-called Crisis of the Third Century. Also known as the Imperial Crisis of 235-284. AD, which began with the assassination of Emperor Alexander Severus in 235, it led to profound changes in all institutions of power and in economic life throughout the Empire and predetermined the widespread spread of the Christian religion. And although the emperors continued to subsidize gladiator fights in the arena of the Colosseum as an integral public interest, the bloody spectacle became increasingly despised by Christians.

Death of Ignatius of Antioch in the arena in Rome

In 315g. Constantine I banned the barbaric death sentences Domnatio ad Bestia carried out in the arenas, and ten years later he even tried to completely ban the games of gladiators. However, imperial legislation was unable to completely curb the holding of the Games, despite the fact that:

in 365 AD Valentinian I (reigned 364-375) threatened to fine judges who sentenced Christians to death in the arena;
in 393 AD Theodosius I (ruled 379-395) banned pagan festivals;
in 399 and 404 the Emperor Honorius (reigned 393-423) twice legally banned and closed gladiator schools in Rome;
in 438 Valentinian III (reigned 425-455) repeated the previous ban on gladiatorial games;
In 439, the last gladiator fight took place in Rome.

The policy consistently pursued by a number of emperors, aimed at eradicating the pagan heritage, gave its results. In addition, the spread of Christianity caused more and more rejection and disgust among the followers of the new religion, which significantly reduced interest in gladiator fights.

It is interesting!

It is believed that a tragic event that occurred in 404 during a gladiator fight in the arena of the Colosseum played an important role in the prohibition of games. According to the testimony of the Syrian Bishop of Antioch Theodoret (393-458), during the final stage of the duel, when the winner of the fight was preparing to deliver the final fatal blow to the defeated opponent, a monk ran out into the arena of the amphitheater, trying to stop the massacre. The crowd, thirsting for blood, threw stones at the noble Christian. History has preserved the name of the monk who was martyred - Almachus (Almaquio), better known as Saint Telemachus. Impressed by what had happened, Emperor Flavius Honorius Augustus banned gladiator fights in Rome, and Almachus was elevated to the rank of saints.

However, the games of gladiators in the arenas continued until the beginning of the 6th century. The last spectacular battles, according to historians, took place in Venice in 536.

Gladiator fights in modern reconstruction

Today, some Roman reenactors are trying to recreate gladiator schools, forming whole groups of like-minded people. Their goal is to reproduce as accurately as possible the gladiator fight in the arena and demonstrate the Roman historical heritage.

Reconstruction of a gladiatorial fight

Various festivals regularly held, not only in Rome, give contemporaries the opportunity to see the armor and weapons of the fighters with their own eyes, and by attending such events, they can feel the spirit of the times and feel the former greatness of the Roman Empire. Numerous feature films shot in the peplum genre by Italian and foreign filmmakers also contribute to this. And although some of them are costume dramas, interest in them does not dry out for many generations of viewers. But you can read about it in our next article.

Gladiator fights in the arena of the Colosseum: sword, blood and public delight

The most famous ruin in the world, the trademark of ancient Rome, the Colosseum might never have been built had Vespasian not decided to destroy the traces of the reign of his predecessor Nero. As part of this program, a grandiose amphitheater for 70,000 spectators was erected on the site of the pond with swans that adorned the Golden Palace - the largest circus of the Empire. Games in honor of its discovery (in 80 AD) continued non-stop for 100 days; during this time, 2,000 gladiators and 5,000 wild animals tore and slaughtered each other. In our review, the most interesting and little-known facts about one of the main attractions of Rome.

1. Colosseum - "Flavian amphitheater"

2. Giant statue of Nero at the Colosseum

Nero, who went down in history thanks to despotism and the murder of members of his family, ordered the construction of a giant bronze statue in his honor near the place where the Colosseum was later erected. The statue was made after the model of the Colossus of Rhodes, its height exceeded 30 meters, and it was called the Colossus of Nero. It is because of this statue that the Colosseum got its name.

3. The Colosseum was built on the site of a former lake

Nero's pleasure palace, the so-called "Golden House" (Domus Aurea), was built after a fire in 64 (a number of buildings in Rome burned down and a lot of free space was freed up). Near the palace there was an artificial lake. After Nero's suicide in 68 and a brief period of civil wars, Vespasian became emperor in 69, after which the Golden House was destroyed. The baths of Trajan were built in its place. The lake was filled up, and in its place began to build the Colosseum.

4. The Colosseum was built in just 10 years

5. The Colosseum is the largest amphitheater ever built.

6. The amphitheater had sectors for different classes

Although the Colosseum was intended for all Roman citizens, both rich and poor, spectators were seated in different sectors based on their social status and wealth.

7. The Colosseum held 50,000 people

The width of each seat was about 35 centimeters, but there was always a rush during gladiator fights.

8. Fights between gladiators were carefully planned

For more than four centuries, thousands of slaves, prisoners of war, criminals, former military personnel and even volunteers fought in the Colosseum for the entertainment of the Romans. The fights were not at all chaotic, but somewhat similar to modern boxing - gladiators were carefully classified according to their height, strength, experience, skill level and fighting style.

9 The Colosseum Has Become A Graveyard For Thousands Of Animals

Along with battles between people, the Romans also staged fights with animals such as elephants, tigers, lions, bears, hippos, etc. During the opening ceremony of the Colosseum, 9,000 animals were killed, and during the 123-day festival held by Emperor Trajan , killed 11,000 animals.

10. Naval battles were staged in the Colosseum

11. The building has been abandoned for centuries

After gladiator fights lost their appeal and the Roman Empire fell in the 5th century, the Colosseum ceased to be the site of large public events, and was subsequently partially destroyed by an earthquake and lightning strike. It was abandoned until the 18th century, when the Catholic Church decided that a similar site should be preserved.

12. The Colosseum was partially taken away for building materials

13. They wanted to set up a wool factory in the Colosseum

The hypogeum (underground floor) was eventually filled with mud and earth, and for centuries the Romans planted their vegetable gardens and used the space for cellars there, while blacksmiths and merchants used the archways above. Pope Sixtus V, who helped rebuild Rome in the late 16th century, planned to rebuild the Colosseum into a wool factory. But after the death of Sixtus in 1590, this project was abandoned.

14. The most attractive place in Rome for tourists

15. The Colosseum has been partially restored

Italian Minister of Culture Dario Franceschini has announced a $20 million renovation of the Colosseum, which will include restoring the floor of the arena. And in 2013, billionaire Diego Della Valle provided $33 million for a renovation of the Colosseum, which includes repairing the arches, cleaning the marble, restoring the brick walls, replacing the metal railings, and building a new visitor center and café.

Once in Italy, it is worth visiting and, free admission to which was opened not so long ago.

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