Why was the roman coliseum built?
The emperor Vespasianus built the Colosseum because he wanted to entertain his subjects–indeed, some Roman emperors treated of their subjects quite well, often handing out free bread and providing them with entertainment. Vespasianus also wanted to impress visitors and the general public. Being able to build some an immense structure showed that the government was wealthy and that it took care of its people. It essentially showed the emperor’s power. Public events were extremely popular in Roman times. The Colosseum could seat between 50,000-87,000 people (the actual number is unclear), so one ‘show’ could be watched by a huge amount of people. In modern times, most people equate the Colosseum with gladiators. It is true that there were many gladiatorial fights–fights in which professional fighters (‘gladiators’) battled each other, wild animals such as tigers and bears, and sometimes condemned criminals, often to the death. However, the Colosseum hosted many other types of entertain
