How was the Colosseum built?
History: The Colosseum was originally called the Flavian Ampitheatre after its builders, the emperors Vespasian and Titus, both of the Flavian family. Construction began around 70 AD in a low lying area between the Palatine, Esquiline, and Caelian hills that had once formed the pond of Nero’s Domus Aureus. The ampitheatre probably came to be called the “Colosseum” because a colossal statue of Nero once stood near it. The Colosseum was completed in 80 AD and seated more than 50,000 spectators. Its opening was celebrated with 100 days of games in which thousands of animals and gladiators were killed. Occasionally the Colosseum was flooded in order to stage small naval battles, though these more commonly took place in large basins, called naumachias, that were specially dug for that purpose. The emperor had his own entrance to the Colosseum, and from his private “box seat” he decided the fate of defeated gladiators. The floor of the arena was wood covered with sand. Beneath the floor was
The Flavian Amphitheatre was built of travertine on the outside, and of tufa and brick in the interior. The main pedestals were built of marble blocks. The Colosseum consisted of four floors. The first three storeys had high, arched entrances designed with tiers of Ionic, Doric and Corinthian columns.
