Colosseum, also called Flavian Amphitheatre, giant amphitheatre inbuilt Rome under the Flavian emperors. Construction of the Colosseum was begun sometime between 70 and 72 CE during the reign of Vespasian. it's located just east of the Palatine Hill, on the grounds of what was Nero’s Golden House. the synthetic lake that was the centrepiece of that palace complex was drained, and therefore the Colosseum was sited there, a choice that was the maximum amount symbolic because it was practical. Vespasian, whose path to the throne had relatively humble beginnings, chose to exchange the tyrannical emperor’s private lake with a public amphitheatre that would host tens of thousands of Romans.
The structure was officially dedicated in 80 CE by Titus during a ceremony that included 100 days of games. Later, in 82 CE, Domitian completed the work by adding the uppermost story. Unlike earlier amphitheatres, which were nearly all dug into convenient hillsides for extra support, the Colosseum may be a freestanding structure of stone and concrete, employing a complex system of barrel vaults and groin vaults and measuring 620 by 513 feet (189 by 156 metres) overall. Three of the arena’s stories are encircled by arcades framed on the outside by engaged columns within the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian orders; the structure’s rising arrangement of columns became the idea of the Renaissance codification referred to as the assemblage of orders. the most structural framework and facade are travertine, the secondary walls are volcanic tufa, and therefore the refore the inner bowl and the arcade vaults are concrete.
The amphitheatre seated some 50,000 spectators, who were shielded from the sun by a huge retractable velarium (awning). Supporting masts extended from corbels built into the Colosseum’s top, or attic, story, and many Roman sailors were required to control the rigging that extended and retracted the velarium. The Colosseum was the scene of thousands of hand-to-hand combats between gladiators, of contests between men and animals, and of the many larger combats, including mock naval engagements. However, it's uncertain whether stage was the location of the martyrdom of early Christians.
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