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When it was first built, the arena was filled with water and mock naval battles were enacted. However, this was not good for the floor or the foundations, and the water was drained away. Gladiatorial contests replaced the mock battles. These were fierce combats to the death involving men and wild animals.
Once people entered, they went up ramps to their seats. Seats varied according to how rich people were. Women and the poor stood or sat on wooden benches on the 4th floor.
One of the engineering marvels of the Colosseum was the coloured awning that could be spread overhead in hot weather.
The wooden flooring of the arena is now
gone, and today we can see the rooms under the flooring where
the gladiators and wild animals were kept waiting their contests.
Most shows in the Colosseum lasted all day. The morning events were comedies or animal shows, and the gladiator events were in the afternoon.
Thousands of men and animals were killed during the time these contests were held. The Colosseum's opening ceremony was in A.D 80, lasting 100 days. Gladiator contests were stopped by the Emperor Honorius in A.D 404, although animal combats continued for another hundred years.
Wild cats such
as lions and leopards were captured by the thousand for animal
contests. Often gladiators had to fight wild animals such as lions
or leopards. The animals were starved for three days before the
contest. The animal was pushed from a dark room into the blinding
sunshine of the arena. If the animal killed the gladiator, it
was then killed in another show by a man trained to kill wild
animals.
Some animals were trained to do tricks in animal shows, but the
vast majority died in the arena. It is estimated that over a million
wild animals were killed in contests at the Colosseum. By
the time the animal shows were stopped, entire species of animals
had disappeared from their native habitats.
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The Barbary Lion once roamed all across northern Africa, and was captured by the thousand for the Colosseum contests. It was thought that the last one was killed in 1920, but several lions have been found that seem to be at least part Barbary. Find out more: http://www.awf.org/news/25 |
For photos of
the Colosseum today, go to
http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Roman_Colosseum.html
The gladiators
of ancient Rome
If you use any part of
this, acknowledge it in your bibliography like this:
The Colosseum
(2003).
[Online], Available: www.kidcyber.com.au
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People and Places
Updated April 2003
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