The Colliseum Essay

1709 Words7 Pages
“While stands the Coliseum, Rome shall stand; / When falls the Coliseum, Rome shall fall; / And when Rome falls – the World” (Lord Byron Quotes). Lord Byron is known as a great poet and intellectual man. Countless opinions expressed by Lord Byron are highly valued in modern society. Many people believe that Lord Byron’s perspective towards the Coliseum is accurate. This is because the Coliseum is a very complex structure. The structure and city are both sophisticated and beautiful. If the city of Rome were to perish, many believe that the world would as well because nowhere else is as sophisticated as Rome and its Coliseum. The Coliseum is a very famous amphitheater in Rome, Italy. It is originally known as the Flavian Amphitheater, and has been standing since 72 AD. Emperor Vespasian is known as the creator of this great architectural feat. His son, Titus, is known to have created the idea of using the amphitheater to host games for entertainment (Building the Colosseum). The Coliseum still stands today because it is regarded as the greatest amphitheater ever built, as it has upheld its great structure and an intriguing history throughout its years of being occupied and unoccupied. The structure of the Coliseum is very complex. The Roman Coliseum is known as the first free standing amphitheater in history. It is an oval plan that has a length of 620 feet, a height of 158 feet, and a width of 512 feet. The central area of the arena alone is 287 feet long and 180 feet wide. The wall protecting spectators that surrounds the arena stands at 15 feet high. This particular Coliseum is designed using the principle of the Arch, as well as many other ancient Roman structures. There are 80 entrance arches that are along the perimeter of the internal and external walls. Several more entrance arches also run to the center creating internal corridors and tunnels that run around

More about The Colliseum Essay

Open Document