Library Notes
July 10, 2004
By Pansy Hundley, Librarian.
We’ve arrived in Rome, Italy late on this Monday afternoon, to spend the following week roaming about here and there, and seeing everything we can cast our eyes upon.
The first outstanding, historical, thing my eyes fell upon, as we drove to our hotel, was the coliseum itself. It stands right out there in the middle of the city, with a highway encircling it, and cars going all around it. I couldn’t believe it. This marvelous huge historical thing I’ve heard of so long is not located in the middle of a wide, green park-like area, with that coliseum standing majestically in the center. It’s right out there in the traffic, just a few short blocks from our hotel. That seems an insult to such an ancient, historical site that is not as preserved and protected as this site should be. As soon as they ask me, I’ll tell '‘m too!!
You guessed it. I managed to find me a "Rome" book with all sorts of information in it. And I shall share some history of the origin and history of this unique amphitheater with you.
"This immense amphitheater, whose imposing remains still allow us to admire its ancient splendor, was begun byVespasian in 72 A.D. and completed by his son Titus in 80 A.D. It was built by Jewish prisoners. It’s true name is the "Flavian Amphitheater", though it was commonly called the Colosseum, both for its proportions and its vicinity to the Colossus of Nero. There is hardly a page of Roman history that is not in some way connected to the Colosseum, which became the symbol of the city and its life.
The Colesseum had the same function as a modern giant stadium, but the favorite spectacles in Roman times were the games of the Circus, which probably had been invented in the late Republican era, with the intention of cultivating the war-like spirit that had made Romans the conquerors of the world. This was the origin of the professional gladiators, who were trained to fight to the death, while wild beasts were killed in the one hundred days of celebrations which inaugurated the amphitheater. After the animals were killed and removed, the arena was often filled with water in order to stage naval battles. The Emperor Constantine and his successors tried to put an end to the gladiatorial fights, but at first the Romans did not want to give up their customary shows. At the beginning of the 5th century, a monk called Telemachus came from the east and one day entered the arena and tried to put himself between the gladiators. He appealed to the people to give up their horrid games. The crowd hurled insults, sarcasm, and ultimately rocks, stoning the intruder to martyrdom. But that day the games were brought to an end.
The Colosseum is elliptical in shape, 187 meters at its longest end and 155 meters at its shortest. The height of the external ring reached 50 meters from ground level. It was designed to accommodate an estimated 80,000 spectators. Around the exterior run three orders of arches, respectively adorned with Doric, Ionian and Corinthian columns, and a fourth floor with Corinthian pilasters. Of the forty arches that make up the elliptical ring, four correspond to the entrances at the four axes, of which only the entrance of honor reserved for the Emperor remains.
The Colesseum was usually uncovered, but in case of rain it was covered by an immense velarium, which was maneuvered by two squads of sailors belonging to the fleets of Ravenna and Cape Misenum. These two squads, also took part in the naval battles which were often staged in the amphitheater.
When this amphitheater was in its full glory, it must have been a stupendous site of Roman greatness. But even today, after so many centuries, the Colosseum is the pride of Rome and a marvel to its visitors.
Nonetheless the history of it is not without long periods of abandon and neglect. The end of the Roman Empire was marked by two earthquakes (in 442 and 508), which caused great damage to the structure. The Colosseum was nonetheless still in use under Theodoric, ruler of the Romano-Barbaric kingdom of the Goths, who in 523 authorized the staging of the venationes, the traditional hunt of the wild beats. From that point began the total abandon that saw the Colosseum used as a cemetery, a fortress, and above all, after the earthquake of 1349, as a quarry for building materials. The marble which once covered it almost entirely was reused in the busy period of construction during the Renaissance. In order to halt the serious decay of the Colosseum, Pope Benedict XIV (1740 – 1758) consecrated the old amphitheater by setting up a "Way of the Cross" and raising a cross on the site, which has been connected to thousands of Christian martyrs. Though Christians were certainly among the many who were killed there, there is no historical evidence that Christians were ever massacred in the Colosseum."
So, now you know more about this coliseum than you ever knew before. Just another history lesson, my children, in a long line of such lessons, as a result of my roaming. More people keep telling me that they are enjoying my travels and my information, so look out, more is forthcoming!
We have room for just a short book this week, due to someone’s (throat clearing) enthusiasm about this ancient site. Let’s look at one by Dorothy Garlock, whom many ladies love to read. "This Loving Land" is the title, set back during the days that we love.
"As rich with promise as her name, nineteen-year-old Summer headed west, in search of shelter in the person of Sam McLean. Instead, she rode into an uncertain future filled with renegade Apaches, a scheming enemy – and Sam’s son Slater. Hard and handsome, Slater lived and worked for one thing only: to find his father’s murderer. A sweet memory from his childhood, Summer brought the sunshine back into his life. But a secret long hidden, long feared, imperiled their tender, budding love."