Inside the Colosseum
On Friday we again negotiated our way around Rome’s underground railway system, to meet up with Lucia, our Viator guide and the rest of our tour group. I had booked two Viator tours from Australia, partly because they promise a maximum of only fifteen per group and because you avoid the queues to get into the famous sites. On both days we had a delightful, enthusiastic and very knowledgeable leader, so I thoroughly recommend them. Go to www.viator.com/tours/Rome and scroll through their list.
That icon of ancient Rome, the Colosseum, built between 72 and 80AD is huge and impressive on the outside, but once we were inside its former glory was revealed, especially when we walked through an archway to what was once the giant Flavian Amphitheatre.
The lower level reserved for the emperor and senators
The lower levels of this vast stadium were for the state leaders, with the best position, in the middle of the long curve on the eastern side, near where we entered, reserved for the emperor and his entourage. Marble originally decorated these areas and slaves brought in comfortable seats for their masters, the senators. The equestrian classes and wealthy citizens were also given special treatment according to their status, but, and this surprised me, everyone was free to come along and enjoy the emperor’s gift.
Apparently, Nero regarded himself as a God—had a colossal statue made of himself in the guise of Helios and took land from the people to transform into a lake in front of the huge palace he built for himself. Those who followed, no doubt having learned from Nero’s mistakes, promoted modesty and demonstrated love for the people by building the Colosseum on some of that land. It seemed to me that the clever emperors quickly concluded that keeping their voters (basically the senators) happy, gave them the best chance of retaining their title as well as calling in favours in the way of troops to fight in the frequent battles to protect Rome and to expand the empire.
Slaves and servants in the top levels – first to decay.
All Roman citizens could attend the ‘entertainments’. Even slaves had their place, way up in the top levels, standing room only, and sometimes it seems that women could see the fun too. Servants and visitors were also relegated to the top levels, made of timber, not stone like the first three levels.
Structural holes for ropes for the canopy, operated by sailors
Sailors were important in the order of things; the emperor and his wealthy mates enjoyed the benefit of linen canvasses to protect them from the elements. Only sailors could operate the ropes that unfurled these canopies.
Having been educated by Catholic nuns I believed the stories about Christians being martyred in the Colosseum. On this tour we were assured that their number would have been small, if any, as the best Gladiators were admired like modern movie stars. Most of them started as slaves (not all—some of them chose this career because, like modern boxers, they could make a fortune if successful). I didn’t like to ask too many questions, but history tells us that Christians were taken into slavery; I assume therefore, that Christians often became Gladiators and that the unskilled ones were, in fact killed in the arena.
A few anecdotes about the Gladiators:
Gladiators entered the arena via this straight underground passage
Although most of them were slaves, they could earn money for themselves, sometimes enough to pay for their freedom. Spectators bet on them, and would cry out to the emperor to let them live or die, depending on their skill and popularity. Managers had their own teams to train and care for. Before the season began the fighters were fed very well to fatten them up, thereby gaining some protection against swords and other weapons.
Those who were injured in the arena were not necessarily killed, but, (the more valuable and popular ones) were taken to hospital. If a Gladiator died in the Colosseum the emperor had to pay for the funeral and also compensate their family financially.
We got all this information, plus bits about the buildings construction
Restoration of some arches
Remains of marble floor
while walking around to the southern end of the arena, from where we looked down into the pits where the animals were kept and the path taken by the Gladiators as they walked out to the applause or jeers of the spectators. It was all very well organised, with their different areas clearly defined under the wooden floor that covered all of them and which itself was covered with sand – to absorb the blood – and which could be easily and efficiently cleared away after each performance. Apparently, the inauguration of the Colosseum was followed by a hundred days of entertainment, during which time five thousand wild animals were massacred. I haven’t yet found the number of humans included in this sacrificial orgy.
Remains of Nero’s palace
From the Colosseum we were shown the remains of Nero’s palace which later became a temple and from there we followed Lucia to the Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum. She was a walking encyclopaedia, wanting to give us so much information that I’ll have to write about that in my next post.