The+Colosseum



**Rome's Colosseum**, also referred to as Flavian's Amphitheater, was created around the years 70 or 72 AD (The Full History). The dreamer behind this amphitheater was Emperor Vespasian. He dreamed of a building that would top the likes of any before that would give back to the public (Building). The design was simply two Greek Theaters placed back to back. In it's glory days, it was able to hold fifty thousand people. Entertainment came in the form of animal hunts, reenactments, theater, mock sea battles, executions, and most famously, gladiator games (The Full History). Later, it was remodeled to contain a maze of trapdoors and dead ends for prisoners to fight their way through (Engineering). Today, earthquakes, fires and theft have placed this wonder in ruins but it still remains one of the most popular tourist spot in Rome (The Full History).

While this structure can be considered a wonder of the world, the construction can be equally admired. Around a hundred thousand Jewish prisoners undertook the manual labor required for this job. Man power not only went towards the Colosseum itself but also to the quarry in Tivoli and to the transportation of the heavy rocks between these two destinations. Thanks to the invention of concrete and arches, the Romans were able to design a grand and sturdy structure (Building). Lighter concrete was used up top and hoisted by wooden cranes. A rumored 600 tons of concrete was used to make the 160 feet tall structure (Engineering). Stairs and seats where construction off-site. Each one, the exact same size as another, making them interchangeable and then placed in the amphitheater later. There were around 80 exits around the building, allowing maximum crowd control (Building).

This structure and it's construction were thousands of years ahead of its time for technology. It's an architectural design marvel that takes everyone's breathe away. Appreciation for this building and the civilization that built it runs through almost every part of the globe. It truly is a wonder of the world, both ancient and modern.

Works Cited