Colosseum

eum
Functional architecture Paul Artus p.37

Workbooks p.38
Pepsi + colosseum
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1. How many people can it hold?
2. Where is it located?
3. Who began constructing it?
4. Who else contributed to its construction?
5. What year was it opened?
6. What events were held there?
7. Name the types of engaged columns from the
ground floor up
8. Where did the women sit?
9. Which women got to sit in a different place?
10. Where did the senators sit?
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Colosseum.flv
Colosseum
What might the arches have been useful for
(the architectural purpose)?
Colosseum p.37
workbook
Location: Rome
Architectural type: Amphitheatre, functional
Purposes find under ‘Used for?’ on p.38 of Paul Artus
Dates of construction: (Built between 70-80 AD )Built by

Emperor’s of the Flavian Dynasty. The building had reached the
top of the 2nd level when Vespasian died in 79AD. His son Titus
added the 3rd level and celebrated the dedication of the
enlarged structure in AD80 with the inaugural games. Titus’
brother, Domitian added the 4th storey in 81AD.
History of the site: Vespasian built the colosseum in the

grounds of Nero’s Golden House. This was a clever move
because Nero had taken land after the fire in Rome. He had
built an artificial lake. Now Vespasian was returning to the
Roman people land that Nero had taken for his own pleasure.
Vespasian was a humble man who sympathised with his
subjects.
 Original name & variations: find on
p.38 of Paul Artus
Dimensions & attendance figures:
188mx 156 m in an elliptical shape.
Ground floor arches were 7.05m high
the 2nd level 6.45m and 3rd 6.40m high
Could take 50, 000 people
Construction p. 38
Materials used:
Materials used:
 travertine pavement 17.05m wide. Travertine was also
used for the piers on the 1st 2 levels.
 Above the 2nd floor concrete was used, with brick facing,
where there was more intense pressure
 The fact that the structure exists today, underlines the
stability of the original design & materials.
 The exterior is decorated with a façade of engaged
columns & pilasters that serve no structural purpose but
that display the use of the old Greek architectural orders
– the engaged columns of the 1st 3 levels from the ground
floor up are:
 Doric
 Ionic
 Corinthian
 The top storey has
 corinthian pilasters
 Statues stood originally in the arches of
the 2nd and 3rd levels- but have not
survived.
construction (workbooks p. 39)
 Before any construction could
begin, the workers had to drain
the Stagnum which Emperor Nero
had flooded earlier.
 After the Stagnum was emptied,
they had to lay down the
foundation.
 From there they added many
levels and built an amazing
system of pulleys, levers, ropes,
and bridges beneath the stage
floor that the warriors battle on.
p.38. In what ways did the
designers make provision
for the participants in
games?
 There were dens and
caverns beneath the
wooden floor for animals &
gladiators to be kept before
the fights
 (Not only did the warriors
Excavated site fight each other they were
forced to fight animals such
as tigers)
The structure goes

down 6.08 m to a brick
pavement. It has been
excavated to reveal the
remains of dens for wild
beasts & other features
p.39
Workbook
Draw the
sketch
Workbooks
p.40
What was done to ensure that
there was ease of access for
spectators to their seats
(p.40)?
76 out of a total of 80 arches
served as the main entrances
and exits. Wooden barriers
were set up to funnel the
spectators in an orderly
manner. There was a number
engraved above each external
arch. People had wooden
tickets with the number of the
entrance they were meant to
go in.
There were 4 arches at each

axis that were not numbered.
The two on the north and
south were for the imperial
family
What groups in Roman society could view games
held in the colosseum and where did they sit?
 The emperor entered through a triple archway
on the north side.
The consuls sat in a box directly opposite -
through a triple entrance way, on the south side.
 Women = top storey.

 female members of the ruling family and the
vestal virgins sat by the ringside.
p.40 workbooks
6. Hierachial order to
seating
Podium
20 rows of marble
seat
16 rows
colonade
Wooden seats
for women
Standing room for

poorest people
In the picture you can
see how the Velarium
looks when it is closed
with just a hole in the
middle for sunlight.
What was the role of the Velarium (workbooks p.40)?

It was a huge canvas awning that could be rolled into place above
the seating area. It was put in to shield the harmful rays of the hot
Mediterranean sun. It was fastened to a series of poles that ran
around the exterior rim of the top storey. 100 sailors from
Misenum were employed to erect the awning and to maintain the
yards of rigging that was involved, to ensure it worked correctly.
DIMENSIONS OF THE AMPHITHEATRE
 Height:
 Length of external axis: 188m
 Capacity: 50,000
 Shape: elliptical
 Function of columns: decorative
3 ways in which the structure was imperial propaganda:
1) Its huge size – largest amphitheatre ever built
2) Vespasian was made popular with the Romans by returning
their land which had been taken by Nero
3) Made the people feel better and more important with grand-
scale entertainment
Workbooks p.41
p. 41 Two ways that weight was
reduced was:
 Extensive use of arches and vaults were
used to lighten the load, spread the strain
and at the same time support the weight of
the structure and spectators.
 Upper levels made of brick faced concrete
gave an extra strength to the structure to
support the weight of the spectators.
 One problem associated with the architecture was how to
build a structure capable of supporting its own weight &
50,00 spectators.
 The architect made extensive use of arch and vault:
 To lighten the load
 To spread the strain
 And chose his building materials based on their strength
 The stepped
seating was 37
degree angle
essential to lessen
the weight
 Deep concrete
Foundations: 52m wide
12m deep
Colosseum at night
Colosseum
 Use Campbell to answer these questions
1. Where did the Colosseum get its name?
2. What is another name for it? Where does it come from?
3. On what site was it built? Name 2 significant things
about this?
4. What was the substructure for?
5. Write 3 facts about the Arena?
6. Draw a diagram describing the seating and use of it?
7. How many people did it hold?
8. Why do you think vomitoria were called that? How many
arched entrances were there?
9. How did the architect make the building strong?
10. Describe the Greek influence on the exterior.
11. HOw was the awning attached?
12. What was the building used for?

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eum

Functional architecture Paul Artus p.37

Dates of construction: (Built between 70-80 AD )Built by

History of the site: Vespasian built the colosseum in the

The structure goes

There were 4 arches at each

 Women = top storey.

Standing room for

What was the role of the Velarium (workbooks p.40)?

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