Who doesn’t know “ The Colosseum “, the most famous monument of ancient Rome? Visit Rome without having a look to that emblem of Roman eternity is almost unthinkable. Especially now that an exhibition, called “The Colosseum: An Icon”, was opened a few days ago on the middle floor of the “Flavian Amphitheatre (that was the originally name) and will least until next January.
The exhibition where are exposed, for the first time, a lot of remnants that are the testimony of a long and almost unknown story of the Colosseum, during the middle Age and later, opened a few months after the end of the restorations works that costed some 25 millions of Euro to Diego Della Valle (Tod’s) and that gave back their originally light colour to the Colosseum stones (travertine) that became grey for the polluted air coming from the cars and bus that used, for more than a century, to pass very near, all around the antique amphitheatre.
Before & After Restoration
The biggest amphitheatre of the ancient Rome (with a capacity of 80.000 spectators) was constructed at the time of Vespasien, of the Flavian Dynasty (also famous because he introduced the first public toilets!), between 70 A.D. and 76 A.D. But it was completed only in 80 A.D. under Titus.
The inaugural festival lasted 100 days and more than 500 beast and who knows how many gladiators were killed during this grand opening period.
During lunch- time, these very violent games where replaced by something even more cruel: the execution of death sentences.
The inaugural festival lasted 100 days and more than 500 beast and who knows how many gladiators were killed during this grand opening period.
During lunch- time, these very violent games where replaced by something even more cruel: the execution of death sentences.
Scene Form "Gladiator" Movie
In the third century, even if there is no historical base to be sure of that, it seems that a lot of Christians were martyred there. Not certainly in the time of Nero as we could see in the famous American film “Quo Vadis” for the simple reason that it didn’t exist yet.
The only link with Nero is that the name Colosseum comes probably from the Nero’s colossal statue erected just near the Flavian Amphitheatre that was constructed on the side of the lake in the gardens of Nero’s Domus Aurea.
The only link with Nero is that the name Colosseum comes probably from the Nero’s colossal statue erected just near the Flavian Amphitheatre that was constructed on the side of the lake in the gardens of Nero’s Domus Aurea.
A Scene From "Quo Vadis" Movie
Nero Statue Close To The Colosseum
Another explanation for the name Colosseum is that, in the Middle Age, the amphitheatre was surrounded by small houses and looked enormous.
In fact, the monument remained still very important for the Romans, even after the fall of the Roman Empire, despite a lot of pillages (St Peter and different palaces where built with the travertine stones stolen to the Colosseum) and 2 or 3 earthquake (in 407, in 1231 and in 1349).
During all the Middle age, there were slaughterhouses, stables and many craftsman shops inside the monument. In the time of the wars betweens two families, the Frangipane and the Annibaldi , in the 12th century, the Frangipane constructed a tower and a timber walkway used by their soldiers, on the top of the south flank of the amphitheatre. Later, somebody opened a hospital. And, thanks to a particularly good microclimate, in the 17th century, the Colosseum had a fantastic botanical garden with more than 400 different plants.
All this unknown history of almost 2000 years is told by the remnants, paintings, drawings, models etc… exposed. Without forgetting the myth of the Colosseum that is kept alive by so many “peplum” films that are part of the program of this exceptional exhibition opened until the 8 January 2018.
In fact, the monument remained still very important for the Romans, even after the fall of the Roman Empire, despite a lot of pillages (St Peter and different palaces where built with the travertine stones stolen to the Colosseum) and 2 or 3 earthquake (in 407, in 1231 and in 1349).
During all the Middle age, there were slaughterhouses, stables and many craftsman shops inside the monument. In the time of the wars betweens two families, the Frangipane and the Annibaldi , in the 12th century, the Frangipane constructed a tower and a timber walkway used by their soldiers, on the top of the south flank of the amphitheatre. Later, somebody opened a hospital. And, thanks to a particularly good microclimate, in the 17th century, the Colosseum had a fantastic botanical garden with more than 400 different plants.
All this unknown history of almost 2000 years is told by the remnants, paintings, drawings, models etc… exposed. Without forgetting the myth of the Colosseum that is kept alive by so many “peplum” films that are part of the program of this exceptional exhibition opened until the 8 January 2018.
