construction of the colosSeum:
The Construction of the Colosseum The Colosseum is a huge building, an amphitheater to be exact, standing 620 feet long, 513 feet wide and 159 feet high and capable of holding 50,000 people. The Colosseum has 80 entrances, 76 which were open to the public. The other four were the higher ranked people like the royal family and soldiers. Building such a large amphitheater in Roman times would be quite large feat in terms of money. (And it would still be a large feat today.) So the building of it was profited by the robbing of a Jewish temple. The Colosseum started construction in CE 72 by Emperor Vespasian. Unfortunately, Vespasian died before it was completed in CE 80.
The engineers who built the Colosseum wanted it to be in the heart of Rome. That was great in terms of location. That was not great because it happened to be sitting on Rome's flood plain. A flood plain is a place where water drains into when it rains. So first four tunnels were dug where the Colosseum was to stand.
The Arches and Cranes
One of the first things you see when you look at the Colosseum is the arches. And no, they are not just for decorations. The arches are purposely there as for they hold all of the weight of the stone above. Arches distribute the weight of everything above then into columns that are anchored in the ground. You might be thinking how to they get those huge stone and concrete (a Roman invention) blocks to the top of the 159 foot amphitheater. They had cranes made out wood. The Roman's had a counter weight at the back of the crane to support the weight of the load. Pulleys were mounted on two long wooden pole that was supported by the counter weight. And how was it powered you ask? Laborers climbed a circular wheel that was basically a giant human hamster wheel. That turned a pole to pull the strings that lift the blocks of stone. Unfortunately those laborers were usually slaves who were given hard work for no pay.
The engineers who built the Colosseum wanted it to be in the heart of Rome. That was great in terms of location. That was not great because it happened to be sitting on Rome's flood plain. A flood plain is a place where water drains into when it rains. So first four tunnels were dug where the Colosseum was to stand.
The Arches and Cranes
One of the first things you see when you look at the Colosseum is the arches. And no, they are not just for decorations. The arches are purposely there as for they hold all of the weight of the stone above. Arches distribute the weight of everything above then into columns that are anchored in the ground. You might be thinking how to they get those huge stone and concrete (a Roman invention) blocks to the top of the 159 foot amphitheater. They had cranes made out wood. The Roman's had a counter weight at the back of the crane to support the weight of the load. Pulleys were mounted on two long wooden pole that was supported by the counter weight. And how was it powered you ask? Laborers climbed a circular wheel that was basically a giant human hamster wheel. That turned a pole to pull the strings that lift the blocks of stone. Unfortunately those laborers were usually slaves who were given hard work for no pay.
This is Roman crane that clearly depicts the 'human hamster wheel.'
These are the Thracian gladiator holding the small trademark curved dagger. These gladiators were been playing in the Colosseum.