Essay, Sub-task 2

Marit

Janssen 2L
14-0915

The Colosseum
Name
The Colosseums original Latin name was
Flavium Amphitheatrum. This name is
still used in modern English, but
generally it is better known as the
Colosseum.

History
The Colosseum was commissioned
around 70-72 AD by Emperor Vespasian
as a gift to the Roman people. In AD 80,
Vespasians son, Titus, finished it. He opened it as Flavium
Amphitheatrum, with 100 days of games. The games were things like
gladiatorial combats and wild animal fights.

Description of the building

The building is 189 meters long and 156 meters wide.
The height of the outer wall is 48 meters. The building
stands on a base. Above it are three floors of arcades,
and a fourth storey without arches but with small
rectangular windows. There were eighty arches on
every floor, divided by pillars with a half column.
In the Colosseum could sit more than 50 thousand
spectators.
This is how the building looked before the earthquake in 1349. The
earthquake caused that the outer south side of the Colosseum collapsed.
You can see that on lots of pictures of the Colosseum.

Explanation of the shape / design aim

The Colosseum was designed for gladiatorial contests and public
spectacles. One of the most popular games was animal hunt.
For this it is handy to make it round, a circle or an oval. The Colosseum is
build as an oval, I think that was very handy so every spectator could see
what happened in the middle.

Source of inspiration
The reason why I would use the Colosseum as a source of inspiration is
because I really like the arches on each floor. And the fourth floor with the
rectangular windows finishes the building. Also, the oval shape of the

Colosseum I really like. I think I am going to use the arches in my

foundation. I am not sure if I am going to make it oval or a circle.
And, the building is surely not ugly because parts collapsed. I find it still
pretty how it is nowadays.