P73 - Italy - The Colosseum

The Colosseum, Roma, Italy ( UNESCO WHS )
( New Seven Wonders of the World )




The Colosseum or Roman Coliseum, originally the Flavian Amphitheatre, is an elliptical amphitheatre in the center of the city of Rome, Italy, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire. It is one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and Roman engineering.

Occupying a site just east of the Roman Forum, its construction started between 70 and 72 AD under the emperor Vespasian and was completed in 80 AD under Titus, with further modifications being made during Domitian's reign (81–96). The name "Amphitheatrum Flavium" derives from both Vespasian's and Titus's family name (Flavius, from the gens Flavia).

Capable of seating 50,000 spectators, the Colosseum was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles. As well as the gladiatorial games, other public spectacles were held there, such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology. The building ceased to be used for entertainment in the early medieval era. It was later reused for such purposes as housing, workshops, quarters for a religious order, a fortress, a quarry, and a Christian shrine.

It has been estimated that about 500,000 people and over a million wild animals died in the Colosseum games.

Although in the 21st century it stays partially ruined due to damage caused by devastating earthquakes and stone-robbers, the Colosseum is an iconic symbol of Imperial Rome and its breakthrough achievements in earthquake engineering. It is one of Rome's most popular tourist attractions and still has close connections with the Roman Catholic Church, as each Good Friday the Pope leads a torchlit "Way of the Cross" procession to the amphitheatre.

The Colosseum is also depicted on the Italian version of the five-cent euro coin.


羅馬鬥獸場（Colosseo），又譯作罗马大角鬥场、罗马圆形鬥獸场、科洛西姆、哥罗塞姆，原名弗莱文圆形剧场（拉丁文：Anfiteatro Flavio／Amphitheatrvm falvvm），位於今天的意大利罗马市中心，是古罗马时期最大的圆形角鬥场，建於公元72年-82年间，现仅存遗迹。

鬥獸场这种建筑形态起源于古希腊时期的剧场，例如埃庇道努劇場（Epidauros Theater，約公元前330年，設計師：皮力克雷托斯Polykleitos the Younger），当时的剧场都傍山而建，呈半圆形，观众席就在山坡上层层升起。但是到了古罗马时期，人们开始利用拱券结构将观众席架起来，并将两个半圆形的剧场对接起来，因此形成了所谓的圆形剧场（amphitheatrum），并且不再需要靠山而建了。而罗马鬥獸场就是罗马帝国内规模最大的一个椭圆形角鬥场，它长轴187米，短轴155米，周长527米，中央为表演区，长轴86 米，短轴54米，地面铺上地板，外面围着层层看台。看台约有60排，分为五个区，最下面前排是贵宾（如元老、长官、祭司等）区，第二层供贵族使用，第三区是给富人使用的，第四区由普通公民使用，最后一区则是给底层妇女使用，全部是站席。在观众席上还有用悬索吊挂的天篷，这是用来遮阳的；而且天篷向中间倾斜，便于通风。这些天篷由站在最上层柱廊的水手们像控制风帆那样操控。

鬥獸场的看台用三层混凝土制的筒形拱上，每层80个拱，形成三圈不同高度的环形券廊（即拱券支撑起来的走廊），最上层则是50米高的实墙。看台逐层向后退，形成阶梯式坡度。每层的 80个拱形成了80个开口，最上面两层则有80个窗洞，观众们入场时就按照自己座位的编号，首先找到自己应从哪个底层拱门入场，然后再沿着楼梯找到自己所在的区域，最后找到自己的位子。整个鬥獸场最多可容纳5万人，却因入场设计周到而不会出现拥堵混乱，这种入场的设计即使是今天的大型体育场依然沿用。

鬥獸场表演区地底下隐藏着很多洞口和管道，这里可以储存道具和牲畜，以及角鬥士，表演开始时再将他们吊起到地面上。鬥獸场甚至可以利用输水道引水。公元248年在鬥獸场就曾这样将水引入表演区，形成一个湖，表演海战的场面，来庆祝罗马建城1000年。

世界新七大奇景名單，在2007年7月7號在葡萄牙里斯本揭曉，義大利古羅馬競技場也成為其中之一，和中國的萬里長城、約旦的佩特拉古城、巴西里約熱內盧基督像、祕魯的馬丘比丘、墨西哥的奇琴伊察金字塔、以及印度的泰姬瑪哈陵並列，此是經由全球一億民眾網路票選，成為新世界七大奇景。


References sources : wikipedia