TMA 03 - Classical Studies

Authors Avatar

Charlotte Stone – Y4445132 – TMA 03

Part 1 (Short Answer)

Explain how the colossuem was made both visually impressive and safe for the audience.

        The colosseum was built considering three requirements; commodity, firmness and delight. The Roman Engineer Vitruvuis considered these factors in his book ‘On Architecture’, barely one hundred years before the Colosseum was constructed.

        It was of magnificent size and the colosseum was the first permanent amphitheatre to be built in Rome.

        The colosseum was built with tiers of seating for 45,000 people and room for 5000 more standing. It has seventy six entrances into the amphitheatre to enable crowds to arrive and leave quickly and safely. The entrances on the short sides leave traces of splendid decoration, showing the huge visual impact there may once have been, although just the sheer size of the construction has impressed many later generations.

        The construction of the colosseum had to be capable of bearing massive amounts of weight, therefore wooden benches – not sturdy enough, and piles of earth – too heavy, would not be suitable for the seating areas.

        To ensure the colosseum was safe and firm, eighty walls surrounded the area and supported vaults – which were extraordinarily strong – for the passageways, the stairways and the tiers of seats. Although people on the upper most tiers were quite a way from the arena, the continuous rows of seating gave an unobstructed view.

Join now!

        The three tiers of arcades are fronted by columns and entablatures. Arranged in a logical sense of Doric on in the first storey, Ionic on the second story and Corinthian in the third. Above these columns is an attic story with Corinthian pilasters and small square window openings.

        A canopy, called the velarium, provided shelter for the spectators and was suspended from masts which were carried by brackets and sockets. Although the mechanism or how the canopy was drawn across the arena is unknown, we do know this how it was used.

        As well as shelter the spectators required refreshments ...

This is a preview of the whole essay