When I saw the link for the Roman Colosseum I had to click on it. I visited Rome before and got a chance to see the Colosseum in person and it was a breathtaking experience. The Roman Colosseum is one of the most iconic buildings in history and has been standing since A.D. 80. The Colosseum was a massive undertaking it took a decade to complete and materials were shipped from all around the world to complete. It featured state of the art amenities that no other Colosseum offered at the time. Marble covered seats, 80 arches on each level, a box for the emperor, and a 15 foot tall wall to enclose the arena floor. In addition to these amenities the Colosseum had retractable awning above the seating areas to shelter the crowd from sun and rain. There is also evidence of working drinking and latrines.
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| Pollice Verso - Jean Leon Gerome |
Underneath the Colosseum floor was a labyrinth of rooms for fighters, supplies, and animals. The Colosseum was ahead of its time by years. Up until recently it was rumored that the Colosseum floor was flooded for naval battles. This was confirmed when archaeologists discovered evidence of aqueducts running into a mechanism that could theoretically flood the floors of the arena. They would later discover evidence of water lines around the arena walls. So much is still unknown about the technology the Colosseum contained. One things for sure the Romans were well ahead of their time and if the empire hadn't collapsed the world would be a very different place today.
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