Birth Of An Empire

---

And Poking Through The Remains

With most of Rome covered over the previous two days, I'd left the big stuff for day three... and when I say big I mean huge!!! The Colosseum incites all the usual thoughts of ancient Rome at the first glance. The spectacles that entertained, the way society was structured and the brutal nature of it all is encompassed by the iconic structure I find myself standing in front of.

Trying to beat the crowds and the heat, I'm down at the entrance with only about 60 others at 8.20am, 40 minutes before it opens. Even luckier is the fact that they opened the doors 15 minutes early so I could get a bit of a head start on my day. The first time you climb the stairs and see the inside of the arena is another of those moments when you have to tell yourself your really there. From the walkway at the first galleries you can walk the circumference gaining insight into the seating positions dictated by social rank and sex, the construction of the structure and get a birds-eye view of the holding chambers beneath the arena floor. From these chambers emerged the slaves and beasts that were to be part of the performance, ranging from tigers to hippos, as well as the many stage props used to turn the arena floor into a variety of scenes. Everything from jungles to a giant whale were able to be hoisted up on a system of pulleys through trapdoors in the floor to give the spectators a proper show. I'd say what they paid to come and see but the fact is that it was free to attend. People were given a specific seat that was theirs for the day. Events were held on all the holidays on the Roman calendar which was a significant amount. By the end of the 3rd Century there were over 170 holidays within a year making nearly every second day a holiday. The programme for the day usually comprised of the beasts and shows in the morning before the gladiators fought each other in the afternoon. The gladiators would enter the arena from the South entrance which led from their residences directly onto the arena floor so as to give the crowds a chance to cheer for their favourites before disappearing below and waiting for their turn. They usually only had to fight once every six to eight weeks and were afforded a status of heroes if triumphant.

From the arena floor you see society's structure a lot more pronounced with the Emperor's box front and centre and the Senator's seats fanning out from the sides. Each Senator's seat had his name engraved on the stone in front and when one was replaced the name was scratched out and re-engraved with the new name over the top, some of which can still be seen to this day.

Next to the Colosseum is the heart and soul of ancient Rome, Palantine Hill and the Roman Forum. With towering columns and remnants of the Senate and Temples to Jupiter and other Pagan Gods, the Roman Forum was the centre of the political and religious powers of ancient Rome. Later in the empire's reign, the emperor moved the Senate from the forum and built a new one outside of the major areas to try and diminish their power. Ultimately, the senate was dissolved and that was one of the deciding factors in the Roman Empire's decline.

On Palantine Hill, surveying all the lands around, stands the residence of the Emperor, a massive complex of villas, baths, guard rooms and training grounds, temples and dining halls. From the position between the Colosseum and the place where the chariot races were held, Circo Massimo, and right next to the Forum, the Emperor controlled the people but was also a victim to the people's control, having to bend to the will of the people enough to keep them happy. But a lot can be said for the rulers of the Roman Empire. The parliamentary system and the infrastructure that was spawned by this civilisation was invaluable to today's society and left a lasting mark on all the people to follow. If it wasn't for the Romans, who knows what society would be like today.

"It isn't positions which lend distinction, but men who enhance positions." - Agesilaus the Second 443 ~ 359 BC, King of Sparta 401-360 BC

---