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00:00The Colosseum, an iconic symbol of ancient Rome, was a massive arena used for gladiatorial
00:05games and public spectacles.
00:08It stands as one of the greatest architectural achievements of the ancient world and a remarkable
00:13testament to Roman ingenuity.
00:16The Colosseum wasn't just impressive above ground.
00:18It had a hidden world beneath the arena floor that brought the spectacles to life.
00:23This underground network featured tunnels and chambers where gladiators prepared for
00:27battle, wild animals were kept and elaborate stage effects were orchestrated.
00:34It wasn't just an amphitheater, it was a masterpiece of design, a showcase of power, innovation
00:40and the Roman spirit of spectacle.
00:45But how is this possible?
00:47How did the Romans create such spectacles 2000 years ago?
00:51How did they flood the arena for naval battles or summon gladiators and wild animals seemingly
00:57out of nowhere?
00:59In this video we'll step behind the scenes to uncover the secrets of the Colosseum, exploring
01:03its ingenious design and the groundbreaking mechanics that made it the greatest arena
01:08of its time.
01:10The Colosseum sits right in the heart of Rome, Italy, and it's one of the most famous landmarks
01:14in the world.
01:17This place wasn't just about gladiator battles, it was the center of a bustling part of the
01:22city.
01:23Let's travel back in time to explore what the area around the Colosseum looked like during
01:29its prime.
01:32This is the Ludus Magnus, the largest gladiatorial school in Rome.
01:37Gladiators lived, ate and trained here as they prepared for the games held at the Colosseum.
01:44This is Meta Sudans, a large conical shaped fountain estimated to have stood up to 17 meters tall.
01:51According to legend, the surviving gladiators went to the Meta to refresh and cleanse their
01:55wounds after the games.
01:59This is the Arch of Constantine, a monumental tribute to Emperor Constantine the Great and
02:04the largest Roman triumphal arch, standing 21 meters high and 26 meters wide.
02:10It symbolizes the power of victories of Rome, serving as an enduring testament to the might
02:15of the Empire.
02:19This is the Temple of Venus and Roma, thought to have been the largest temple in ancient
02:23Rome.
02:24It consisted of two main chambers arranged symmetrically back to back, each housing a cult statue of
02:30a god, Venus, the goddess of love, and Roma, the goddess of Rome.
02:37This is the Colossus of Nero, a massive 30 meter bronze statue that was originally depicting
02:43Emperor Nero, later adapted to represent Sol, the Sun God.
02:47It is thought to have inspired the name of the Colosseum.
02:54The original name of the Colosseum was the Flavian Amphitheatre, named after the Flavian dynasty
03:00of emperors who built it.
03:03Standing over 50 meters tall and stretching 189 meters long by 156 meters wide, it was even
03:10surpassing the height of the Statue of Liberty from base to torch.
03:15Its massive size was a clear statement of Rome's engineering skills and ambition, demonstrating
03:20to the world that nothing was beyond their reach.
03:25It could accommodate a crowd of more than 50,000 spectators, making it the largest Roman
03:29amphitheatre ever built, comparable in scale to a modern stadium.
03:36The arena floor, measuring 83 meters by 48 meters, was large enough to fit nearly a dozen tennis
03:42courts.
03:44It was composed of a wooden floor covered with sand to absorb blood and provide traction for
03:49the gladiators.
03:51The name arena comes from the Latin word harina, meaning sand.
03:58Construction of the Colosseum began in 72 AD and was completed just 8 years later, with
04:03an additional 2 years for the finishing touches.
04:07Its rapid construction highlights the Roman Empire's exceptional resources, manpower and organizational
04:13ability.
04:15The foundation of the Colosseum is a key reason it's still standing today.
04:20Due to poor soil conditions, a deep, strong foundation was necessary to stabilize the structure.
04:26A ring-shaped foundation 12 meters thick was built with two layers of ancient Roman concrete.
04:34The Colosseum was divided into four levels.
04:37The first three levels featured a series of arches, supported by columns, each representing one of the
04:43three orders of ancient Greek architecture.
04:47Doric, on the first level, the simplest and earliest Greek style.
04:52Ionic, on the second level, was more elegant than the Doric style.
04:57And Corinthian, on the third level, the most elaborate of the Greek styles.
05:02The Colosseum's use of the three classical orders, arranged from the ground up, was a design choice
05:08that showcased a progression of architectural style and reflected Rome's adaptation of Greek
05:14architectural traditions.
05:17Each arch on the second and third level featured statues, honoring divinities and other figures
05:22from classical mythology.
05:25These statues weren't merely decorative, they served as reminders of Rome's divine connection
05:30and cultural heritage, reinforcing the grandeur of the structure.
05:36The Colosseum's fourth level, known as the Attic, featured a solid wall adorned with small
05:41rectangular windows.
05:43Large decorative shields were placed at regular intervals and complemented by Corinthian pilasters.
05:51This architectural choice was not merely decorative.
05:53It served a functional purpose by supporting the Velarium, a massive retractable awning that
05:58provided shade for spectators, which we'll discuss later in this video.
06:04The amphitheater had 80 entrances at ground level, 76 of which were numbered to efficiently
06:10manage the flow of the general public, directing spectators to their assigned seats with ease.
06:17This advanced crowd management system highlighted Roman expertise in urban planning, showcasing
06:22their ability to seamlessly cater to massive gatherings, an innovation as functional as the systems
06:29used in modern stadiums today.
06:32The remaining four entrances were grand entrances reserved for the elite.
06:36They were unnumbered and placed at the cardinal points around the Colosseum.
06:42The south entrance was used by the emperor to access the imperial box called the pulvinar.
06:48Its exclusive use symbolized the emperor's authority and reinforced the social hierarchy of Roman
06:53society.
06:56The north entrance was used by the magistrates to access the magistrates' seating area.
07:02Magistrates were high-ranking officials responsible for various administrative and judicial duties within
07:07the Roman government, reflecting their prominent status in society.
07:13Two entrances had direct access to the arena.
07:17The east entrance, known as the Gate of Life, was used by the gladiators to parade before their
07:22combat and exit after a victory.
07:27The west entrance was known as the Gate of Death and was used to carry away the dead bodies
07:32of gladiators and animals.
07:34The contrasting entrances of the Colosseum's arena symbolized the stark dichotomy between
07:39life and death that defined the experiences within its walls.
07:47The seating at the Colosseum was divided into four main sections that reflected the social
07:51hierarchy of ancient Rome.
07:53The closer to the arena, the higher the status of the occupants.
07:59The lowest tier was reserved for senators and other elite members of society.
08:04Their proximity to the action reflected their influence.
08:06They enjoyed the best view of the spectacles.
08:11The second tier of the Colosseum was reserved for the equities, or the equestrian class, positioned
08:16just below the senatorial class.
08:19The equities were a noble class involved in various roles within the Roman government.
08:25The third tier was reserved for Roman citizens and was divided into two sections.
08:31The lower section accommodated wealthier Roman citizens, while the upper section was designated
08:36for poorer citizens.
08:37This arrangement reflected the economic disparities even within the general public, providing a
08:43clear glimpse into the stratification of Roman society.
08:47At the very top is the fourth tier, that was added later after the inauguration of the
08:52Colosseum during the reign of Emperor Domitian.
08:56The seating in this section was made of wood and was reserved for the lowest class of people
09:01and slaves.
09:02Despite being farthest from the action, this tier still allowed the less privileged to witness
09:07events, underscoring the Colosseum's role as a unifying space for all Romans.
09:16One of the most extraordinary spectacles ever held in the Colosseum were the naval battles,
09:21or nomakiae.
09:23These events turned the arena into a water basin, where warships reenacted famous naval conflicts.
09:30But how did this work?
09:31How could an amphitheatre designed for gladiatorial games suddenly transform into a lake?
09:37These displays weren't just about entertainment.
09:40There were demonstrations of Rome's engineering prowess and its ability to manipulate its environment.
09:47To stage these events, the wooden arena floor and its supporting pillars were removed, creating
09:52a basin that could be flooded to simulate naval combat.
09:56At the time, the underground structures, seen today, had not yet been constructed and were
10:01added later.
10:05Water was supplied from nearby aqueducts and flowed through a network of underground channels
10:10carved into the concrete foundation beneath the arena.
10:14It then entered a channel surrounding the arena, distributing water through a series of
10:18outlets to flood the arena.
10:21The flooding process would have taken several hours.
10:26Once the basin was filled, nomakiae could begin.
10:29The ships were crewed by condemned prisoners and slaves, who reenacted historic naval battles
10:34and fought to the death until one side was entirely annihilated.
10:41After the battles, water drained through a system of four channels beneath the arena, which
10:46were connected to the sewer system and also served to manage rainfall.
10:51This design allowed for rapid transitions between events, ensuring the arena could be quickly
10:56reset with a wooden floor for the next spectacle.
11:02About a decade after the Colosseum's inauguration, a two-story masonry structure called the Hippageum
11:07was built beneath the arena floor.
11:10This underground complex served as the backstage area for gladiators, animals and props, an engineering
11:17marvel that brought the spectacles above to life.
11:21The Hippageum's design featured a large central corridor flanked by lateral passages.
11:26This layout facilitated the seamless movement of animals, performers and props, ensuring
11:32the logistics of the games ran smoothly.
11:35Hundreds of workers coordinated the entrance of men and beasts into the arena through secret
11:40trapdoors creating a dramatic appearance.
11:45The original system consisted of 28 lifts, positioned along the outer rim of the arena.
11:51Each lift was designed to hoist caged animals directly onto the arena floor.
11:56At the core of the system was the capstan, a large vertical drum driven by a central pole
12:01with long levers, or bars, inserted into holes and extending outward to give workers the leverage
12:07they needed to turn it.
12:10Operating each lift required a team of eight workers.
12:16Animals were placed into cages through a side door.
12:19The cages were connected to the capstan via a rope, threaded through a series of pulleys.
12:25As the capstan's drum rotated, the rope wound around it, gradually raising the cage.
12:32At the top of the lift, two large hinge arms support the trapdoor when closed.
12:37An operator would use a rope and pulley system to swing the arm downward, opening the trapdoor.
12:45The cage had a second door at the front, held closed by a counterweight.
12:50As the cage ascended and reached the bottom of the ramp, it would hit a stop that automatically
12:55opened the front door, allowing the animal to ascend the ramp directly into the amphitheater.
13:04In the central corridor, mobile platforms were frequently used to transport props like trees
13:09and rocks for the performances.
13:15These platforms were raised at an angle and guided through slots in the walls.
13:19The lifting was done by winches at the bottom, which pulled the platform using ropes that ran
13:24through a series of pulleys.
13:26When the middle of the platform reached the arena floor, it was flipped horizontally, around
13:31a pivot point, aligning with the floor.
13:36The original lift served the Colosseum well.
13:38But as the games evolved, more lifts were added later in the street corridors.
13:43These new lifts were used to hoist both animals and performers.
13:48Similar to the original system, they were operated by a winch pulling ropes running through a series
13:53of pulleys, while the trapdoors were controlled by a separate winch.
13:59Four tunnels linked the Hypogeum to external facilities, like the Lotus Magnus.
14:04These hidden passages allowed fighters and animals to move discreetly from the training grounds
14:09to the arena, ensuring they remain unseen by the public until their dramatic entrances.
14:18The games often went on all day, from sunrise to sunset.
14:23However, summers in Rome are notoriously hot, and the white stone of the Colosseum only amplified
14:29the heat reflected by the sun's rays.
14:32Sitting in the bleachers all day under the blazing sun, especially during the summer months,
14:37would have been unbearable.
14:39To shade spectators from the hot Mediterranean sun, the seating area of the Colosseum was screened
14:44by a massive retractable awning called a velarium that only left the arena uncovered.
14:52The velarium consisted of long strips of fabric wound around drums, which were mounted on the
14:58wooden frame and supported by 240 masts fixed into sockets along the amphitheatre's upper
15:05cornice.
15:07Each strip of fabric could be deployed independently, using winches that pulled the fabric along pulleys
15:13mounted on the central ring of ropes.
15:16This process required at least one operator per section, with 240 sections in total, deploying
15:23all sections of the velarium simultaneously required a coordinated effort of at least 240 individuals.
15:32The central ring was raised and lowered by a system of ropes leading to pulleys attached
15:36at the top of the masts.
15:39These ropes were connected to winches located outside the Colosseum.
15:43The winches allowed to raise and lower the central ring controlling the height and position
15:48of the fabric strips.
15:51The awning was retracted by turning the drums, which round the fabric back onto them.
15:56The velarium wasn't just a feat of engineering, but also a precursor for modern stadium design.
16:02The Colosseum was used for nearly 500 years, hosting some of the most spectacular events
16:07in history.
16:09Though its games have long ended, it still stands today, a testament to Roman ingenuity
16:14and a reminder of a civilization whose ambition shaped the world.
16:23We love making this video so much that we actually turned it into something you can keep.
16:27We've created this awesome Colosseum poster, and you can grab one right now to support
16:31the channel.
16:33Just check out the link in the description.
16:35And hey, we're giving one away too.
16:37Just drop a comment below telling us what's your favorite Colosseum fact from the video,
16:40and we'll announce the winner in the next upload.
16:43We'd also like to thank all our current Patreon and YouTube membership supporters.
16:47Your support makes videos like this possible.