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The Roman Colosseum: The History of the World's Most Famous Arena Paperback – October 8, 2013

by Charles River Editors (Author)

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*Includes pictures.
*Explains how the Romans designed and built the Colosseum.
*Includes ancient accounts of games held in the Colosseum.
*Includes a bibliography for further reading.

“Let barbarous Memphis speak no more of the wonder of its pyramids, nor Assyrian toil boast of Babylon; nor let the soft Ionians be extolled for Trivia’s temple; let the altar of many horns say nothing of Delos; nor let the Carians exalt to the skies with extravagant praises the Mausoleum poised on empty air. All labors yield to Caesar’s Amphitheatre. Fame shall tell of one work instead of all.” - Martial
When the Colosseum was built in the late 1st century A.D., the Romans, a people known for their architectural acumen, managed to amaze themselves. Martial, a Roman poet writing during the inauguration of the Colosseum, clearly believed the Colosseum was so grand a monument that it was even greater than the other Wonders of the Ancient World, which had been written about and visited endlessly by the Romans and Greeks in antiquity. Indeed, although the Wonders were wondrous to behold, the Colosseum was a spectacular achievement in architecture, something new and innovative, and therefore an amazing “Wonder” in its own way.
The Colosseum was designed to be both a symbol and show of strength by the famous Flavian emperors, most notably Vespasian and his sons Titus and Domitian. Vespasian had started the construction of the Colosseum shortly after becoming emperor in 69 A.D., but he died before he could present any spectacles in his giant amphitheatre. That honor went to his son Titus, who celebrated the inaugural opening in 80 A.D. with 100 days of games, despite the fact that the Colosseum was not completely finished. When his brother Domitian came to power in 81 A.D., he finished the amphitheatre, but not without making some changes to the overall design. By the time it was truly finished, the Colosseum stood about 150 feet tall, with the oval in the center stretching nearly two football fields long and over 500 feet across. The Colosseum is a large stadium even by today’s standards, and its great size conveys the power of the empire as it dominates the landscape and towers over nearby buildings.
Nearly 2,000 years later, the Colosseum still amazes millions of people who come to visit it, and when asked to visualize a monument that represents the Roman Empire, many conjure up an image of the large amphitheater. As Keith Hopkins and Mary Beard put it, the Colosseum is “the most famous, and instantly recognizable, monument to have survived from the classical world.” At the same time, the Colosseum also represents the Roman games and spectacles, particularly the gladiatorial combats that so many people today find both abhorrent yet fascinating. Given its massive size and the architectural ingenuity involved, the Colosseum played host to all sorts of games, including massive hunts of exotic animals and even sea battles.
The Roman Colosseum: The History of the World’s Most Famous Arena comprehensively covers the history and construction of Rome’s largest amphitheater. Along with a bibliography and pictures, you will learn about the Colosseum like you never have before, in no time at all.

Print length

38 pages
Language

English
Publication date

October 8, 2013
Dimensions

6 x 0.09 x 9 inches
ISBN-10

1492923974
ISBN-13

978-1492923978
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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (October 8, 2013)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 38 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1492923974
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1492923978
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.24 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.09 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,311,289 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2,189 in Ancient Roman History (Books)

Customer Reviews:
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Customer reviews

3.7 out of 5

40 global ratings

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Joseph

informational

Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2024

Verified Purchase

Well written and very informational

Helpful

Calasade

Shorter Than I Would Have Liked

Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2014

Verified Purchase

I was expecting a book about the Amphitheatrum Flavium to be more than thirty some odd pages. Foolish me for assuming. Next time I pay for a book I will check its length beforehand. Although I felt a bit ripped off by the brevity of the book, what's in the book is a good introduction to and great description of the amphitheater, especially how it stood when it was used for gladiatorial combat. Not all bad; worth the $2.99 overall but just barely.

One person found this helpful

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gina bobi

A lot of information in a small book

Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2016

Verified Purchase

I used this little book for my research paper at college. It is full of info from different sources which was very helpful. It was very informative and to the point. Very easy to read and so interesting. I learned a lot from this book and would recommend it for anyone with interest in the Colosseum.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Gary L. Williams

I feel lied to!

Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2022

Verified Purchase

Quite honestly, I haven’t even read the book. I was so disappointed when I got it to thumb through and realize only 20 pages of the book are about the Roman Colosseum… The rest of the book is all about what to do when your partner has diabetes. That’s not what I paid money for! Unfortunately, I didn’t need the book for a while And by time I thumbed through it, I wasn’t able to return it.

I will probably end up just throwing this in the trash as I feel so deceived!

If you look at the photo you can see the beginning or how many pages are about the Colosseum and the rest of it is about diabetes. I don’t know anyone with diabetes, nor does my partner have it… Would never purchase this since that’s what is a push for..

So frustrated!!!

Helpful

Matthew N

Excellent little history lesson

Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2014

If you want a quick summary on the history of the Roman Colosseum, this book fits the bill nicely. I recommend it to anyone with an interest in Roman history.

One person found this helpful

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Jack Balog

Good history of the greatest stadium for 1000 years.

Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2013

Verified Purchase

I found this an interesting read. It told a lot about the building of the Colosseum and its history.
Most of what is there, though is culled from other books I have read before. It is a good book
if you know very little about this great stadium, or want to have it for references. It did not include
the fact that the church leaders after Constantine, tried to stop human fighting to the death but failed
when they were going to the fights to watch themselves.

5 people found this helpful

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D. Kirk

Not a good value

Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2013

Book is way too short for the price and it contains mostly just general information one could get from Wikipedia.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Paulette Buongirno

Interesting book

Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2014

Verified Purchase

Many of us have either seen pictures or actually visited this iconic "building". This is a story of what it was probably like when it was first built based on findings in the ruins. Life in Roman days was very different. It was more than just a stadium that was a venue for entertainment. You got a behind the scenes look into the lives of Roman's of that time.

One person found this helpful

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