The Colosseum

From the 4th century AD, found in 1834 outside Rome. A large mosaic showing gladiators in different "classes". The gladiatorial games provided a spectacle of blood-sports for the masses. The gladiators were the riff-raff of the ancient social order. Some may have been slaves, urban poor, or even the literal emperor Commodus. Most gladiators were protected from death as they provided constant revenue for owners. Most of the blood that fell on the Coliseum floor were from mass animal killings, staged executions at midday, and recreation of lopsided battles with condemned serving as the losers.

Not only did land battle occur in the Colosseum, but even naval battles. The floor was allowed to be flooded by pump systems underground providing recreation of bloody naval warfare for the public of Rome.

An illustration by Spanish painter Ulpiano Checa. Checa does an excellent job with a highly detailed oil painting showing the chaos of the sea battle in the middle of Rome. Checa also incorporated the Imperial box to provide a social contrast of the crowd.

William T. Walters commissioned this painting in 1863, but the artist did not deliver it until 20 years later. In a letter to Walters, Gérôme identified the setting as ancient Rome's racecourse, the Circus Maximus. He noted such details as the goal posts and the chariot tracks in the dirt. The seating, however, more closely resembles that of the Colosseum, Rome's amphitheater, in which gladiatorial combats and other spectacles were held. Similarly, the hill in the background surmounted by a colossal statue and a temple is nearer in appearance to the Athenian Acropolis than it is to Rome's Palatine Hill. The artist also commented on the religious fortitude of the victims who were about to suffer martyrdom either by being devoured by the wild beasts or by being smeared with pitch and set ablaze, which also never took place in the Circus Maximus. In this instance, Gérôme, whose paintings were usually admired for their sense of reality, has subordinated historical accuracy to drama.

While any free Roman could attend the Colosseum, there were strict social norms in regards to seating. The Senatorial classes had the best seats outside the Imperial Box. The Equestrian merchant classes behind them, followed by general working class Romans. The upper decks were reserved for women and the urban poor reflecting the paternal culture.

This broken foundation shows the inside construction method of the Colosseum's large seating. The interior was filled concrete with brick and stone exterior. The Roman method of concrete manufacturing using volcanic ash, lime, and seawater provides a building material that is extremely durable.