The Colosseum is an oval amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome. It is the largest ancient amphitheatre ever built, and is still the largest standing amphitheatre in the world today, despite its age. It was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles including animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Roman mythology, and briefly mock sea battles. The building ceased to be used for entertainment by the early medieval era.[1]
Coverage[]
The Colosseum is featured in Wrath of God while it is mentioned in the documentary.
Documentary[]
Rome during the fire, along with the Colosseum.
The Colosseum were briefly mentioned in the documentary. It is seen (in a zoom out/in the background) in 1 year segment when Rome is burning again, along with the Colosseum. It was also seen as one of the ancient structures that survived the centuries only because of human maintenance in 40 years segment.
Ray Coppinger commented the Colosseum in 150 years after people where it is one of the example of places loaded with cats as a living space and radiate out during the day. The Colosseum is one of the Roman structures seen in 500 years after people when the Ancient Romans invented the first form of concrete and some of the structures remained intact for over 2,000 years, including the Colosseum. Its ironic ancient concrete/historical longevity would criticize the modern reinforced concrete.
Wrath of God[]
It was introduced in 1 year after people when the 2000 year old Roman Colosseum is one of the most famous structures ever built by man. Inside the ancient walls where some says that a half million Christians met violent deaths to entertain the citizens of Rome. A massive earthquake brought down the entire southern wall in 1349 and looters hauled off pieces of the facade for use in other buildings including St. Peter's Basilica. Even without humans to clean and care for it, the ancient area could outlast the best modern buildings. Michael J. Crosbie stated that the Colosseum is an incredible structure because it was built by a culture that invented concrete meaning no reinforcing rods, no steel to rust, and no expansion and extra cracks. He continues that it was built to last and for the ages.
The volcanic ash keeps water out of the concrete.
In 250 years after people, little has change in the Colosseum. The relentless clearing of plant life by workers kept the walls pristine in the time of humans. After people, plants native to the region now grow all over the ancient concrete, but something is preserving it for the ages. Steven S. Ross stated that the Romans used the same kind of limestone that the modern humans use but as an aggregate, they used volcanic ash making it a bit finer and the chemical balance was about perfect or somewhat by accident. The volcanic ash within the concrete is dense enough that water cannot penetrate the concrete and expand during freeze thaw cycle and while Rome wasn’t built in a day, the Colosseum is built for the ages.
Overgrown plants at the Colosseum.
The fate of the Colosseum is revealed in 1.000 years after people that despite without reinforcing rods to tear it apart that makes the Colosseum a testament to Roman concrete, the thicket growing inside is winning the battle. Tanya Komas explains that birds carried seeds from all corners of the Roman Empire throughout its history and deposited in the area and after people, it may be a large part of what will eventually bring the rest of the walls down. After 1.000 years now in it's weakened condition, an earthquake finally gives home of the gladiators a final push and the entire Colosseum collapse in the midst of overgrown Rome.
Trivia[]
- The Colosseum, along with St. Peter's Basilica, were originally seen in the Life After People Italian Commercial.
- Both structure's are also the only structures in the commercial to be officially featured in Life After People.
Gallery[]
Series
Official Concept
