The Hawaiian gazette., 1884-08-20
The Colosseum.

This remarkable edifice formed the subject
of lecture lately given at the Royal Institu-
tion by Mr.. Holder NJ. Westropp. The vast
size, massive proportions, and repetition Of
simple features in the Colosseum inspired us.
the author remarked, with a sense of grandeur
and magnifcence which sienced criticism,
although, as a matter of fact, there was no
single feature free from blame. 1t was built
for the exhibition of gadiatoral shows to
amuse the Roman people, and was eliptical
in form, consisting Of the auditoria of two
classic theaters, built face to face so as to
permit the largest number of people seeing
and hearing at the same time.
By the Romans it was considered the most
wonderful structure ever erected and this
feeling of admiration continued throughout the
middle ages, as the frequent reference to it by
writers testified. So impressed by its size
and appearance was the Venerable Bede, that
lie predicted that it would endure as long
as Rome itself. Its name, the Colosseum, 7"
was but modern appellation, for it was
known to the Romans as the Amphitheatrum
Flavian, from the fact that it was commenced
| by the Emperor Vespasius Flavus 1t was
not, however, finished by him, having been
only gradually developed in its ultimate CON-
| peteness. Vespasian chose a site at the foot
of the Esquiline, on the lowest level in the
city, but was only able TO inclOse the arena
and construct the three stages Of seats around
it. To these his son Titus added two more
tiers, and dedicated the edi6ee with shows of
| the utmost magnihcence in the year A. d. so.
1t was finally completed in a manner which
showed the tasteless extravaganza of his age
| by DoDitian, who constructed the upper
portion of wood, and arranged in the arena
docks, so that sea fights could be represented.
In the time Of Macriuus the woodwork form
ing the upper part was struck by lightning
and consumed; it was partially restored by
Heliogabalus and Alexander Severus, and
early in the third century of our era was com
pleted in stone by Gordian Ill.
The gladatoria com5ais were continued
with even greater luxuriance and waste of
human life, and we're not finally suppressed
till 400, when an Oriental saint named Tele-
machus made a pilgrimage to Rome expressly
TO protest against these demoralizing and in
human shows, and was, while making that
protest, martyred in the arena of the CoIos
scum. The latest exhibition of wild beasts
was in the reign OF Theodoric. In 1850 the
Colosseum became fortress of the Frangipani
and in 1882 the benches were restored, and a
bull fight. of which GibbOn has reproduced
for us a graphic description, was held in the
arena. In the fourteenth century tue Colos-
senm was despoiled, the cramps binding the
stones being cut out for the sake of tile iron, and
the masonry removed for building purposes,
and even for burning into lime. For a time
the depredations were checked, as Pope
Eugene ~. granted it TO the monks of the
adjoining convent; but public opinion was
against making it private property, and it
was, after time, resuuendered to the people.
At later period, it was again used as a
quarry, and from it the palaces of the Farnisi
and Barbarini families were largely built, but
it was afterward again placed under the pro-
lection Of the Popes, and is new national pro-
perry.
The first archaeological excavations in the
arena were made between 1910 and 1914 by
the French. They only went down some 10
feet below the surface, being deferred by the
influx Of water, and never reached the original
floor level. In Is7f-75 fresh series Of ex-
plorations was commenced by the Italian Gov
ernment, at the instigatinn aud under the |
direction Of the late John Henry Parker. |
Twenty-one feet below the present level, the |
excavators we're rewarded By discovering the |
original floor Of the arena. with the wonder |
fol series of substructures built upon it in /
the time Of CommOdus. Turning aside to /
give general description Of the building, Mr. |