Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-07-20
ROME'S COLISEUM
Majestic Even In Its Ruins Is the
Historic Old E6ifice.

Second only TO the AcroponS at Attn |
ems in interest to the antiquarian and
historian in his study Of ruins Of Eu-
rope is the Coliseum at Rome. This
historic edifce was erected during the
reigns of Vespasian and Titus and in
honor of the latter. 1t IS said that Co.
600 Jews were engaged in its erection
for ten years.
1t was a feudal fortress for a long
time and finally a quarry from which
were built churches and palaces until
by its conservation as holy ground on
account of the number of martyrs sup
posed TO have been inundated there,
further ravages were stopped.
1t is said to have given seats to ST.
600 spectators and was inagurated a.
d. so. the same year in which Titus
died. on which occasion 5000 wild an
imals and 10000 capuves We're slain.
The inauguration lasted 100 days. An
ecclesiastical tradition makes the archi-
tect TO have been a Christian, one
Gaudentius, afterward a martyr.
This structure was originally called
the Amphithearum Flavium, but since
the time of Bebe it has been known as
the Coliseum, probably given 1t because
of its enormous size.
The Roman Coliseum became the
spot where prince and people met to-
gether to witness those sanguinary ex-
hibitions the degrading effect of which
on the Roman character can hardly be
overestimated. The circumference of
the building is 1.641 feet, the height Of
the outer wall is 157. the length of the
arena 27S feet and its width III. 1t
! covers an area OF six acres
It IS only by ascending to the upper
terrace that the enormous size of the
| Coliseum is fully seen, and by moon
light the effect Of size and massiveness
. is much increased. The ruins south Of
! the Coliseum are supposed TO have been
( the Vivarium, in which were kept the
wild beasts for the combats.
/ As general description of the build
ing the following passage Of Gibbon is
/ said TO be perfect: The outside of the
/ ediice was incrusted with marble and
decorated with statues The slopes of
the vast concave which formed the in
( side were filed and surrounded with
sixty or eighty rows of seats, OF mar
BILE likewise. covered with cushions
and capable OF receiving with ease
about 10000 spectators. Sixty-four
'vomitOries' (for by that name the doors
were very aptly distinguished poured
forth the immense multitude, and the
entrances, passages and staircases
were cOntrived with such exquisite
skill that each person. whether of the
senatorial, the equestrian or the pie
beian order. arrived at his destined
place without trouble or confusion.
Nothing was omitted which in any re
spect could be subservient to the con
venielCe and pleasure Of the specta-
tors. They were protected from the
sun and rain by an ample canopy, oc-
casionally drawn over their heads. The
air was continually refreshed by the
playing of fountains and profusely i'm
pregnated by the grateful scent of arc
MATES.
in the center Of the edifce the arena
was strewed with the finest sand and
successfully assumed the most differ
ent forms At one moment it seemed
/. 20 rise out of the earth like the garden
, Of the Hesperidcs, and was afterward
broken into the rocks and caverns OF
Thrace. The subterranean pipes con
veyed au inexhaustible supply OF
water. and what had Just before ap
peared a level plain might be suddenly
converted into a wide lake, covered
with armed vessels and repIenished
with the monsters Of the deep.
In the decoration Of these scene,
the Roman emporOrs displayed theil
wealth and liberaiity, and we read OF
various occasions that the whole fur
niture Of the amphitheater consisted
either Of silver or of gold or of amber.
The poet who describes the game o.
Carinus in the character of a SHEPHERD
attracted to the capitol by the fame o.
their magnificenCe affirms that the net!
designed as a defense against the wil(
beasts were Of gold wire, that the Dor
ticoes We're gilded and that the belt o.
circle which divided the several ranks
of spectators from each other was stud
ded with precious mosaic of beauti
fui stones"
In ancient times there was hardly
town in the Roman empire which hat
not an amphit heater large enough t
contain vast muititudes of spectators
and as specimens OF architecture tn,
smphitheaters were more remarkabl,
for the mechanical skill and admirahl,
adaptation TO their purpose displayed
IN them than for any beauty Of shap,
or chicago News.