The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-10-14
ROME'S COLISEUM
Majestic Even In Its Ruins Is the
Historic Old Edifice.
ITS BLOOD SATURATED ARENA

On the Occasion Of Its Inauguration
Five Thousand Wild Animals and Ten
Thousand Captves Were Slain In an
Orgy That Lasted Hundred Days.
Second only to the Acropolis at Ath.
ems In interest to the antiquarian and
historian in his study Of ruins of Eu-
rope is the Coliseum at Rome. This
historic edifice 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 long
time and finally 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.
II is said to have given seats to ST.
900 spectators and was inagurated A.
! d. so. the same year in which Titus
died. on which occasion 5000 wild an
imals and 10000 captives were slain.
! The Inauguration lasted 100 days. An
ecclesiastical tradition makes the archi-
! tect to have been q Christian, one
Gaudentlus, afterward martyr
This structure was originally called
the Amphitheatrum Flavium, but since
the time of Bebe It has been known as
the Coliseum, probably given 1t because
of it's enormous size.
The Roman Coliseum became the
spot where prince and people met TO-
gether to witness those sangulnary ex-
hibitions the degrading effect of which
on the Roman character can hardly be
overestimated The circumference Of
the building is 1G41 feet, the height Of
the outer wall is 157, the length of the
arena 27S feet and its width III. II
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 Yivarium, In which were kept the
wild beasts for the combats
As a general description of the build
ing the following passage Of GibboH is
said to be perfect: 1.-THE outside of the
edifice 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
H. ll-nx ,r~tfh
and capable of receiving with ease
about $4,000 spectators. Sixty-four
'vomitories' flor by that name the doors
were very aptly distinguished poured
forth the immense multitude, and the
passages and staircases
were contrived with such exquisite
skill that each person, whether of the
the equestrian or the pie
beian order. arrived at his destined
place without trouble or confusion.
was omitted which In any re-
spect could be subservient to the con-
venience and pleasure of the specta-
tors They were protected from the
sun and rain by an ample canopy, oc-
drawn over their heads. The
iir was continually refreshed by the
playing of fountains and profusely i'm.
,regnated by the grateful scent Of aro-
natics.
I'm the center of the edifice the arena
vas strewed with the finest sand anG
assumed the most differ
mt forms. At one moment 1t seemed
o rise out of the earth like the garden
f the Hesperides, and was afterward
roken into the rocks and caverns of
'hrace. The subterranean pipes con-
eyed an inexhaustible supply of
-ater, and what had just before ap-
cared level plain might be suddenly
inverted into a wide lake, covered
nth armed vessels and replenished
nth the monsters Of the deep.
In the decoration of these scenes
lie Roman emperors displayed their
'ealth and liherality, and we read op
lrious occasions that the whole fur
lture of TIE amphitheater consisted
Their of silver or of gold or of amber
THE poet who describes the game OF
arinus in the character of shepherd
.tracted to the capitol by the fame of
leir magnificence affirms that the nets
asigned as n defense against the wild
lasts were of gold wire, that the por-
Goes were gilded and that the 'helt' OF
rcle which divided the several ranks
spectators from each other was stud.
ID with a precious mosaic of beauti.
! stones"
In ancient times there was hardly
WIN in the Roman empire which had
Il an amphitheater large enough ia
ntain vast multitudes of spectators,
d as specimens Of architecture the
Iphitheaters were more remarkable
: the mechanical skill and admirable
agitation TO their purpose displayed
them than for any beauty Of shape
decoratiOn.-ChicagoN News.