The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1912-04-11
R0ME'S COLISEUM
Majestic Even In Its Ruins Is the
Historic Old Edifice.
ITS BLOOD SATURATED ARENA

On tho Occasion Of It's Inauguration
Five Thousand Wild Animals and Ten
Thousand captives Were Slain In an
Orgy That Lasted a Hundred Days.
Second only to the Acropolis ut Ath
ems in interest to the antiquarian and
historian in his study Of ruins of Eu-
rope is the Coliseum at Rome. This
historic editice was erected during the
reigns Of Vespasian and Titus and In
honor Of the latter. 1t is said that co.
600 Jews We're engaged in its erection
for ten years
1t was u feudal fortress for long
time and finally Il quarry from which
We're built churches and palaces until
by it's conservation as holy ground on
account of the number of martyrs sup
posed to have been inundated there.
further ravages We're stopped.
1t is said to have given seats to 87,-
600 spectators and was inagurated A.
D. so. the same year in which Titus
died. on which occasion 5000 wild an
imals and 10000 captives We're slain.
The Inauguration lasted 100 days. An
ecclesiastical tradition makes the archi-
tect to have been n Christian, one
Gaudentius. afterward martyr.
This structure was originally called
the Amphitheatrum Flavium. but since
the Coliseum. probably given it 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 he
overestimated. The circumference Of
the building is 1.G41 feet. the height Of
the outer wall is 157. the length of the
arena 27S feet and its width 1T. 1t
covers an area OF six acres.
! 1t is only by ascending to the upper
terrace that the enormous size OF the
Coliseum is fully seen. and by monn-
, light the effect of size and massiveness
is much increased. The ruins south VI
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: "l'he outside OF the
edifice was inrruSted with marble and
decorated with statues. The slopes OF
the vast concave which formed the in.
side We're filled 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
'vomitorics' 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
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-
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 aro-
matics.
"In the center Of the edifice the arena
was strewed with the finest sand and
successfully assumed the most differ
ent forms. At one moment it seemed
to rise out Of the earth like the garden
Of the Hesperides, and was afterward
broken into the rocks and caverns Of
Thrace. Tie subterranean pipes con-
veyed an inexhaustible supply Of
water, and what had just before ap-
peared a level plain might be suddenly
converted into wide lake. covered
with armed vessels and replenished
with the monsters Of the deep.
"In the decoration Of these scenes
the Roman emperors displayed their
wealth and liberality, and we read on
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 of
Carinus in the character of shepherd
attracted to the capitol by the fame Of
their magniticence affirms that the nets
designed as a defense against the wild
beasts were Of gold wire, that the por-
tcocs were gilded and that the belt or
circle which divided the several ranks
Of spectators from each other was stud
ded with a precious mosaic of beauti-
ful stones"
In ancient times there was hardly a
town in the Roman empire which had
not an amphitheater large enough to
contain vast multitudes of spectators,
and as specimens of architecture the
amphitheaters were more remarkable
for the mechanical skill and admirable
adaptation to their purpose displayed
in them than for any beauty Of shape
or decoration.-Chicago News.
Domestic happiness. the only bliss Of
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