Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1912-03-21
R0ME'S COLISEUM
Majestic Even In lts Ruins 70 tho
Historic Old Edifice.

Historic Old Edifice.
ITS BLOOD SATURATED ARENA
On the Occasion 81 lts Inauguration
Five Thousand Wild Animals and Ten
Thousand Captive Wsrs Slain In IN
Orgy That Lasted . 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 Il the Coliseum at Rome. This
historic edifice was erected during the
reigns Of vespasian and Titus and In
honor OF the latter. It 10 said that co.
600 Jews were engaged in its erection
for ten years..
II was a feudal fortress for q long
time and finally q quarry from which
were built churches and palaces until
by its conservation ~ holy ground on
account Of the number Of martyrs sup
posed to have been inundated there.
further ravages were stopped
It 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 tho archi-
tect to have been a Christian. one
Gaudentius. afterward q martyr.
This structure was originally called
the Amphitheatrum Flavium. but since
the time Of Bebe It has been known az
the Coliseum. probably given IL because
Of Its enormous size.
The Roman Coliseum became the
spot where prince and people met TO-
gether to witness those sanguinaTy ex-
hibitions the degrading effect Of which
on the Roman character can hardly b
overestimated. The circumference Of
the building Is 1.841 feet. the height Of
the outer wall Is 1877. the length Of the
arena 27S feet and it, width 1T. It
covers an area Of SIX acres
II b only by ascending to the upper
terrace that the enormous size Of the
Coliseum il 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 combatn.
A general description Of the build
ing the following passage Of Gibbon Il
said to be perfect: 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
Bile likewise. covered with cushions
and capable Of receiving With ease
about $4,000 spectators. Sixty-fo
'vomitories' flor by that name the doors
were very aptiy distinguished poured
forth the immense multitude. and the
entrances. passages and staircases
were contrived with such exquisite
akili that each person. whether Of the
the equestrian or the pie
beian order. arrived at hi destined
place without trouble or confusion.
Nothing 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, &C.
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-
MATES.
I'm the center Of the edince the arena
was strewed with the finest sand and
auccessively assumed the most differ.
emit FORMS At one moment Il seemed
to rise out Of the earth like the Garden
of the Hesperidea. and was afterward
broken into the rocks and caverns Of
Thrace. The subterranean pipes con.
veyed an inexhaustible supply Of
water. and what had Just before ap-
peared level plain might Do suddenly
into q wide lake. covered
With armed vessels and repIcnished
With the monsters Of the deem.
I'm the decoration Of these scenes
he Roman emperors displayed their
wealth and lberality. and we read on
various occasions that the whole fur.
liture Of the amphitheater consisted
sithcr Of silver or Of gold or Of amber.
THE poet who describes the game Of
Carinus In the character Of q shepherd |
attracted to the capitol BY the fame Of |
hefr magnihcence afirms that the net. |
designed Us defense against the Wild |
'easts were Of gold wire. that the Dor
icoes were gilded and that the BELT or
'ircle which divided the several ranks
4 spectators from each other was stud
leu with precious mosaic Of beauti.
ul stones"
In ancient times there was hardly q
own In the Roman empire which bad
'ot an amphitheater large enough TO
IN la