The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-04-05
ROME'S COLISEUM
Majestic Even In Its Ruins Is the
Historic Old Edifice.
ITS BLOOD SATURATED ARENA

vi wv ONlanloN " 10
Five Thousand Wild Animals and Ter
Thousand captives Were Slain In az
Orgy That Lasted a Hundred Days.
Second only TO the Acropolis at Ath
ems I'm interest to the antiquarian and
historian In his study Of ruins Of Eu
rope is the Coliseum at Rome. This
historic edidce was erected during the
reigns OF Vespasian and Titus and i'm
honor OF the latter. II is said that CO.
600 Jews were engaged In its erection
for ten years.
II 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 10 have been inundated there,
further ravages were stopped.
1t Is said to have given seats 10 81
coo spectators and was inagurated A.
d. so, the same year in which Titus
died. on which occasion 5000 wild an
finals and 10000 captives We're slain.
The Inauguration lasted 100 days. An
ecclesiastical tradition makes the archi.
tect to have been a Christian, one
Gaudentius. afterward martyr.
This structure was originally called
the Amphitheatrum Flavium. hut since
the time OF Bebe il has been known as
the Coliseum, probably given It because
OF its enormous size
The Roman Coliseum became the
spot where prince and people met to-
gether 10 witness those sanguinary ex-
hibitions the degrading effect OF which
on the Roman character can hardly be
overestimated. The circumference OF
the building Is ! ,641 feet, the height OF
the outer wall Is 157. the length OF the
arena 2Ts feet and it's width III. II
covers an area Of six acres.
II 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. Il
ing the following passage OF Gibbon is |
said 10 be perfect. 1.-THE outside of the |
edifce was incrusted with marble and II
decorated with statues. The slopes of II
the vast concave which formed the I'm
side were filed and surrounded with /
sixty or eighty rows OF seats, OF mar Il
ble likewise, covered with cushions II
and capable of receiving with ease II
about 10000 spectators. Sixtv.four /
'vomltOries' (fOr by that name the doors /
were very aptly distinguished poured
forth the immense multitude. and the Il
entrances, passages and staircases
were contrived with such exquisite
sklll that each person. whether Of the
senatorial, the equestrian or the ple.
beian order, arrived at his destined
place without trouble or confusion
Nothing was omitted which i'm any re-
spect could be subservient TO the con.
and pleasure Of the specta-
tors. They were protected from the
sun and rain by an ample canopy. oc-
drawn over their heads. The
air was continually refreshed bv the
playing OF fountains and profuselv i'm.
'regnated by the grateful scent Of aro-
I'm the center Of the edlhce tho arena
vas strewed with the finest sand and
assumed the most differ.
mt forms. At one moment n seemed
o rise out OF the earth like the garden
Z the Hesperides, and was afterward
roken into the rocks and caverns Of
'hrace. The subterranean pipes con
eyed an inexhaustible supply OF
Vater, and what had just before ap-
cared level plain might he suddenly
Inverted into wide lake. covered e
nth armed vessels and rcplcuisbed
nth the monsters OF the decu
I'm the decoration If these scenes n
ne Roman emperors displayed tboir
'ealth and liberality, and we read ON 4
arious occasions that the whole rur-
lture or the amphitheater consisted ~
'ther OF silver or Of gold or of amber q
The poet who describes the ramo or #
arinus in the character OF shqpherd *,
itracted to the capitol by the fame Of 81
ieir magnihcence afiirms that the nets
esigned as defense against the wild Is
casts were OF gold wire, that the por. N
Goes were gilded and that the belt or
rcle which divided the several ranks X
spectators from each other was stud ~
ID with precious mosaic OF beauti. n
u stones" 81
In ancient times there was hardly q
wn in the Roman empire which had
u an amphitheater large enough to NJ
ntain vast multitudes OF spectators. *
I'd as specimens Of architecture the
nphitheat--s were more remarkable n
r the mechanical skill and admirable
aptation TO their purpose displayed u
them than for any beauty Of shape
decoration.-Chica News.
The Artistic Temperament.
Niilet the paintpr OF Tho An0olus -