Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1932-01-14

usually victorious. Outside OF Rome,
up in the Alban mountains then and
today, Rome got her water supply by
piping 1t across the Campagna, or
nearly 20 miles of intervening swamp.
There In the valley, below the hills Of
Tusculum, with Ciceros villa, or
palace, overlooking 1t, camped the
armies of Hannibal and other less
celebrated, but equally victorious
Roman generals, who, being unable to
get their armies through the SHOWS
Of the mountains in the winter time,
waited until spring to march on In to
Rome along the Appian Way. Every
foot of this roadway would be lined
with Roman citizens, watching the
great parade.-Can you not see ita
The on-coming horsemen, in their
trappings, steeds bedecked-their he'll
NETS of the soldiers glinting in the
sunlight-and on the metal tips OF
| the lances-the elephants, gorgeously
caparisoned the camels, equally hung
with silken coverings, laden with all
they could carry Of rich spoils--gold,
silver, jewels everything disable from
the homes, temples and public build
ings was carried away from the van
pushed country into Rome. Following
these laden animals would be the VIC
terious generals and officers, in their
chariots, flower garlanded, usually in
their chariots beautiful young girls,
daughters of kings and princes, now
captives, and held, sometimes, for ran
som by their countrymen, more oft as
the favorite of the victor-also, chain
ed to these same chariots would be
captured kings, princes, members Of
the captured nobility to await ransom,
If collectable-if not, for incarceration
in the Mamertine prison, there to
await the games"
| The Mamertine prison was and is,
nearby the Forum. There are today
underground passageways that connect
these places. Thousands of men and
women were held there, after these
triumphal professions. BY the stand
erected for the Caesar or Emperor of
the time, would file the miles long,
gorgeous parade-wild beasts from the
invaded. countries were brought back
in hundreds-tigers, lions, hyenas,
wild boar, wild "aurochs" or wild
cattle, fierce as any jungle beast,
wolves, bears, these were led in chains,
by men in the procession. Collars
would be fixed around the necks Of
those terrible beasts, from each side
ropes in the hands of strong men,
kept the snarling, fierce and no doubt,
at the moment, frightened. beasts,
from charging into the crowds.
~ i,,pr
of prisoners in the prisons taxed the
ccuntry's revenues to feed them-and,
also, the thousands of captives brought
back as slaves, increased the citys
population until the space in the
Forum became much too small for
such public gatherings.
It was decided to build the Colos
scum, and 1t was located nearby the
Appian Way, so that, through a tri-
umphal arch built by Titus, these
great professions could wend their
way past the box, or reviewing stand
of the Emperor, built inside the arena
of the Colosseum.
Imagine a space about the size OF
the Stadium, in Tacoma, Wash
around it, and above it, was built an
elongated oval shaped building eight
stories above the ground. Inside, an
open arena several acres in extent
and enclosed in smooth walls so that
beasts, let loose below, could find nc
toehold for climbing, and built high
enough, before the first tier of seats
began, as to be above the jumping
power of any beast. So enormous was
the structure, that 1t was impossible
to roof it, besides, 1t would have inter-
fered with the view, to have had pill
lars enough, inside, that would have
supported a roof. AS the games were
held in summer, and the summers in
Rome are intensely hot, sailors Of the
times sewed together sailcloth in Sec
lions, and the roof of that stupendous
structure was rooted with canvas--it
required the combined work Of an en-
tire regiment of the Roman navy,
stationed at Misenium, in the bay of
Naples, near Herculaneum,) to draw
the canvas coverings and manipulate
the ropes necessary to roof over the
arena. During the season Of the
games, which might last several weeks,
this company Of 1000 to 1900 men were
on duty in Rome for Just this purpose
The Colosseum rose In tiers Of seats
with landings, or galleries about ten
feat wide, separating each tier, to a
heights Of eight tiers. The Emperors
box, which seated him and his court
and favorites, was built in the side Of
the oval of the arena, thus giving a
view of every section of the space
without interruption II also set out