What is the design history of the Roman Colosseum and who were its Architects?

Answer 1

The name of the architect is unknown. The actual name of the Colosseum was Flavian Amphitheatre (Amphitheatrum Flavium). It was named after the three emperors of the Flavian dynasty. Vespasian (reigned 69-79) commissioned it, his son Titus (reigned 79-81) completed it and Domitian, Titus's younger brother (reigned 81-86) made modifications. Construction started in 72 and it was inaugurated in 80. It is thought that the nickname Colosseum originated from a gigantic statue of Nero nearby which was called Colossus and was named after the Colossus of Rhodes.

The construction of the Flavian Amphitheatre involved the drainage of an artificial lake Nero had made in front of his enormous palace, the Domus Aurea (golden House). Drains were built 8m (26ft) below surface to channel the streams which flow through the valley. Then elliptic foundations made of concrete: under the outer walls and seating, they are 12-13m (39-42ft) deep. Under of the arena, they are 4m (13 ft) deep, and designed in strips beneath concentric walls. Even in this grand design, costs were carefully controlled.

Amphitheatre is elliptic in shape, measured 187.5X159.5 metres (615x523 ft.) and could host 50,000 spectators. It height is 48.5 metres (159 ft.), but it probably was originally 52 metres high (177ft.). Three tiers have 80 arches with Doric columns on first, Ionic ones on the second and Corinthian ones on the third. The arches on the first tier provided The arches on the first tier provided 80 entrances: 76 numbered entrances for the general public (plastered and painted white and red) and four un-numbered grand entrances were decorated stuccoes. One entrance was the magistrates (officers of state). One was the ceremonial entrance for the emperor, the senators and the Vestal Virgins. One entrance gave direct access to the arena via the Gate of death of Porta Libitina (Gate of Libitina, the goddess of funerals). Dead gladiators and animals were taken through this exit. A tunnel connected the gate to the Spoliarium, a room under the arena, where the bodies of the gladiators were stripped and the weapons and armour. One entrance also led directly to the arena, but via the Gate of Life or Porta Sanaviva. It was sued for the procession of gladiators into the arena and their exit. A tunnel connected the gate to the Ludus Magnus gladiator school, 60 meters (180 feet) to the east.

The fourth tier is walled as had 40 windows. The seating was divided into 5 horizontal sectors. The lowest one was reserved for the senators and their families. The other ones were assigned by social status, with poorer people sitting at a higher level. Women sat on steps under a portico, separated from the men. The poor sat on a terrace above the portico. They had the worst view and the worst seats. Their lower steps were of marble and the higher ones were made of wood. The passages to the seats were called the vomitorium (plural: vomitoria) and were below or behind the tiers of seats. The crowds could spit or vomit.

The actual arena was 86x54 metres (282x177 feet) and was separated from the seating by a 4 metre high platform. Below the floor there were 12 corridors arranged symmetrically around the two sides. This area hosted the machinery and the animals used for the games. At the two opposite ends there were two monumental entrances for the gladiators and the animals which were too heavy to be hoisted from below the arena. The arena could be flooded for mock naval battles. After a fight the arena was covered with sand to soak up the blood.