You've heard of the Colosseum but what about all the other Roman theaters out there...

Happy Friday folks,

From Carthage to Ephesus, every major city in the Roman empire, had its own grand theater. Throughout, we have found over 230 Roman amphitheaters today but it really does make you wonder:

For an empire so willing to conquer and move further, why did the Romans invest so much time and effort into constructing these grand spaces?

What benefit did it have for them?

And what did they build other than the Colosseum?

Entertainment = Stability?

First, we must understand the history.

The Romans were heavily influenced by the Greeks, who had already perfected the art of open-air performances, centuries prior. Upon encountering Greek drama and architecture, they adapted both to suit their own needs…

Roman rulers understood the power of public spectacles. Theaters provided free entertainment for the masses, a critical part of the Roman policy was the idea of panem et circenses — “bread and circuses.” In simpler terms, plays, music and pantomimes distracted the population from economic hardships and political instability.

All these events were hosted in two types of venues: Theaters and Amphitheaters.

Theaters were typically semi-circular in design. They featured a stage (pulpitum), an orchestra area, and tiered seating (cavea) around the orchestra. While amphitheaters were elliptical or oval in shape. This is where you would come to see your weekly gladiatorial games and animal hunts.

The Theatre of Pompey was Rome's first permanent theater, built in 55 BC and made of stone. It would later become infamous for the place where Caesar was assassinated.

The Flavian Amphitheater

In 69 AD, after years of fire, plague, and civil war, the Emperor Vespasian rose to power and began an ambitious campaign by the Flavian Dynasty to revive the eternal city as we know it.

At the heart of this vision, lay the construction of the Flavian Amphitheater, otherwise known as the Colosseum. In 70 AD, Vespasian commissioned the building with the spoils of war from the Roman siege of Jerusalem, in which it is said that he seized 50 tons of gold and silver.

You can imagine that it was no easy task building the world's biggest amphitheater at that time. (The Circus Maximus was the biggest stadium, with 250,000 spectators).

Considering that the chosen site was the grounds of the former estate of Nero (the Domus Aurea) with an artificial lake and the colossal bronze statue (the Colossus of Nero). The lake obviously caused the biggest issue — so it was decided that it would be drained by multiple channels, with the water being diverted, quite cleverly, towards the sewage system.

Not to mention the whole structure took only 8 years to build and could hold an audience of 80,000 people so it could easily rival some of the largest stadiums in the world, today.

Beyond it being gargantuan in scale, 15-storeys to be exact, the Colosseum was meticulously designed to reflect and reinforce Rome's social hierarchy. Seating was based on social status and wealth. The most coveted seats, closest to the arena, were reserved for the Emperor and senatorial nobility. Above them sat the Equestrian order, comprising former cavalry members who had transitioned into roles as merchants, artisans, and bureaucrats and the upper tiers accommodated everyone else.

But what might be even more epic, is the fact that the Romans literally flooded the Colosseum, staging mock sea battles (naumachia). This was in 46 BC, celebrating Julius Caesar’s victory over Pompey the Great. There was no better way, right?

What lies behind the Colosseum…

The Pula Arena, in Croatia, stands as one of the best-preserved Roman amphitheaters in the world. In fact, it is the only surviving amphitheater to retain all four of its original towers, which were originally designed to house wooden beams supporting a vast velarium, an awning system that shaded its spectators from the sun.

Interestingly enough, the underground hypogeum, where gladiators and animals were prepared before combat, still exists today and this place now houses an exhibition on ancient Istrian viticulture and olive oil production.

In France, there was the Arles Amphitheater. Built just 10 years after the Colosseum, it would be the largest amphitheater in Roman Gaul.

As expected, gladiators battled within these walls, but after the fall of Rome, the amphitheater took on a new and unusual role — it became a fortified village, with more than 200 houses and a chapel, effectively turning it into a castle, by the 5th century.

In Pozzuoli, Italy, there was the 3rd largest amphitheater in Italy, built by the same emperor and likely, the same architects. Because it lay close to Naples, the theater was one of the “fan favorites,” but what makes it truly extraordinary is what lies beneath…

The underground chambers have to be the best-preserved of any Roman amphitheater, revealing a sophisticated network of vaulted corridors, animal cages and trapdoors. Why was all of this necessary? Animals, such as lions and leopards, were kept here before being lifted onto the arena for performances using an intricate system of pulleys and counterweights.

The Arena of Nîmes, built around the same time as the Colosseum, was one of the more ambitious projects of the Roman world. It was a rival to the arena in nearby Arles, with both cities competing for dominance in Roman Gaul. After the fall of Rome, the amphitheater transformed into a walled fortress (or rather a fully functioning small village), which protected the city’s inhabitants during the Middle Ages.

Today, the Nîmes Amphitheater hosts the largest historical reenactment of Roman gladiatorial games in the world, known as the "Great Roman Games." Every year, you can see gladiator duels and chariot races, as if you have been transported back in time.

Though Gladiator fights stopped in 435 AD, the mark that Roman theaters and the Colosseum have left is undeniable. This wasn’t about entertainment — it was infused with Roman culture and tradition.

But believe it or not, it’s not just soldiers or commonfolk who would become gladiators and would battle it out, there was one Emperor in the entire history of Rome, who also stepped foot in the Colosseum — Emperor Commodus.

Until Next Time,

World Scholar

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