This is a graded discussion: 100 points possible Unit 1 The Colosseum and the Fo
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This is a graded discussion: 100 points possible Unit 1 The Colosseum and the Forum - Team 2 From Team Discussion: The Colosseum and the Forum The Colosseum has been standing for nearly 2,000 years. It has weathered earthquakes and fire certainly death and rebellion. If you happened to see the movies (Ben Hur and/or Spartacus) or, perhaps, you have seen the rather recent movie Gladiator, with Russell Crowe, you have a Hollywood- though, rather accurate - picture of the "goings-on" with regard to the life (and death) in the arena of gladiators and the role of the Roman lifestyle. As indicated in the week summaries module, the Romans were considered great engineers. Did you know that modern day engineers have figured out the Colosseum held an audience of 50,00 people plus contestants, but could also be totally emptied within 12 minutes! Think of that "trivia fact" during the SuperBowl. So what???Explanation / Answer
Roman architecture and buildings, such as the Colosseum, were strongly influenced by two of their great inventions - concrete and vaulted arches. Concrete was a recent invention when the Colosseum was built and the Romans were still learning how to use it. As concrete was so new they did not know how strong it was or long it would last. The Romans cautiously combined concrete together with stone. Concrete was made by mixing a strong volcanic material ( called pozzolana ) with rubble, sand and a mixture of limes. The Colosseum had four tiers. The ceilings of the passages and corridors which circled the area on each tier consisted of vaulted arches made of concrete but the supports they rested on were made of strong, heavy limestone. The Vaulted arches made the ceilings much stronger than a flat ceiling would have been. Vaulted arches made of concrete added strength to the building without adding excessive weight. Without concrete and vaulted arches, the Colosseum could not have been built.
As a building: it was, and still is, a marvel of Roman technology and architecture. This might be the most significant historic importance of the building on its own. It showed the might and wealth of the Emperor that he could build such a huge building, just for public entertainment.
As amphitheater: not very much I think. There were countless amphitheaters throughout the Roman empire, this was just a very big one.Amphitheaters are partly what the Roman poet Juvenal(circa 100 AD) was pointing at when he said: ‘ Already long ago, from when we sold our vote to no man, the People have abdicated our duties; for the People who once upon a time handed out military command, high civil office, legions everything, now restrains itself and anxiously hopes for just two things: bread and games(or circuses)’
Greek architecture refers to the architecture of the Greek-speaking peoples who inhabited the Greek mainland and the Peloponnese, the islands of the Aegean Sea, the Greek colonies in Ionia (coastal Asia Minor), and Magna Graecia (Greek colonies in Italy and Sicily). Greek architecture stretches from c. 900 B.C.E. to the first century C.E. (with the earliest extant stone architecture dating to the seventh century B.C.E.). Greek architecture influenced Roman architecture and architects in profound ways, such that Roman Imperial architecture adopts and incorporates many Greek elements into its own practice. An overview of basic building typologies demonstrates the range and diversity of Greek architecture.
Building Techniques used in the Colosseum
The timescale was tight - the Flavian family wanted the amphitheater built as quickly as possible. Hundreds of skilled stonemasons were required to complete the building. The Romans used a new building technique - standardized parts. Stairs and seats were constructed off-site. The stairs and seats were all built to the same size and were made to be interchangeable. They were made in workshops and then brought to the amphitheater to be fitted by teams experienced in this work.
The Pantheon and the Parthenon are both ancient temples. While the Pantheon was built in Rome to celebrate all the Roman gods, the Parthenon was built in Ancient Greece for the goddess Athena. The Parthenon pre-dates the Pantheon by about six centuries; it was built around 447-438 BCE, while the Pantheon was built in 126 CE.
The Pantheon is a circular building with a portico supported granite Corinthian columns. Its Roman concrete dome is 4535 metric tons. It is made from several materials, including marble, granite, concrete and brick.
The Parthenon is a Doric temple supported by ionic columns. It has a rectangular floor and is made entirely from marble, with a limestone base. Anionic frieze runs around its exterior walls. The east pediment narrates the birth of Athena, while the west pediment shows the contest between Athena and Poseidon to become the city’s patron god.
The Pantheon was originally built as a temple to all the Roman gods. It is currently a Roman Catholic church and a popular tourist attraction.
The Parthenon was originally built as a temple to the Greek Goddess Athena. It is now a museum.
Both the Pantheon and the Parthenon were originally designed as temples, and the Pantheon borrows much of its exterior design from traditional Greek temples such as the Parthenon. Both use 8 columns to support a pediment. Both have faced some destruction and rebuilding, and both were used as churches during the Middle Ages. However, while the religious connection saved the Pantheon from looting, many parts of the Parthenon were stolen in the 1700s.
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