The Colosseum was covered by a giant awning that weighed 24 tons and was operated by 1000 expert sailors
The velarium was a masterful work of engineering. Its positioning, extremely complicated, was carried out by very experienced sailors, a detachment of the Classis Misenensis (military fleet of Miseno), the Roman fleet stationed at the head of Miseno. Modern estimates speak of a total weight of about 24 tons and everything was handled by 1000 sailors.
The velarium was a movable fabric cover made up of several hemp sheets (or veils), which was used in Roman theaters and amphitheaters to ensure spectators adequate protection in bad weather or on hot days.
The Colosseum had its own velarium, a gigantic curtain that was fixed to 240 protruding support poles, inserted in as many quadrangular holes, corresponding to 240 protruding stone shelves.
From their top a complex system of ropes began, along which huge “sails” were opened and stretched, a sort of structure suspended over the arena that allowed the cavea and part of the arena to be covered. A ring in the center favored the ventilation of the amphitheater; to reduce unpleasant odors, jets of scented water and perfumed essences were spread among the audience during the shows.
The weight of the structure was counterbalanced by anchoring other ropes on stone stones, placed in a radial pattern outside the annular area paved with travertine. Some stones are still visible on the north and east sides.
The velarium was a masterful work of engineering. Its positioning, extremely complicated, was carried out by very experienced sailors, a detachment of the Classis Misenensis (military fleet of Miseno), the Roman fleet stationed at the head of Miseno.
Modern estimates speak of a total weight of about 24 tons and everything was handled by 1000 sailors.
The use of the velarium is mentioned by numerous historians: Pliny, when the performances were still held in the Roman Forum, recalls the creation of a huge cloth spread over the whole square, “a more amazing spectacle than the games themselves”.
The Colosseum, originally known as Amphitheatrum Flavium (Flavian Amphitheater) or simply as Amphitheatrum, located in the center of Rome, is the largest amphitheater in the world. The structure can hold an estimated number of spectators between 50,000 and 87,000, it is the most important Roman amphitheater, as well as the most impressive monument of ancient Rome that has come down to us.
The Flavian Amphitheater, better known as the Colosseum (but this name came only during the medieval period) built in just 2 years and 9 months, was inaugurated in the year 80 AD. with a hundred days of shows. In the opening ceremony, over 5,000 beasts were killed in a single day.
The amphitheater was built in the Flavian era on an area at the eastern edge of the Roman Forum. Its construction was started by Vespasian in 70 AD. and inaugurated by Tito in 80, with further changes made during Domitian’s empire in 90. The current height reaches 48.5 m, but originally reached 52 m.
Construction began in 72 AD. under the emperor Vespasian, of the Flavian dynasty. The works were financed, like other public works of the period, with the proceeds of provincial taxes and the spoils of the sacking of the temple in Jerusalem (70 AD).
For the inauguration of the building, the emperor Titus gave games that lasted three months, during which about 2,000 gladiators and 9,000 animals died. 10,000 gladiators fought there to celebrate Trajan’s triumph over the Dacians.
The Colosseum hosted the amphitheater games, which included: fights between animals (venationes), the killing of condemned by ferocious animals or other types of executions (noxii) and fights between gladiators (munera). The activities followed a codified program: in the morning there were fights between animals or between a gladiator and an animal, at lunchtime death sentences were carried out and gladiator fights took place only in the afternoon.
The last fights between gladiators are recorded in 437, but the amphitheater was still used for venationes (killing of animals) until the reign of Theodoric the Great: the last were organized in 519, on the occasion of the consulate of Eutaric (son-in-law of Theodoric ), and in 523, for the consulate of Anicio Massimo.
Excavations of the Colosseum sewer collectors have returned the remains of skeletons of numerous domestic and wild animals, including bears, lions, horses, ostriches.
