Monday, March 2nd AgendaAnnouncements  NOVA Video Divide one piece of paper into 4 quadrants. Label them: ○ Political Social ○ Economic Arch Design Take notes as you watch the NOVA special  Architecture Packet annotations due Tuesday

Tuesday, March 3rd AGENDAANNOUNCEMENTS  Homework: Check Annotations  Sketch Sheets Colosseum Trajan’s Column

Why is the Colosseum the most representative building of the Roman Empire?  Consider: Political reasons Social reasons Economic reasons Architectural Design reasons

If the Colosseum exists, Rome will exist, as long as Rome exists, the world will exist.

Colosseum AD, Rome

Where did name come from?

Who is responsible for the Colosseum?

Where did the money come from? How do you know?

The Materials  25 feet deep foundation  Concrete faced with Travertine Marble and Brick (Form and Function) Lighter weight; less strong than marble

The Design  Oval = 2 amphitheaters (adopted and adapted from Greek Theater) Tiered seats over barrel vaults 4 tiers – exterior (Doric/Ionic/Corinthian)  Valerium – canopy of canvas  50,000 spectators – efficient (10 minutes)  Foundation: rooms/tunnels for Gladiators; criminals; animals; equipment

Barrel Vaults & Groin Vaults

Medallions – Bronze shields

Valerium

Where did people sit?

Emperor

4 Tiers  Tier #l: Podium Emperor (center – north side) Vestal Virgins Roman Senators  Tier #2: Maenianum primum (marble seats) Noble class (non-Senators)  Tier #3: Ordinary citizens  Tier #4: Wooden seats (women)  Very top (Standing Room only)

Tier #l – Emperor

Tier #2

Tier #3

Tier #4

Exterior Tiers

Who fought during the games?  Morning – sea battles; animal fights  Noon – execution of criminals  Afternoon – gladiator battles

What did Roman citizens do during the games?

Thumbs Up or Down?  When a gladiator went down, cries of Habet, Hoc habet! (He's had it!), and shouts of Mitte! (Let him go!) or Iugula! (Kill him!) could be heard. If able, the wounded gladiator would lay down his shield and raise his left hand to plea for mercy, which the crowd signified either by extending their thumbs up or down (pollice verso), turning the thumb upwards and jabbing it toward the heart (pollicem vertere) also was a sign of disapproval, and approval indicated by pressing the thumb and forefinger together (pollicem premere).

What does this form of entertainment say about the Roman Empire? (Social)

Seneca on Gladiator Games  "There is nothing so ruinous to good character as to idle away one's time at some spectacle. Vices have a way of creeping in because of the feeling of pleasure that it brings. Why do you think that I say that I personally return from shows greedier, more ambitious and more given to luxury, and I might add, with thoughts of greater cruelty and less humanity, simply because I have been among humans?  The other day, I chanced to drop in at the midday games, expecting sport and wit and some relaxation to rest men's eyes from the sight of human blood. Just the opposite was the case. Any fighting before that was as nothing; all trifles were now put aside - it was plain butchery.

What does the Colosseum say about power and politics?

What does the Colosseum say about the Romans as engineers?