Some things you may not know about the Colosseum
The Colosseum needs no introduction: it is one of the seven wonders of the modern world and one of the symbols of Rome. What we see today is only a third of the original construction and yet, despite this, it continues to fascinate and arouse wonder.
But do we really know him? Here are some curiosities that only a few know about. Let’s find out together!
Because it is called the Colosseum
Its original name is the Flavian Amphitheater (it was built by Vespasian and Titus of the Flavian dynasty) but for centuries it has been known as the Colosseum. Because? According to the most accredited theory, the name derives from Nero’s “colossus”, the bronze statue once located a few meters from the amphitheater. Others argue that it derives from the place where it stands, the hill where once there was a temple of Isis (hence Collis Isei).
It was used as a quarry for materials
Its current appearance is very different from that which could be admired until the imperial period, when it was decorated with statues, friezes and marbles. After the fall of the Empire it was abandoned for centuries and its stones were used as building material, some also to build the Basilica of San Pietro and Palazzo Barberini. It was Pope Benedict XIV who put an end to this plunder in the 18th century, when he recognized its historical value as a place where the first Christians were tortured to death.
The dark side
In the Middle Ages it was common belief that it was one of the seven gates of hell. In fact, it was believed that during the night the souls of dead gladiators wandered underground, unable to find eternal rest. At that time there were also bands of brigands who used it to bury their victims while in the sixteenth century it became the haunt of wizards and sorcerers, who attributed magical powers to the herbs that grew among its ruins.
It was used as a swimming pool
In addition to gladiator fights, it was also used as a swimming pool for the naumachiae, the spectacles in vogue in ancient Rome that faithfully reproduced the naval battles of the Greek and Roman era. Academics have long argued that it was impossible to reproduce this type of spectacle in the Colosseum but according to Martin Crapper, a professor at the University of Edinburgh, the water flowed through a series of internal wells and concentric pipes beneath the stadium stands.
A special botanical garden
For centuries the Colosseum has been the destination of botany experts, who have studied the flora spontaneously grown inside it. Over time, over 400 different plant species, including some of exotic and equatorial origin, have taken root in the ruins. According to scholars, their growth was favored by the particular warm and humid microclimate of the amphitheater.
