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[[image:http://www.aviewoncities.com/img/rome/kveit1367p.jpg width="200" height="133" caption="Inside the Colosseum in Rome"]][[image:logo.jpg width="640" height="158"]]
===I have reaserched the colosseum for my symbols of Italy Italian assignment. I chose the Colosseum because i think that the Colosseum is one of the most succesful architectures in the world. I have seen the colosseum in many movies such as Gladiator,Jumper and Clash of the Titans and i would like to go and see it one day.===

The colosseum started to be constructed by emperor Vespasian in 72 AD and was finished in 80AD.

 * ===The Colosseum had more than 50,000 seats and was used for gladiatorial contests,mock sea battles, animal hunts and===
 * ===Executions.===
 * ===The Colosseum is the picture on the italian 5 cent coin.===
 * ===The elliptical building is immense, measuring 188m by 156m and reaching a height of more than 48 metres.===
 * ===Above the ground are four storeys, the upper storey contained seating for lower classes and women. The lowest storey was preserved for prominent citizens.===
 * ===Above the ground are four storeys, the upper storey contained seating for lower classes and women. The lowest storey was preserved for prominent citizens.===

Below the ground were rooms with mechanical devices and cages containing wild animals. The cages could be hoisted, enabling the animals to appear in the middle of the arena.
===The Colosseum was covered with an enormous awning known as the velarium. This protected the spectators from the sun. It was attached to large poles on top of the Colosseum and anchored to the ground by large ropes. A team of some 1,000 men was used to install the awning.===

Emperors used the Colosseum to entertain the public with free games. Those games were a symbol of prestige and power and they were a way for an emperor to increase his popularity.
===Games were held for a whole day or even several days in a row. They usually started with comical acts and displays of exotic animals and ended with fights to the death between animals and gladiators or between gladiators. These fighters were usually slaves, prisoners of war or condemned criminals. Sometimes Romans and even Emperors took part in the action.===

Hundred-day games were held by Titus, Vespasian's successor, to mark the inauguration of the building in AD 80. In the process, some 9,000 wild animals were slaughtered.
===The southern side of the Colosseum was destroyed by an earthquake in 847 AD. Parts of the building - including the marble facade - were used for the construction of later monuments, including the St Peters Basilica.===