The archæology of Rome, Part 7 : $b The Flavian amphitheatre, commonly called the ColosseumParker, John Henry
History
The archæology of Rome, Part 7 : $b The Flavian amphitheatre, commonly called the Colosseum
Parker, John Henry
Rome -- Antiquities
In this instance the arena has fortunately been preserved, with the
trap-doors in it; those round the edge being for wild beasts, the others
for men and dogs, and the central passage as in the _Colosseum_. We see
that the central passage has been boarded over also. The arrangement of
the seats in the galleries is also the same, and the tufa wall behind
probably indicates that there was an awning over the galleries in the
same manner. This confirms one part of the history of the Colosseum,
and the Amphitheatre at Capua confirms another part, the canals for
the _naumachia_ or naval battles, although these were evidently very
different from what had formerly been supposed. At each end of the
part that is uncovered of the central passage it will be observed that
there is a short post, looking very much like a capstan for winding a
cord upon, as in Rome, although in this instance they are square and
on the surface, and not on the pavement below. Each of the openings to
the trap-doors has a groove round it, for a cover to fit into; possibly
this was made water-tight, so that the whole surface could be flooded.
The central passage has the same sort of groove sunk round it. The same
arrangement may have been used in the Colosseum, but in that case there
is the difficulty of the interval between the _podium_ of the lower
gallery and the floor of the arena, which does not appear to have existed
at Pozzuoli. This would have made it impracticable to flood the whole
surface at Rome, which might have been done at Pozzuoli.
THE COLOSSEUM.
PLATE XXXIII.
AMPHITHEATRE AT POZZUOLI.
PLAN.
[Illustration: AMPHITHEATRE AT POZZUOLI—PLAN]
DESCRIPTION OF PLATE XXXIII.
AMPHITHEATRE AT POZZUOLI.
PLAN.
A—B. Line of the Longitudinal Section.
C—D. Line of the view of the exterior.
a. Plan of the substructions.
b. With the superstructure in dotted lines.
c. Principal entrance from the west.
d. Eastern entrance.
e. Central passage.
f. Transverse Section.
g. Aqueduct.
h. Dens for animals.
i i. Part of the substructure not yet excavated.
k. Chambers commonly called “the Prison of Nero.”
l l. Drain leading to the sea.
THE COLOSSEUM.
PLATE XXXIV.
AMPHITHEATRE AT POZZUOLI.
[Illustration: AMPHITHEATRE AT POZZUOLI]
DESCRIPTION OF PLATE XXXIV.
AMPHITHEATRE AT POZZUOLI.
A—B. Longitudinal Section.
c. Principal entrance from the west.
d. Eastern entrance.
These two entrances are on sloping ground, descending to the central
passage, e e e.
e. The drain to the sea.
C—D. View of the Exterior, from the principal entrance on the western
side.
THE COLOSSEUM.
PLATE XXXV.
AMPHITHEATRE AT POZZUOLI.
[Illustration: AMPHITHEATRE AT POZZUOLI—DETAILS]
DESCRIPTION OF PLATE XXXV.
AMPHITHEATRE AT POZZUOLI.
E. VIEW in the principal corridor, with the receptacles to collect the
water, m m m.
F. VIEW in a subterranean corridor under the arena, shewing remains of
the decorations thrown down by the hand of men, through the aperture, n.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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