Rome would shame herself if his birth was not remembered hence a series of events have been organised inside his most famous “creation” –The Flavian Amphitheatre, which is more popularly known as the Colosseum. Rome’s most famous monument derived its household name in the Medieval era from its vicinity to a colossal stature of Nero.
The theatre was commissioned by Vespasian in 72 AD but the structure was inaugurated by his son Titus in 80 AD, a year after his death. The opening was celebrated with 100 days of games in which 5000 animals were slaughtered – hyenas, giraffes, tigers, lions and elephants not to mention more than 2000 humans. However, even after the death of Titus the theatre was still not completed and it was his brother Domitian who oversaw further works including the clipei, windows, internal decoration and final staircases. Completion was achieved in 96 AD.
The Colosseum put on four types of spectacle – gladiatorial combat, wild beast hunts, variety shows and navel battles. The later were the real thing as the arena was flooded but due to the difficulties in achieving enough depth for vessels to float were rare.
The preferred entertainments of the theatre’s public were the wild beast hunts, which pitted criminals, armed or unarmed according to their conviction, against fierce animals. Those that fought with courage and survived were pardoned.
Combat came to an end, according to recognised sources, in the middle of the 5th century AD even if they had long been in decline since the rise of Christianity over paganism that had caused a loss in their importance.
In the Medieval the Colosseum was transformed into a fortress during its ownership first by the Frangipane and then the Annibaldi families. Later it became a source for construction material and fell victim to continual acts of vandalism and pillaging over the centuries.
In 1749, during the rule of Benedict XIV, it acquired a new and unusual blessing to associate it with the Passions of Christ and so the remaining structure took on a new use as the Via Crucis monument.
The Colosseum is the world’s most famous monument and the most visited archaeological site in Italy. It lies in the valley between the Oppian and Caelian Hills, a site where Nero had originally dug an artificial lake for his golden palace – Domus Aurea.
From March to September 2009 to celebrate the bi-millennium of Emporer Vespasian's birth, the Colosseum will host an exhibition named in honour of its builders – the Gens Flavia (Flavian Clan).
Among the other initiatives created to celebrate the 2000th anniversary the Vice Mayor Mauro Cutrufo has offered a prize of a sculpture of the monument to the national or foreign journalists who writes the most capitvating piece on Rome.
“The Colosseum Prize” sculpture was created by Ferdinando Codognotto and the award ceremony is due in October 2009.
