Interior of Colosseo, from South Side, Rome, Italy
Collection: Europe

Title

Interior of Colosseo, from South Side, Rome, Italy

Subject

Colosseum (Rome, Italy)

Description

On verso:
No. 287. INTERIOR OF COLOSSEO, ROME, ITALY.
Emperor Vespasian in A. D. 72 began the erection of this largest, most magnificent stone amphitheater. During the reign of Titus it was opened but not completed until the times of Domitian. Twelve thousand captive Jews were the workmen, while a Christian martyr, Gaudentius, is said to have been the architect. The name “Colosseum” (Italian coliseo, colosseo) is used first in the eighth century and is probably derived from a colossal statue of Apollo-Nero near by. The colosseum served for gladiatorial combats and fights of slaves or Christians with wild beasts. Saint Ignatius was the first martyr that was here devoured by lions. A cross marks the spot in the arena where Christians suffered.
Outwardly the building shows four stories, supported respectively by Doric, Ionic and Corinthian columns on which the 80 arches of each story rested. Five elliptic, massive walls carried the spaces for the spectators in he interior. Of marvelous ingenuity is the arrangement of the passage through which the multitudes reached their seats, of which there were 87,000.
A8523

Creator

[Ingersoll, T. W. (Truman Ward)]

Source

Canton Township Carnegie Library, Canton KS, USA

Publisher

Canton Township Carnegie Library, Canton KS, USA

Date

ca. 1890-1910

Format

image/jpeg

Language

English

Type

Stereographs

Identifier

287



Citation
[Ingersoll, T. W. (Truman Ward)], “Interior of Colosseo, from South Side, Rome, Italy,” Digital Canton, accessed April 26, 2024, https://canton.digitalsckls.info/item/589.
Original Format

Stereograph

Physical Dimensions

7 x 3.5 inches