#5 Колизей / The Colosseum

The Colosseum is the first thing that comes to the most when it comes to Rome. The construction of the Colosseum - the Flavian Amphitheater (as it was known in ancient times) - was started by Emperor Vespasian in 72 AD on the artificial lake nearby Neros Golden palace. One of the forced sponsors of the construction was Judea, conquered by the Roman Empire, with its trophies. A 35-meter colossus towered here, from where the Colosseum, or Colosseo, takes its name. The construction was completed by 80 AD and Titus (emperor at the moment) presented it as a gift to the people, announcing 100 days of daily performances. In fact, behind all this generosity there was a smart plan: to give the people "bread and circuses" to suppress their interest in the political life of the empire. Much of the history and customs of Colosseum life is covered with fog and it¬ clear where the truth is and where the lie is. One such moment is the custom of determining the fate of a defeated gladiator with the thumb. Some argue that the finger went down, others - that in the side, and someone believes that the thumb up has nothing to do with these competitions and was a symbol of something completely different. It can be said unambiguously that the Colosseum is an engineering miracle of its time, which answered even requests that did not exist at that time! Although according to some data, the amphitheater could accommodate about 70,000 spectators, it could fill up or, on the contrary, empty in...