Research Paper On The Roman Colosseum

The Roman Colosseum, while large and marvelous, is a structure whose history is controlled by those in power, and by those who gave life to the space. This theatre of sorts became a very powerful political space, and offers a glimpse into Roman social structures. We can think of the Colosseum as a gift from Vespasian to the Romans, as the Colosseum would become one of the most significant structures the world has ever known.
The Colosseum was built to show the prosperity and greatness of Rome. It was built upon the land that Nero had once constructed his palace, and where Vespasian had destroyed it to show his disapproval of Nero’s rule. Nero was young when he began ruling, and was more interested in “having fun” instead of addressing real problems (Benko 57). Vespasian began ruling after other “ principates” that did not last long. At the time, Vespasian was much older than the inexperienced Nero had been (Benko 62). …show more content…
It is ironic because the Colosseum was built to please the people of Rome where their tyrant once resided, but we can see that the Colosseum wasn’t completely in favor of all peoples in Rome. Those who were slaves, Christians, and foreigners were the ones dying in the Colosseum. Because we can see that the Colosseum served as a cultural space for those in Rome that had the privilege of not being slaves, Christians, or foreigners, we can also tell that the Colosseum was built for the pleasure of some, and the death and demise of others. This, in some way, represents a sort of tyrant in Vespasian himself, even if he was dead long before some of the more gruesome acts in the arena. Vespasian’s heir, Domitian, certainly exercised some of these tyrannical tendencies after Titus reigned (Benko

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