The Roman Coliseum

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the Roman Coliseum as it stood and as it was utilized during the first two centuries AD. In particular, it reviews the noteworthy architecture of the Coliseum as well as what the Coliseum stood for and what it was used for. The paper argues that the Coliseum, while a remarkably modern structure, was a symbol of exploitation and its presence on the Roman landscape today raises a number of dark issues about the psyche of the brilliant civilization that brought it into being.

From the Paper:

"In closing, the last several pages have provided a brief historical sketch of the Roman Coliseum as it stood during its height - and the height of Roman power - in the first two centuries after the death of Christ. The paper has reviewed in particular the architectural features of the Amphitheatre and the paper has also examined what purposes it served and the uses to which it was put. Furthermore, the paper has illuminated the dark and exploitative elements which are also a part of the Coliseum's historical legacy. In the final analysis, what should emerge from this paper is an appreciation for the exquisite skill required to erect such a monument and a concomitant appreciation for the dark forces which linked the Coliseum with acts of almost unspeakable cruelty."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "Alberti, Leon Battista." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th Edition. Ed. Columbia University. New York: Columbia University Press, 1976. Questia.com. 19 Sept. 2006 <http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=101228278>
• Baker, Rosalie F. "The Magnificent Colosseum." Calliope, 16.3 (2005): 4-5.
• Barnette, Jane, William C. Boles, John Countryman, Dale Anthony Girard, James Harley, Charlotte Headrick, Colleen Kelly, J.D. Martinez, Andrea D. Nouryeh, Nancy Scheper-Hughes, and Leslie A. Wade. Theatre and Violence. Tuscaloosa, AL: Southeastern Theatre Conference, 1999. Questia.com. 19 Sept. 2006 <http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=100116999>
• Conway, Hazel, and Roenisch, Rowan. Understanding Architecture: An Introduction to Architecture and Architectural History. New York: Routledge, 1994. Questia.com. 19 Sept. 2006 <http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=109073153>
• Feldman, Louis H. "Financing the Colosseum." Biblical Archaeology Review, 27.4 (2001): 20-32.

More papers on The Roman Coliseum:

• Analytical Essay # 135630 : "The Roman Coliseum and Modern Sports Arenas"
• Analytical Essay # 132488 : "The Role of Spectacles in the Late Roman Republic"
• Term Paper # 127146 : "Architecture and Cultural Values"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: