We present the fifth installment of "THE ROAD," Rome (Part 1), featuring landscapes captured by photographer Hidenobu Kasahara during his tour of Italy.
The Colosseum, built in 80 AD, was the largest amphitheater in the Roman Empire. Even today, its appearance vividly evokes the power and excitement of the time. Located 20 minutes southeast of Vatican City, this is where famous gladiators fought to the death, and wild animal hunts and battles were held.
Guided tours of the vast arena are available, including the arena, where you can walk through the tunnels and passageways where the beasts were transported and into the underground gladiators' cells. A small exhibition room tells you about the Colosseum's long history and ongoing restoration work.
The Colosseum is structured around an underground area, an arena, and four levels of seating. Let's start with the arena. This is where the fights were held for spectacle. Most of this area is now destroyed, but you can see a partial reconstruction of the arena in a crescent shape.
The main source of entertainment for the Roman people at the time was the thrilling spectacles at the Colosseum, in other words the "bloodshed and death" that took place there. It has also been the subject of many films.
Emperor Vespasian believed that keeping the citizens engrossed in these innovative forms of entertainment would help quell rebellions. The program consisted of morning battles between wild animals and gladiators, midday executions, and the main gladiator battles in the afternoon.
Thousands of gladiators lost their lives here each year.
It may be difficult to see because the arena floor is now destroyed, but the exposed area in the center of the Colosseum is the actual underground area. You can view the detailed structure of the underground area with a special guide by reservation, but it's this underground structure that is the Colosseum's true charm. It's definitely something you should see.
In the past, the underground area housed cages for wild animals and waiting areas for gladiators. An amazing mechanism was created to entertain the crowds: the underground lifting system for the wild animals and gladiators into the arena.
The arena contained a whopping 80 large-scale machines, including winches that raised cages containing giant animals like elephants and lions to the surface, and lifting entrances through which the gladiators emerged. It's said that the crowds were thrilled and enthralled by the sight of the wild animals and gladiators rising from underground.
In modern sports, athletes enter through a walkway, but the entrance of the gladiators and wild animals 2,000 years ago may have been a more sophisticated production.
The Colosseum's spectator seats are arranged from the first to fourth floors, surrounding the arena. The ratios of the major and minor axes of the arena and the spectator seats were apparently almost identical to those used today.
It's truly amazing that things that we calculate and design using computers were all done manually back then, and that they had already mastered such advanced technology.
Constantine I, who would later become Emperor of the Roman Empire, won the battle known as the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312. The Arch of Constantine was built in 315 to commemorate this.
Rome was in a divided state (shared rule) at the time, and with this battle Constantine I began to work towards the reunification of the Roman Empire.
It is said that some of the reliefs that decorate the Arch actually existed before the arch was built and were later moved. For example, the eight reliefs on the top floor were moved from the Arch of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, which was built in 176.
Perhaps because of this, the content depicted on the reliefs is not unified as the "Battle of the Milvian Bridge," but rather spans a variety of eras. The top eight reliefs depict the "Marcomannic Wars" from 162 to 180, while the four on the sides of the central aisle depict the "Dacian Wars" from 101 to 106.
Arch of Titus
The Roman Forum flourished as the political, economic, and commercial center of ancient Rome from the 6th century BC to the 3rd century AD. It is home to numerous ruins, including restored and reconstructed structures, such as the Curia, where the Senate was located, the Arch of Severus, the Basilica Julia (Julian Basilica), the Temple of Saturn, and the Temple of Vesta. In 1980, it was registered as a World Heritage Site (cultural heritage site) under the name "Historic Centre of Rome, the Papal States and the Basilica of San Paolo Fogli-le-Mura."
Domus Flavia
Column of Phocas
Temple of Castor and Pollux
Temple of Antoninus Pius and Faustina
Temple of Castor and Pollux
Temple of Saturn
Basilica of Santi Luca e Martina
Pay close attention to Kasahara Hidenobu's art-like photography, which captures a quiet, warm atmosphere. Gazing at the past, present, and future, our roads continue on.
＞Continued in Part 2 (Rome City Edition) *Coming soon
"THE ROAD - in Roma (Part 1)"
https://hidenobu.com/the_road/
photo: Hidenobu Kasahara
The fifth installment is set in Rome, Italy – "Colosseum & Roman Forum"
The Colosseum, built in 80 AD, was the largest amphitheater in the Roman Empire. Even today, its appearance vividly evokes the power and excitement of the time. Located 20 minutes southeast of Vatican City, this is where famous gladiators fought to the death, and wild animal hunts and battles were held.
Guided tours of the vast arena are available, including the arena, where you can walk through the tunnels and passageways where the beasts were transported and into the underground gladiators' cells. A small exhibition room tells you about the Colosseum's long history and ongoing restoration work.
The Colosseum is structured around an underground area, an arena, and four levels of seating. Let's start with the arena. This is where the fights were held for spectacle. Most of this area is now destroyed, but you can see a partial reconstruction of the arena in a crescent shape.
The main source of entertainment for the Roman people at the time was the thrilling spectacles at the Colosseum, in other words the "bloodshed and death" that took place there. It has also been the subject of many films.
Emperor Vespasian believed that keeping the citizens engrossed in these innovative forms of entertainment would help quell rebellions. The program consisted of morning battles between wild animals and gladiators, midday executions, and the main gladiator battles in the afternoon.
Thousands of gladiators lost their lives here each year.
It may be difficult to see because the arena floor is now destroyed, but the exposed area in the center of the Colosseum is the actual underground area. You can view the detailed structure of the underground area with a special guide by reservation, but it's this underground structure that is the Colosseum's true charm. It's definitely something you should see.
In the past, the underground area housed cages for wild animals and waiting areas for gladiators. An amazing mechanism was created to entertain the crowds: the underground lifting system for the wild animals and gladiators into the arena.
The arena contained a whopping 80 large-scale machines, including winches that raised cages containing giant animals like elephants and lions to the surface, and lifting entrances through which the gladiators emerged. It's said that the crowds were thrilled and enthralled by the sight of the wild animals and gladiators rising from underground.
In modern sports, athletes enter through a walkway, but the entrance of the gladiators and wild animals 2,000 years ago may have been a more sophisticated production.
The Colosseum's spectator seats are arranged from the first to fourth floors, surrounding the arena. The ratios of the major and minor axes of the arena and the spectator seats were apparently almost identical to those used today.
It's truly amazing that things that we calculate and design using computers were all done manually back then, and that they had already mastered such advanced technology.
Constantine I, who would later become Emperor of the Roman Empire, won the battle known as the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312. The Arch of Constantine was built in 315 to commemorate this.
Rome was in a divided state (shared rule) at the time, and with this battle Constantine I began to work towards the reunification of the Roman Empire.
It is said that some of the reliefs that decorate the Arch actually existed before the arch was built and were later moved. For example, the eight reliefs on the top floor were moved from the Arch of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, which was built in 176.
Perhaps because of this, the content depicted on the reliefs is not unified as the "Battle of the Milvian Bridge," but rather spans a variety of eras. The top eight reliefs depict the "Marcomannic Wars" from 162 to 180, while the four on the sides of the central aisle depict the "Dacian Wars" from 101 to 106.
Roman Forum
Arch of TitusThe Roman Forum flourished as the political, economic, and commercial center of ancient Rome from the 6th century BC to the 3rd century AD. It is home to numerous ruins, including restored and reconstructed structures, such as the Curia, where the Senate was located, the Arch of Severus, the Basilica Julia (Julian Basilica), the Temple of Saturn, and the Temple of Vesta. In 1980, it was registered as a World Heritage Site (cultural heritage site) under the name "Historic Centre of Rome, the Papal States and the Basilica of San Paolo Fogli-le-Mura."
Domus FlaviaColumn of PhocasTemple of Castor and PolluxTemple of Antoninus Pius and FaustinaTemple of Castor and PolluxTemple of SaturnBasilica of Santi Luca e MartinaPay close attention to Kasahara Hidenobu's art-like photography, which captures a quiet, warm atmosphere. Gazing at the past, present, and future, our roads continue on.
＞Continued in Part 2 (Rome City Edition) *Coming soon
"THE ROAD - in Roma (Part 1)"
https://hidenobu.com/the_road/
photo: Hidenobu Kasahara
