Assignment on the Colosseum

[FallentoReason]

I have to write a 2000 word essay on what the Colosseum tells us about the culture of the people that built it. I've really been looking forward to this and thought it would be a piece of cake. I thought that after reading extensively about it the 2000 words would just flow out. That hasn't quite happened and after touching on every point I've researched so far I've only got 1300 words! These are the topics I've covered:

• When it was built and by whom.
  
• The possible reasons for building it.
  
• How the name was actually derived.
  
• The significance the building had according to Martial the poet.
  
• The connection between myth and spectacles resembling these myths.
  
• Emperors playing the role of a gladiator.
  
• The social status of the gladiator.
  
• The fascination women had for gladiators.
  

Are there any other areas you can think of that would be worthy of discussing? Or maybe in other words, what would you like to find out about the Colosseum (that hopefully relates back to the culture of the time)?

[festive1]

Violence, bloodshed, the idea of keeping the public entertained/distracted...

[FallentoReason]

Violence, bloodshed, the idea of keeping the public entertained/distracted...

I don't know how wise it would be to go into that, unless if I can explain where this desire for violence and bloodshed came from. Otherwise I'll be rambling on about what most people could gather about the Colosseum--that it was a bloody place.

[Annik]

I'm sure going over the controversy would nab decent word count.

[Shell B]

Types of gladiators and the weapons they use will easily give you 800 or more words. You can elaborate about the weapons and how they tie into Ancient Roman culture. The types of gladiators also say a lot about that society, given that status had a lot to do with what your job was in the arena. Let me know if you need help with that. I might still have some of my research.

[FallentoReason]

Types of gladiators and the weapons they use will easily give you 800 or more words. You can elaborate about the weapons and how they tie into Ancient Roman culture. The types of gladiators also say a lot about that society, given that status had a lot to do with what your job was in the arena. Let me know if you need help with that. I might still have some of my research.

I just kind of get a little confused as to what counts as "describing the culture". Does me explaining that they used a gladius and square shield count as "describing the culture"? I went a little further and explained that there were a lot of sexual connotations, like the gladiator's blade being seen as his penis. Juvenal tells us women were "craving ferrum" which means "iron" or "sword" which is street talk for penis. Apart from that though, I haven't really talked about the gear they used.

What aspects of the Colosseum did your research touch on?

[popeyespappy]

[Cato]

Stick to the engineering. You should have more than enough material for 2000 words. Anything else regarding its use opens you up to subjective grading.

If you stick to its engineering, keep in mind that much of it still stands; a gladiator, although romantic in a certain sense, hasn't seen combat there for well over 1000 years.

Write a paper that glamorizes the engineering, not the use.

[Minimalist]

Look up the hypogeum of the Coloseum. Essentially this was an underground area used to raise and lower cages containing animals or men into the action. It was not part of the original building but was added by Domitian later on.

There is much about Roman technology/engineering which can be added as an example of "urban development."

[jonb]

When did it fall out of use? How many Popes exhibited gladiators?