Romes Construction Of The Amphitheater - 1404 Words

Amphitheater. Rome’s construction of the amphitheater, began in the Second century AD (Figure 3; Matova and Aliaj, 2006:280; Ponce de Leon, 2013:3; UNESCO, 2004:34. The arena and Roman baths built during this period were centrally located within the city (Bowes and Mitchell, 2009:571; Bowes et al., 2003:382; Karaiskaj, 2004:13; UNESCO, 2004:34). Local topography played a part in deciding where the stadium would be built. Roman engineers made use of a hillside on the northern part of the arena, whereas the southern half of the auditorium was on lower ground. Roman vaults and piers held up this section of the amphitheater (Bowes and Mitchell, 2009:571; Bowes et al., 2003:382; Matova and Aliaj, 2006:280). The southern, or lower side of†¦show more content†¦It is believed that this amphitheater was able to hold 15,000-20,000 spectators, indicating Dyrrachium’s population to be approximately 30,000 during Roman rule (Matova and Aliaj, 2006:280; Molla, 2014:31; Ponce de Leon, 2013:3; Puka and Beshiri, 2011:6; UNESCO, 2004:34) After Rome’s decline in 378 AD (Wilkes, 1992:265), parts of the amphitheater were restructured and used as chapels. The main sanctuary was built into the alcove, which originally housed the pulvinar (elevated imperial box) and vomitorium. Byzantine mosaics and frescos indicate that these chapels were created during the fifth century AD (Bowes and Mitchell, 2009:574-575; Isufi, 2006:11; Jacques, 1995:154; Karaiskaj, 2004:13; UNESCO, 2004:35-37). A second chapel and possible third were built on the north side of the stadium (Bowes and Mitchell, 2009:574; Bowes et al., 2003:392). Sometime during the seventh century, the arena began to be used as a graveyard, known as the necropolis. There are also several Byzantine art forms, dating from the ninth through eleventh centuries (Bowes and Mitchell, 2009:581; Bowes et al., 2003:391-392; Jacques, 1995:154-155; UNESCO, 2004:36-37). At some point during the Middle Ages, the cemetery ceased to be used by the inhabitants of Dyrrachiu m (Bowes and Mitchell, 2009:574; Bowes et al., 2003:388-389). The last known