The Roman Colosseum: The Building and The Grand Spectacles – clip

Andrew Kranis / American Academy in Rome & University of Arkansas

Join Professor Andrew Kranis — FROM ROME — for this virtual tour of the fabled 1st Century gladiatorial amphitheater that was built by the Flavian Emperors to entertain, intimidate, and flatter the Roman people for over five centuries. We will examine its site within the ancient city, its extraordinary and cutting-edge architectural features, and its role as Italy’s unofficial logo. As the most ambitious and technologically complex structure ever constructed for pure blood sport, it stands as the world’s most enduring example of “negative heritage,” while setting the standard for Broadway- and Las Vegas-style stagecraft and spectacle.