Live From The Colosseum!

Live feed from outside the Roman Colosseum in 283 AD.

Take a moment to soak in the sights and sounds around the arena on the day of the games.

(Immersive experience created by Faber Courtial) pic.twitter.com/nJjvOxD2FZ

— Gareth Harney (@OptimoPrincipi) October 14, 2024

The Roman one that is.  Via Gareth Harney, who has an excellent Roman history feed, this was created by Faber Courtial (you can find other of their historical recreations on YouTube).  The visual setting of the scene is just behind and above the 100 foot tall statue of Colossus, located just outside the Colosseum.  The statue was erected prior to the building of the Flavian Amphitheater.  The building of the Colosseum began under Emperor Vespasian (69-79 AD) and completed under his son, Emperor Titus (79-81).  The statue was erected near the end of Vespasian's predecessor, Nero (54-68) and was intended to portray the young emperor.  After Nero's overthrow and suicide, the statue was repurposed.

On the left is the Colosseum.  Late in the video you can see poles along its edge.  Those could be extended and covers deployed from them to shade spectators from the sun.  Just to the right of the amphitheater is the Arch of Constantine, the existence of which indicates there is an error in dating this scene to 283 AD.  The Arch was constructed only after Constantine's victory at the Milvian Bridge in 312 which enabled his capture of Rome.  Just to the right front of the Arch is the conical shape of the Meta Sudans, a large fountain.  It still existed in damaged condition until the 1930s when Mussolini ordered its removal as part of a project to improve traffic flow.

On the hill above the Meta Sudans is the Palatine, home of the palace of the emperors which, by this date, covered the entire elevation.  Just to the right of the Colossus is the Temple of Venus and Roma, construction of which was initiated in 135 AD under Hadrian and completed in 141 during the reign of Antoninus Pius.  By the trees at the far end of the temple is the entrance to the Sacred Way which ran up a small hill, passed under the Arch of Titus, and then entered the Roman Forum.

The open space in front of the statue is filled with vendors selling food and trinkets to the crowd.  Well, I better get going so I don't miss the show.  Make sure to listen to this with the sound on.

The Colossus may have been still standing as late as the seventh century.  It was eventually broken up and used for building material.