The Colosseum Author:Peter Quennell Mock-Epic Sea Battles, grimly realistic wild animal hunts, breathtaking fireworks displays, and at least one midnight seance have been held in the Colosseum since its inauguration in A.D. 80. More than 1,500 years have passed since the last blood-human or animal-was shed on the arena sands, but during that time the massive amphiteather build by... more » the Flavian emperors has continued to play a major role in Roman history. The Colosseum vividly recreates that history-depicting the gory gladiatorial games, the martyrdom of early Christians, the successive sacks of Rome by maraauding barbarian armies, the desecration and partial dismantiling of the arena itself, and finally its preservation as a world-famous tourist attraction. Here we have the panoramic sweep of the decline and fall of Rome, as viewed from the Eternal City's most impressive ruin.
Some one hundred illustrations-one half in full color-provide a stunning visual complement to the narrative.
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