|
Hypogeum
History of the Hypogeum
The History of the hypogeum started after the Colosseum was
initially built by the
Emperor Vespasian
and then finished by his elder son the
Emperor Titus in
80AD. It was his younger son, the
Emperor Domitian
who built the hypogeum. The addition of the Hypogeum meant
that any water battles at the Colosseum would not have been
possible.
Description of the Hypogeum
The entire base or area of
the Roman Colosseum measured 6 acres. The hypogeum was
easily able to accommodate a vast a series of underground
tunnels, passages and chambers used to house animals, stage
props and the slaves who had to work there. The hypogeum consisted of
two-level subterranean network of tunnels, shafts,
mechanical devices and 32 animal
pens. The tunnels led to other buildings outside the
structure of the Colosseum. The animal pens housed the
variety of animals required for the contests and shows of
the day. The vertical shafts contained lifts operated by
ropes and pulleys which led directly to the arena providing
instant access for fast changes to scenery, animals and
occasionally convicts and gladiators. There were 36 trap doors in Arena
allowing for elaborate special effects. The atmosphere
and smell beneath the Colosseum must have been terrible. The
noise would have echoed the screams of the crowd, the roars
of the animals and shouts of terror and agony from the
hideous executions and tortures of the arena. The Hypogeum
would have had little natural light so lamps would have
burnt continuously, the heat in the Hypogeum must have been
almost unbearable. The stench and the the excrement of the
animals and the stench of blood and death would have filled
every part of the Hypogeum. Both above and beneath the
Colosseum must have been "hell on earth".
Who worked in the
Hypogeum?
There were many people who
worked in the stifling heat of the Hypogeum. The animal
keepers, Bestiarii and trainers, and some other gladiators
who were hoisted into the stadium to surprise the audience,
there were stage-hands who manipulated the props and the
scenery used in the arena of the Colosseum. And there were
the slaves. There were a variety of tasks which had to be
completed by the slaves. Releasing the animals from their
cages, using burning torches to frighten the animals and
ensuring they exited through the correct passages and hoists
to reach the arena of the Colosseum.
Hypogeum - Mechanical
Devices
The Hypogeum
would have contained a substantial quantity of machinery and
equipment. Elevators and pulleys raised and lowered scenery
and props, as well as lifting animals to the surface of the
arena for release. The elevators that brought animals from
the underground passageways to the arena worked by a system
of counterbalancing of weight. There is also evidence for the
existence of major hydraulic mechanisms making it was
possible to flood the arena rapidly via a connection to an
aqueduct. The engineers of Ancient Rome would have directed
considerable energy towards creating fabulous special
effects at the Colosseum. The Colosseum demanded fast
changes to shows, contests and scenery.
The Romans had to be entertained throughout the whole day,
and some of the games lasted for over 100 days. The events
of each day were planned to the strictest timing. Something
different had to be seen at all times. There were constant
changes of events from hunting to circus acts and from
executions to gladiatorial fights.
Roman engineers would have had to work
to provide an efficient network of winches and the capstans
to hoist heavy wild animals from the hypogeum to the main
arena. For hoisting the largest animals such as elephants
and hippopotamus the Roman engineers created mechanical
devices called hegmata which were strong hinged platforms
which could also be hoisted up to the arena. The hypogeum
was restructured on numerous occasions to ensure that the
latest Roman technology was provided to provide the latest
and most spectacular games. No money was spared and at least
12 different phases of construction can be seen in the
hypogeum ruins. Man-power was clearly not a problem in
Ancient Rome. Teams of slaves would be trained to use the
machinery and equipment and to pull in unison to ensure
animals, men and scenery were lifted into the arena.
Hypogeum Tunnels
The hypogeum was connected
by underground tunnels to a number of points outside the
Colosseum. The Roman Colosseum was the centre of a complex
consisting of various buildings and industries necessary to
'running' the horrific activities of the arena. There were
various underground tunnels that connected the Roman
Colosseum to the surrounding buildings. The
Tunnels Under the Colosseum
led to the Gladiator Schools, or barracks and stables, the
Spoliarium where the dead
bodies of gladiators were stripped of armor and weaponry and
the Armamentarium where the weapons were stored, the
Imperial Palace and the various storerooms
Hypogeum
The content of this Hypogeum
category on life in Ancient Rome provides free educational
details, facts and information for reference and research
for schools, colleges and homework. Refer to the
Colosseum Sitemap for a comprehensive search on interesting
different categories containing the history, facts and
information about Ancient Rome. Just like the subject of
Hypogeum there is hardly a page of Roman history and the Romans that is not, on
some way, connected to the Roman Colosseum which became a
symbol of Rome, its society, culture and life.
|
