A Study on Roman Ampitheatres

A Study on Roman Ampitheatres Roman amphitheatres If one were to ask any person what first comes to mind when they think of Roman civilisation, most people would instantly respond with the Colosseum in Rome, or the Gladiatorial games. The Colosseum in Rome was a symbol of the power and wealth that Rome possessed at the height of her glory, and even today, the amphitheatre dominates the surrounding area, and draws the eye like nothing else. Roman amphitheatres became synonymous with the spread of roman culture throughout the empire, and as such are an excellent case for understanding the spread of roman engineering practices as well as colonization of new territories.[1] A roman amphitheatre is a large freestanding structure, often oval or circular, which was built by Romans, primarily for the purpose of entertainment.[2] Amphitheatres housed a variety of spectacles, such as gladiatorial games, or executions of prisoners. The roman ruling elite understood that in order to keep the populace happy and complacent, they needed to be provided with nourishment for both the body and for the mind. As such, those who belonged the roman ruling class, the equestrians, would often fund spectacles for roman citizens of lower classes to attend, and be entertained by.[3] The history: Some of the earliest Roman amphitheatres date to the republic period, however, the majority of the most well-known were built during the imperial period.[4] The word amphitheatre comes from the latin â€Å"amphitheatrum† meaning theatre in the round, which differentiates amphitheatres from traditional greek theatres, which were most often semi-circular.[5] The Roman amphitheatre as an architectural phenomenon is believed to have roots in the Greek theatre traditions, indeed, the two are quite similar to one another in multiple respects.[6] There has been some debate over how Roman amphitheatres came to be invented, with some scholars suggesting that they first appeared in the area of Campania, which was well-known for its displays of funeral games, and later for its gladiatorial schools.[7] Interestingly, it is possible that the Romans borrowed the idea of gladiatorial combat from the Campanians, and adapted it for Roman ideals. One should note, however, that it has also been suggested by certain scholars that the Roman style of stone amphitheatres originated in Rome’s Forum Romanum, where a temporary wooden structure may have been built to provide a setting for gladiatorial games.[8] This wooden structure took the shape of the forum, which happened to be oblong.[9] This idea of a wooden amphitheatre comes from Pliny, who stated that Gaius Scribonius Curio constructed two wooden theatres which were moved together to become an amphitheatre to house the gladiatorial combats for the funeral games of his father.[10] Additionally, there are also records which show that after the destruction of Rome’s first stone amphitheatre, Nero built a new one of wood.[11] Later, when the Romans began to build more permanent versions of this original structure, they kept the same basic shape, though it was changed to be more round, which would provide more equidistant views of the spectacles below. The first permanent amphitheatre is believed to be the one built at Pompeii, and is a very simple construction compared to later amphitheatres.[12] The first stone amphitheatre in Rome was built by Statilius Taurus, an associate of Augustus. Unfortunately, this amphitheatre was eventually destroyed, and, in AD57, Nero built a new, wooden, amphitheatre. This construction was incredibly short-lived, and was eventually destroyed as well.[13] Though Rome’s Flavian amphitheatre was built rather late, most colonies had their own amphitheatres at least one hundred and fifty years before the Flavian amphitheatre was constructed.[14] Archaeological evidence suggests that the roman stone amphitheatres built outside of Rome were largely constructed for those roman citizens who helped to colonize the area, and to help the spread of the idea of Romaness.[15] It has been suggested that the amphitheatre at Pompeii may have been constructed specifically for the purpose of entertaining Sulla’s military colonists who were stationed there.[16] The Colosseum is today the most widely known and recognised of the roman amphitheatres, and even at the height of Rome’s power it was no different. The Flavian amphitheatre, as the name suggests, was the centre-piece of the Flavian dynasty. In AD 69, Rome fought a short, but brutal civil war, with the end result of Vespasian and his sons, Titus and Domitian, in control of Rome. The two initial goals of any new regime in Rome were often the same: first, to establish legitimacy and authority, and secondly, to discredit their predecessors. The Flavians were able to do both in one fell swoop, with the construction of the amphitheatre.[17] Emperor Nero before them had appropriated public land for the construction of his personal pleasure palace, â€Å"the Golden House†or Domus Aurea, making the already unpopular emperor despised among the populace.[18] With the civil war which led to the Flavians acceding to power, Nero was overthrown, and nearly all traces of his reign were obliterated. In AD 106 his opulent palace followed suit by means of a fire, freeing the once-public land to be used again. The Flavians took this opportunity, and constructed a venue which could be used and enjoyed by the Roman populace, the largest stone amphitheatre in the Roman Empire.[19] Indeed, the Flavian amphitheatre was designed to impress. The Flavian amphitheatre was a spectacular feat of Roman engineering. The seating area or cavea of the amphitheatre featured five different levels of seating which were specific to different classes of the population. In order for spectators to end up in the correct seating tier, they needed to traverse multiple flights of increasingly narrow steps, with the senators and members of the equestrian class climbing either no, or very few steps, while women and slaves climbing the most, to reach the highest tier of seating.[20] The manner in which the staircases and corridors were constructed is an interesting one in that the corridors and staircases closest to the bottom of the amphitheatre are wide and spacious, but the closer to the top, the narrower the passages become. It has been postulated that this was an intentional design on the part of the architects, not only to allow the best support for the structure, but also as an inherent form of crowd control.[21] The wider passageways at the bottom allowed the members of the upper echelons of society to exit the amphitheatre in an expedient and prompt manner, while those of the lower classes were filtered through the narrow passageways, thereby taking a longer time to leave the amphitheatre, allowing the elites to pass unimpeded by those who were less important than they. The amphitheatre also made excellent use of the most modern innovations underground, in the two stories of corridors that formed the substructure of the building.[22] This maze of chambers and passageways contained an assortment of lifts and pulleys which would allow animals for fights, or gladiators, to enter the pit seemingly from thin air, adding a layer of mystery and showmanship to the spectacle, to further excite the audience.[23] There were also spaces in the substructure which housed cages for the animals, as well as measures for safety. Additionally, there were spaces for the gladiators, and also areas for the animals to run and exercise.[24] In his â€Å"On the Spectacles,† Martial states that the structure surpasses earlier wonders of antiquity. While the Colosseum may be one of the best known amphitheatres, there were a great deal of others which were of similar importance. One such amphitheatre is the amphitheatre at Pompeii, which is currently the oldest surviving amphitheatre in the world.[25] Amphitheatres were synonymous with the spread of the Roman Empire and culture, and this trend continued at Pompeii.[26] While Pompeii already had a greek-style theatre, once she became a Roman colony in 80BC, several wealthy local elites, Quinctius Valgus and Marcius Porcius funded the building of a new Roman Amphitheatre.[27] This early amphitheatre was quite simple compared to the highly-engineered flavian amphitheatre, and featured a hollow oval arena, which was encircled by earthen banks for seating.[28] As the amphitheatre at Pompeii was the first of its kind, the term amphitheatrum was not used when it was first built, and instead, the dedicatory inscription reads spectaculum, meaning spectacle.[29] The amphitheatres of Rome were, and still are, often viewed as the symbol for the expansion of the roman culture and empire, and by examining them we can begin to comprehend the fantastic innovations that roman engineers were able to create. From the earliest amphitheatre at Pompeii, to the largest at Rome, we can see the brilliance, as well as the wealth and power, of ancient Rome. Works Cited Bomgardner, D. (2002). The Story of the Roman Amphitheatre. New York: Routledge. Coleman, K. M. (2003). Euergetism in its Place, Where was the Amphitheatre in Augustan Rome? London: Routledge. Holleran, C. (2003). The Development of Public Entertainment Venues in Rome and Italy. London: Routledge. Kyle, D. G. (2007). Sport and Spectacle in the Ancient World. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing. Mueller, T. (2011). Unearthing the Colosseums secrets: a German archaeologist has deciphered the great stadiums complex stagecraft. Its underground labyrinth has just opened to visitors. Smithsonian, 26+. Welch, K. E. (1994). Amphitheatres in the Roman Republic: An archaeology of the Roman spectacle. New York. [1] (Welch, 1994) [2] (Welch, 1994), (Bomgardner, 2002) [3] (Coleman, 2003), (Holleran, 2003) [4] (Bomgardner, 2002), (Welch, 1994) [5] (Welch, 1994) [6] (Welch, 1994), (Kyle, 2007) [7] (Kyle, 2007) [8] (Kyle, 2007) [9] (Welch, 1994) [10] (Kyle, 2007) [11] (Kyle, 2007) [12] (Kyle, 2007), (Welch, 1994) [13] (Kyle, 2007) [14] (Coleman, 2003) [15] (Welch, 1994), (Coleman, 2003) [16] (Welch, 1994) [17] (Bomgardner, 2002) [18] (Bomgardner, 2002) [19] (Welch, 1994) [20] (Bomgardner, 2002) [21] (Bomgardner, 2002) [22] (Mueller, 2011) [23] (Mueller, 2011) [24] (Kyle, 2007) [25] (Welch, 1994) [26] (Holleran, 2003) [27] (Holleran, 2003), (Kyle, 2007) [28] (Kyle, 2007) [29] (Welch, 1994)

Contrast of Irony and Style in Kate Chopins The Story of an Hour Essay

Contrast of Irony and Style in Kate Chopin's The Story of an Hour  Ã‚  Ã‚   Kate Chopin's use of irony in her short story, "The Story of an Hour," stands in direct contrast to the subtle manner in which she tells the story. Strong use of irony in a short story yields more honesty in a character. She achieves this quality by immediately setting the premise, that Mrs. Mallard's fragile health would ultimately lead to her demise, upon receiving the news of her husband's death. Before an immediate assumption can be made about Mrs. Mallard, Chopin begins to start another path. This divergence is apparent at the point of the story where Mrs. Mallard's reaction is anticipated, yet, "She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance" (170). Mrs. Mallard does indeed grieve the loss of her husband, but, "When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone" (170). Chopin discharges the inner feelings of her character simultaneously with those that are expected of her. For many people, an event of such significance as the death of a loved one, would be considered their darkest day. An individual's loss may lead to a bitter and pessimistic view of their world, finding fault with anything within even the most glorious of days. Paragraph five is vivid with pleasant imagery, as "new spring life," and "delicious breath of rain," become symbolic of Mrs. Mallard's release of her inner feelings. Hardly the reaction one might have expected. There are new hopes and aspirations ahead of her, not the direct opposite as one would assume. Yet, Mrs. Mallard is fearful of the feelings overcoming her, as if repressing a dirty thought. As if hearing the voice of society... ... the entire story, as Chopin writes: And yet she loved him ---sometimes. Often she had not. What did it matter! What could love, the unsolved mystery, count for in face of this possession of self-assertion which she suddenly recognized as the strongest impulse of her being! (171) This paragraph could not be anymore honest than it already is. It is plain to see how this short story challenged the thinking at the time. Great writers are the ones that have the foresight, and chutzpah to challenge the establishment. To break down the harmful norms dictated by a select few. Maybe the great irony lies in how many people felt the same way as Mrs. Mallard, but did not seize the opportunity. It is perhaps more shocking to see how far society has come, only to see how far it has left to go. Works Cited: Chopin, Kate. The Story of an Hour. (1894). 31 Apr. 2003. Contrast of Irony and Style in Kate Chopin's The Story of an Hour Essay Contrast of Irony and Style in Kate Chopin's The Story of an Hour  Ã‚  Ã‚   Kate Chopin's use of irony in her short story, "The Story of an Hour," stands in direct contrast to the subtle manner in which she tells the story. Strong use of irony in a short story yields more honesty in a character. She achieves this quality by immediately setting the premise, that Mrs. Mallard's fragile health would ultimately lead to her demise, upon receiving the news of her husband's death. Before an immediate assumption can be made about Mrs. Mallard, Chopin begins to start another path. This divergence is apparent at the point of the story where Mrs. Mallard's reaction is anticipated, yet, "She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance" (170). Mrs. Mallard does indeed grieve the loss of her husband, but, "When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone" (170). Chopin discharges the inner feelings of her character simultaneously with those that are expected of her. For many people, an event of such significance as the death of a loved one, would be considered their darkest day. An individual's loss may lead to a bitter and pessimistic view of their world, finding fault with anything within even the most glorious of days. Paragraph five is vivid with pleasant imagery, as "new spring life," and "delicious breath of rain," become symbolic of Mrs. Mallard's release of her inner feelings. Hardly the reaction one might have expected. There are new hopes and aspirations ahead of her, not the direct opposite as one would assume. Yet, Mrs. Mallard is fearful of the feelings overcoming her, as if repressing a dirty thought. As if hearing the voice of society... ... the entire story, as Chopin writes: And yet she loved him ---sometimes. Often she had not. What did it matter! What could love, the unsolved mystery, count for in face of this possession of self-assertion which she suddenly recognized as the strongest impulse of her being! (171) This paragraph could not be anymore honest than it already is. It is plain to see how this short story challenged the thinking at the time. Great writers are the ones that have the foresight, and chutzpah to challenge the establishment. To break down the harmful norms dictated by a select few. Maybe the great irony lies in how many people felt the same way as Mrs. Mallard, but did not seize the opportunity. It is perhaps more shocking to see how far society has come, only to see how far it has left to go. Works Cited: Chopin, Kate. The Story of an Hour. (1894). 31 Apr. 2003.

Memoir of Mom

A mother can be both a mentor and a best friend to her little girl. A mom is a person who her daughter can have trust and faith in, someone who one can create a deep mutual bond with. I see my mother as role model. She is inspirational to me because she is an outgoing, funny and enthusiastic person. My Mother is the person who I go to for advice, she is the right person and I know to go to her right away. I’m the only girl in my family and having three brothers can at times be very difficult.Thinking back through all the struggles and obstacles that have temporarily stood in the way of my happiness, there was always one person who helped me get through whatever hardship I may have been going through at the time; that person was my Mother. My mom always told me â€Å"Don’t let others affect you deeply, because if they do, you’re the one who is going to lose†. What she was trying to let me know there was that I should not let gossip hurt me, because if I, or anyone else, pay attention to others then trouble will be knocking at your front door.I specifically remember one time, when I was in high school as a sophomore and I had a group of friends who just loved talking nonsense about others. If my group of friends saw a girl â€Å"not matching† and wearing a foolish outfit, they would criticize that poor student and laugh at them when they’d pass by. I would be embarrassed of their absurdity, so I would just tell them I had to go to my next class. I’ll admit it I would also laugh at other people but the only reason I did such a thing was because I wanted to be cool and be part of a group in high school.My mother always gave me this advice, don’t make fun of any other person that crosses your way because if you do then you’re not showing respect and respect is what you want in return. I was that type of student who didn’t really have true friends, only fake ignorant drama queens that I had made a space for in my life. Until I decided one day that enough was enough, after what had happened between me and my friends, I blocked them out completely from my life and never said a word to them or even made the slightest hesitation to step into their lives again.A few months before that, I would be bullied by this girl on my bus, and I didn’t have the slightest clue as to why she did that. Afterschool as I walked to my bus, she would yell names at me every day. I would turn around to see who that was and I knew that it was her. Never in my life did I talk to this girl, so I didn’t know why she was calling me such rude names. Had I done something to this girl that affected her without me knowing? But then I remembered what my mom said and didn’t pay attention to her.I kept telling my mother that this girl kept calling me names; she asked me â€Å"Want me to go and talk to the principal, so the principal can talk to her? † I told my mom â€Å"No please, th at girl and her friend will think I’m being a snitch. † My mom was pretty upset that I told her not to go and talk to the principal. I would repeatedly nag at my mom that they kept bothering me and she would again tell me â€Å"Mija, I’ll go talk to the principal, so they can stop† and I would reply back no. While this was happening, my so called friends found out that this girl was bothering me.I thought they would tell her to stop bothering me because that’s what friends do right? Well I was wrong, instead of doing that, I found out by my best friends were also talking behind my back. I was enraged by the idea of my friends talking behind my back and I didn’t want it to continue. So I told my mom and dad I was tired of their childish behavior and that I had to take this into my own hands. I told my mom I was going to fight her so she can stop. My mom said that that wasn’t a very well thought out idea.Well eventually I got the chance to fight her, and I took advantage of it. I didn’t listen to what my mom had said the previous day and I paid the consequences for my actions. Those consequences were that I got suspended for an entire week, preventing me to go to my Six Flags Great America trip. Looking back I regret not listening to my mother’s advice, because that same week I would of been having fun at Great America and not at home making up labs for the roller coasters and timing them in a YouTube video.Since that day, I have always listened to my mother’s guidance and intelligence. The best part that I love about my mother is that I can talk to her like she’s my sister, because she acts like one of us my brothers and I; very cool, calm and optimistic. Also what’s funny about us is that we are always told if we’re sisters and my mother would start laughing and say yes to that person and I would get mad. I don’t know why, but I think about it and I shouldn’ t be getting mad.That’s my mother and they’re telling her that she’s a young beautiful woman and it makes me happy when I see her laugh. I love my mother; I can say she is a one of a kind that I would never want to lose. We have this kind of emotional connection, because if one of us is sad and feels like crying, we feel the sadness in us and we’re there crying next to each other like mother and daughter should be; taking care of each other, making sure we’re okay.

The Recession Of The United States - 1460 Words

I. Introduction Ever since World War II the United States has experienced many recessions. There have been many terrible recessions that have hit this great country hard. What is a recession people may wonder? A recession is a significant decline in activity across the economy, lasting longer than a few months. It is visible in industrial production, employment, real income and wholesale-retail trade. The technical indicator of a recession is two consecutive quarters of negative economic growth as measured by a country s gross domestic product (GDP). Although, the recession of 2001 wasn’t a dramatic and horrible recession, it was the end of the longest expansion our country had seen since WWII. The expansion following the recession of 1991 was 10 years up until this recession of 2001. Furthermore, this recession was difficult and was hard to deal with and overcome, because during the time of this recession our country experienced 9/11. II. Causes of the Recession After the longest economic expansion in history, the U.S. experienced a recession in 2001. The Recession of 2001 was relatively short, but still had its impact upon us Americans. Just like many of the previous recessions our great country has faced, this one had many reasons as to why we fell into a recession as well. Some of the reasons we experienced a recession in 2001 is, because of the collapse of the dotcom bubble, the attack on 9/11, and a series of accounting attacks at major U.S Corporations. TheShow MoreRelatedThe Recession Of The United States Recession2003 Words   |  9 PagesRecession is termed as a period of temporary economic decline during which trade and industrial activity are reduced, generally identified by a fall in GDP in two successive quarters. Based on the complete recession that took place few important points that I could gather in specific considering each type of recession are listed below. How it took place? 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