Le Antichità della Città di Roma

1569

de Beer Itb 1569 G

[Venice: Giovanni Varisco & Compagni]

The Romans were engineering innovators and over time they perfected the construction of the arch. By making use of arches in architecture they were not only able to save on building materials but they were able to construct buildings with wide open interior spaces. The Colosseum in Rome, completed in 80 AD, could seat between 50,000-80,000 spectators. It consisted of four floors with the first three storeys containing 80 arches each. The arches, made of uprights of limestone and archways of lightweight moulded concrete, added strength to the walls and ceilings of each floor. The Colosseum is still the largest amphitheatre in the world.