Gotta Love the Gladiators

Think of Rome and you think of the Colosseum. The Turk and I explored it and with the help of a knowledgeable tour guide, we learned a few things.  First note that the Italian government takes their history seriously and now requires all tour guides to be certified. The guides we had in Rome were art and history historians who practiced in Rome and elsewhere based on their expertise. Our colosseum guide works at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC giving tours when he's not home in Rome.

Interesting notes about the Colosseum:
This is not the original structure on the site. Emperor Nero's structure was the same size, but housed a pool instead of the stage we see today. He would hold naval battle reenactments in this gigantic pool.
The Colosseum was not called Colosseum. It was just the amphitheater. The name latercame from a giant statue beside the amphitheater.
Romans had 100 days vacation during the year. Remember they had slaves to do the work. So they had alot of free time.
The Colosseum was an entertainment complex. Its purpose was to promote certain agendas/politicians by influencing the attendees using games. This was the first mass marketing campaign!!
Entertainment included hunting games where hunters would walk around a forest that had been constructed on the stage. Animals from around the Roman empire would be brought in to be hunted. The audience had a birds eye view of the hunters and where there animals were hidden (or where they were suddenly delivered via one of numerous elevators from the tunnels below). Animals included ostriches, giraffes, lions - of course, aligators and other exotic creatures, some of which no longer exist.
Games included executions - but not of Christians! Criminals were not jailed. they were executed in the Colosseum as part of a game. Criminals typically had to face very hungry wild animals. But they could also face gladiators.
Gladiators were the rock stars of the time. They were extremely well developed. It has been found that their bones were thicker and larger than the common person.  They were well paid. Some were slaves but some were men who chose to be gladiators for a period of time - hopefully to their chosing.
Women had to sit in the top rungs of the colosseum along with the slaves.  Only the Vestal Virgins could sit near the stage, with the Senators.
Vestal Virgins where the most powerful women at that time and typically influenced politics and diplomacy. If a Vestal Virgin was found to have sex, she would be buried alive - to death. The 'job' lasted until you were 30 years old.  Note that most people lived into their twenties, if they lived beyond childhood.