how were the ancient romans able to have naval battles in the Collusieum?

Question

i don't understand, how were the ancient romans able to flood the arena to hold naval battles in the Collosieum(sp?) while still being able to fit a peson in every seat?

Answer 1

The naumachiae were reproductions of famous naval battles and were staged in a suitable place, that could be flooded. The actors were generally criminals already condemned to death. These shows - which were apparently held only in the city of Rome - were extremely expensive, because the ships had to be complete in all their details and manoeuvred like real ships in battle. The Romans called these shows navalia proelia (naval battles), but they are commonly known by the equivalent Greek term naumachia, which came to indicate at the same time the show and the basin built for it.

Academics have long argued that holding sea battles at the Colosseum was impossible due to the underground tunnels used to spirit wild animals, slaves and gladiators to different parts of the arena.

Tales of thousands of slaves and convicts drowning in the sea battles with ships built to scale were told by Latin poets such as Martial, but were dismissed as sycophantic works of fantasy written to enhance the reputation of the emperor.

However, Dr Crapper believes he has solved the puzzle of the flooded Colosseum.

His theories have been tested by a team of experts assembled by the American ABC Discovery Channel.

Programme makers and archaeologists from the University of California spent a year creating a virtual reality simulation Colosseum to assess the logistical problems involved.

Dr Crapper said the first challenge was to determine if it was possible to blast the millions of gallons of water needed for the sea battles into the Colosseum.

"It's purely speculation but I believe a timber structure could have been used to transport water from the main aqueduct. However, the real constraints were not moving the water but ensuring it could flow through a series of inlet wells and concentric pipes beneath the seating area to actually reach the arena," he said.

After detailed research, Dr Crapper was able to prove it was possible for the sluice gates to be closed off and for water pressure to reach the correct level for the arena to be flooded by four million gallons of water to a depth of five feet within seven hours.

Other members of the research team used X-ray imaging to prove waterproof material had been used in some parts of the underground structure. Further work uncovered 18 sunken blocks used to hold wooden props which held up the arena's floor and which could be removed to allow the area to be used for both gladiatorial battles and naumachiae.

Answer 2

The naval battles were fought on the arena floor, much the same as different cities and sports venues today can have a hockey rink one day and a dirt floor for rodeo the next, because a naval battle was fought does not mean that the Colosseum became a bathtub. Ship were much smaller in those days and naval battles were done on scale for the entertainment.

Answer 3

Well, if you've actually ever been to the
Colloseum it's not as confusing. First of all, the arena was very deep and the seats very high in reference to the floor. Second, often times the ships used in the renactments were smaller scale models meaning less water would be needed to make them float. It's an amazing accomplishment for that time, but what can you say, the Romans were amazing.

Answer 4

The basement of the collusium wasnt there originally which made able for the ship to sail in the arena. It had an intricate network of aquaducts that took water in and out. The water came from a river that passes through the city (back then the river was much bigger than it is now and wasnt underground), Rome aquaduct network, and a underground lagoon form after the destruction of one palace made by a hated emperor (forgot who he was) which contained a pond.

Answer 5

The Greeks began the Battle of Salamis, defeating the Persian ships lens through which the movement was going on the rocks enemy ships. Then the Romans in the battle of the islands Egadi, defeated the Carthaginians, with their fitted with Trireme "Raven" and drawbridge to pegging the enemy ships and fight on land as Then the Venetians at the Battle of Lepanto, in 1571 to defeat the Turks used the first battleships in history, call: "Galeazze "...

Answer 6

I just saw that on History channel or something,. The bottom of the arena was specialy made to hold water and was filled by some stream or something, but that area was below where the spectators were seated, so they looked down upon it.

Answer 7

they flooded the arena
and held mock navel battles not real ones

Caligula once had boats with singing minstrels and an orchestra,than pulled the plugs out in all of the boats and released hungry crocodiles
who ate all the musicians

this was very popular

Answer 8

You got it, they had water holding tanks used to flood the arena from the massive aqueduct they built.

Answer 9

It is believed that they filled it up with water.

Answer 10

i'm pretty sure this didn't happen.