Fascinating Animation Reveals the Inner Workings of the Colosseum in Ancient Rome

The colosseum in Rome

Photo: AnnaNepaBO/Depositphotos

Big, complex venues and meticulously crafted entertainment are two things that may feel very modern, but somehow they aren't. At the Colosseum in Ancient Rome, dazzling shows and and epic fights took place, bringing the masses together. But don't be fooled by the looks of this landmark today. As an animated video by Deconstructed shows, based on thorough research, the Colosseum was an engineering marvel that was well ahead of its time.

To truly capture the grandeur of this building, Deconstructed recreated the entire Colosseum from the ground up, digitally. Rather than looking at the actual gladiatorial games and performances, the animators devote their time to showing how they happened, from how crowds were controlled on the way in and out, to the way animals and gladiators were holstered onto the arena—seemingly out of nowhere.

More so, the team makes a deep dive on two points that prove how advanced the Colosseum was. The first is the naumachia, or naval battles staged at the Colosseum. To bring these to life with boats and all, the arena was turned into a lake with water supplied by nearby aqueducts and then drained by a channel system connected to the city's sewers. The other is the velarium, a sweeping retractible awning made of 240 separate parts that protected guests from the bright sun, as being there for hours on end during the sun would have been unpleasant.

“To bring this Roman masterpiece back to life, we've meticulously remodeled the Colosseum using historical texts, archaeological evidence, and a touch of educated guesswork,” writes the team from Deconstructed. “While some details are lost to history, this recreation offers the closest glimpse yet into how this ancient marvel truly worked—a testament to the ingenuity of Roman engineering.”

The team put so much effort into their video that it has become their Roman empire, prompting them to turn it into an infographic poster, which you can pick up from their webstore. You can watch their insightful Colosseum video below, and follow them on YouTube for more animated explanations on how the world works, and worked before us.

This video offers a reconstruction of the Colosseum to highlight how it was an engineering marvel well ahead of its time.

Deconstructed: YouTube

Sources: Inside the Colosseum: Hidden Mechanisms of Ancient Rome

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Regina Sienra

Regina Sienra is a Staff Writer at My Modern Met. Based in Mexico City, Mexico, she holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications with specialization in Journalism from the National Autonomous University of Mexico. She has 10+ years’ experience in Digital Media, writing for outlets in both English and Spanish. Her love for the creative arts—especially music and film—drives her forward every day.
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