Eric Gordon

Eric Gordon

The item I've added is a photo of the ruins of the Colosseum at Rome. This is probably one of the buildings that most piqued my love of ancient history. Construction on the building began in A.D. 72 under the Roman Emperor Vespasian and was finished in A.D. 80 by the Emperor Titus. It had a seating capacity of around 50,000 people and was the site of gladiatorial contests and executions. It could even be flooded to stage recreations of sea battles. Seeing this building, as well as other ancient ruins, really made me curious to know the history of the people who lived so long ago, but had been capable of producing such impressive buildings and monuments that stood for a millennia so that we could research and enjoy them today. I am fascinated by the fact that an empire that flourished so long ago still has such an impact on the world today. Much of the United States' governmental structure and laws can be traced back to Rome. Our government is not a direct democracy, like Athens, instead it is a representative republic, based loosely on the model of the old Roman Republic, with governmental checks and balances. Indeed, even the buildings in our nation's capitol reflect the classical architecture of Rome and Greece. Certainly we still have much we can learn from the example of the Roman Empire and its rise and fall, and images like the one I attached are what remind us of the great powers that existed in ancient times.

Gordon, Eric

2013-03-12

Colosseum at dusk