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kikiandarrowsfishshelf's review
5.0
Highly entertaining history of the building. It also includes some interesting facts about the flora found in the ruins. There is a rather interesting discussion about gladiators. In many ways, the book works as a debunking of myths.
nicrtay's review
4.0
A great introduction to what we know about the history of the Colosseum, as well as the misconceptions surrounding what went on inside. I have a lot of Mary Beard on my TBR list and I'll push them up now that I've read this.
evybungus's review against another edition
4.0
Fart joke turned this from 3 to 4 stars. Not bad but I think I liked the Temple of Jerusalem one better.
noel_rene_cisneros's review against another edition
4.0
Interesante aproximación a un edificio y todas las implicaciones culturales que tuvo durante su erección y que sigue teniendo hasta nuestros días. Mary Beard y Keith Hopkins se dan a la tarea de mostrar qué significaba el anfiteatro para los romanos que lo construyeron, las implicaciones que tenían los enfrentamientos gladiatorios y demás espectáculos que en él se presentaban, las diferencias de clases sociales que se veían manifiestas en los lugares que se ocupaban dentro del anfiteatro y hasta cuándo mantuvo este papel, qué fue después de que Roma dejó de ser la capital imperial y qué significó durante la Edad Media, el Renacimiento y hasta nuestros días.
aethelgifu's review against another edition
4.0
Well I swithered and dithered about reading this DURING A219 and how I wish I had: pg 53 discusses Symmachus [of the mosaic in the exam] and how he write letters about putting on gladiatorial shows to celebrate his son's praetorship.....:-0 Anyhoo, I really enjoyed this short chunter through the life of the Colosseum from 80AD to now. Less idiosyncratic and more useful than the volume on the Roman Forum in the same series.
booksrockcal's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
slow-paced
4.0
Interesting history on the origin and development of the Colosseum from its inception, architecture, and development to its history and site of Christian Martyrdom. It’s interesting that Napoleon was a catalyst to assure its preservation.