Building Rome’s Colosseum | Engineering the Impossible: The Colosseum

the solution lay in three key

the solution lay in three key architectural innovations that form the

architectural innovations that form the

architectural innovations that form the secret of Rome’s great monuments the

secret of Rome’s great monuments the

secret of Rome’s great monuments the most important is the arch the arch is

most important is the arch the arch is

most important is the arch the arch is an almost perfect design for bearing

an almost perfect design for bearing

an almost perfect design for bearing heavy loads and that design is so simple

heavy loads and that design is so simple

heavy loads and that design is so simple a series of wedge-shaped blocks is

a series of wedge-shaped blocks is

a series of wedge-shaped blocks is assembled together in a semicircular

assembled together in a semicircular

assembled together in a semicircular form and supported on top of two pillars

form and supported on top of two pillars

form and supported on top of two pillars at the side the weight of the building

at the side the weight of the building

at the side the weight of the building is absorbed by the Keystone in the

is absorbed by the Keystone in the

is absorbed by the Keystone in the center of the arch and distributed

center of the arch and distributed

center of the arch and distributed evenly over the entire span of the arch

evenly over the entire span of the arch

evenly over the entire span of the arch and then down into this two-sided

and then down into this two-sided

and then down into this two-sided pillars this allows the pillars to bear

pillars this allows the pillars to bear

pillars this allows the pillars to bear enormous blows and because the space in

enormous blows and because the space in

enormous blows and because the space in between the pillars is empty this

between the pillars is empty this

between the pillars is empty this reduces the weight of the building even

reduces the weight of the building even

reduces the weight of the building even further the arch would become a

further the arch would become a

further the arch would become a reoccurring theme throughout the

reoccurring theme throughout the

reoccurring theme throughout the building of the Colosseum on the outer

building of the Colosseum on the outer

building of the Colosseum on the outer ring ad gigantic arches 23 feet high

ring ad gigantic arches 23 feet high

ring ad gigantic arches 23 feet high form a giant ring around the perimeter

form a giant ring around the perimeter

form a giant ring around the perimeter on top of these is set another 80 arches

on top of these is set another 80 arches

on top of these is set another 80 arches on top of these is a third-tier making

on top of these is a third-tier making

on top of these is a third-tier making 240 arches and all the Colosseum really

240 arches and all the Colosseum really

240 arches and all the Colosseum really is nothing but arches it’s a symphony of

is nothing but arches it’s a symphony of

is nothing but arches it’s a symphony of arches

arches

arches [Music]

[Music]

[Music] the organization required to achieve

the organization required to achieve

the organization required to achieve this feat of engineering was phenomenal

this feat of engineering was phenomenal

this feat of engineering was phenomenal but even here Rome’s engineers had a

but even here Rome’s engineers had a

but even here Rome’s engineers had a trick or two up their togas for them

trick or two up their togas for them

trick or two up their togas for them building was a business of mass

building was a business of mass

building was a business of mass production standardization is key for

production standardization is key for

production standardization is key for the efficient building of the Colosseum

the efficient building of the Colosseum

the efficient building of the Colosseum for example the Romans use the arch and

for example the Romans use the arch and

for example the Romans use the arch and the arch is repeated again and again and

the arch is repeated again and again and

the arch is repeated again and again and again by countless teams of builders and

again by countless teams of builders and

again by countless teams of builders and that kind of standardization is very

that kind of standardization is very

that kind of standardization is very akin to what we have in an

akin to what we have in an

akin to what we have in an industrialized world today so the

industrialized world today so the

industrialized world today so the breaking down of the building allows

breaking down of the building allows

breaking down of the building allows them to have lots of work gangs with not

them to have lots of work gangs with not

them to have lots of work gangs with not huge skills they just have to simply

huge skills they just have to simply

huge skills they just have to simply build enough in this way the thousands

build enough in this way the thousands

build enough in this way the thousands of laborers working on the Colosseum

of laborers working on the Colosseum

of laborers working on the Colosseum could be left to build their section

could be left to build their section

could be left to build their section with minimal supervision confident in

with minimal supervision confident in

with minimal supervision confident in the knowledge that their labors were

the knowledge that their labors were

the knowledge that their labors were being repeated all over the structure

being repeated all over the structure

being repeated all over the structure you’re gonna have a lot of unskilled

you’re gonna have a lot of unskilled

you’re gonna have a lot of unskilled laborers you’re gonna have a lot of

laborers you’re gonna have a lot of

laborers you’re gonna have a lot of bricklayers you’re gonna have a lot of

bricklayers you’re gonna have a lot of

bricklayers you’re gonna have a lot of people that have some sort of skill but

people that have some sort of skill but

people that have some sort of skill but they’re not going to be required to know

they’re not going to be required to know

they’re not going to be required to know more than a whole lot then you’re gonna

more than a whole lot then you’re gonna

more than a whole lot then you’re gonna have a lot of skilled laborers the

have a lot of skilled laborers the

have a lot of skilled laborers the people that are going to be carving

people that are going to be carving

people that are going to be carving columns people that are gonna be carving

columns people that are gonna be carving

columns people that are gonna be carving the statues that are going to go in the

the statues that are going to go in the

the statues that are going to go in the niches in the upper floors so you’re

niches in the upper floors so you’re

niches in the upper floors so you’re gonna have a lot of skilled craftsmen

gonna have a lot of skilled craftsmen

gonna have a lot of skilled craftsmen you can have a lot of unskilled people

you can have a lot of unskilled people

you can have a lot of unskilled people participating in this very massive and

participating in this very massive and

participating in this very massive and important construction site just making

important construction site just making

important construction site just making sure that each work gang was in the

sure that each work gang was in the

sure that each work gang was in the right place at the right time and doing

right place at the right time and doing

right place at the right time and doing the right thing was a challenge in

the right thing was a challenge in

the right thing was a challenge in itself