Ancient Roman society focused on its military power to gain and keep a vast empire. In order to keep the empire under control, Roman leaders placed a high importance in the architecture of its cities. Architecture played a significant role in maintaining control of the Roman empire by creating constant, visible symbols of their power. They used their buildings to advance their knowledge of the world and show their strength. One building used for this is the Colosseum. In the present day the Colosseum represents the major points of Roman society: militaristic nature and elegant architecture.
The Colosseum was built in a time after a significant political shift. The Romans were moving on from the line of emperors after Caesar. As the Roman Empire was reaching its peak, they wanted to show their superiority through architectural marvels like the Colosseum. Initially, the building was built to mark the reign of Vespasian, an emperor who took power after the disastrous rule of Nero. It showed stability in a time of political unrest. There was an almost militaristic order to the exterior with its evenly spaced arches and the interior with its structured circulation. The very structure itself had a constant rhythm of arches around the facade. It also solidified the change of power from Nero to Vespasian. The building performs “political manipulation” by removing Nero’s mark on Rome (Lyes). The structure was a massive gift to be used by the citizens of Rome rather than an