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Backstage At The Colosseum

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The Fallen Angel

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Backstage.jpg Two characters in this pic that you will be familiar with. The Colosseum background set me thinking. It was designed for 50 000 – 80 000 spectators who would all need to be seated or stood in the right part of the arena. Expensive posh seats near the front of course with few steps to climb. All those people would need refreshments on a hot sunny afternoon and of course entertaining. The entertainment could include mock sea battles, famous land battles, gladiatorial contests, public executions, exotic animals, condemned prisoners, Christians and anything the owners could dream up. All this would need a massive infrastructure of tunnels, hydraulics, lifting equipment etc and a small army of backstage crew of widely differing skills. And of course publicity, ticket sales, people to look after and train the animals...not to mention a whole mini economy which must have developed around such sites. In today's numbers the cost must have been huge for putting on a show. I suppose at the height of the Empire cost was insignificant compared to the gains of keeping the people happy.

So here is a view of part of such a show from the point of view of someone backstage.
 
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melissa said:
Two characters in this pic that you will be familiar with. The Colosseum background set me thinking. It was designed for 50 000 – 80 000 spectators who would all need to be seated or stood in the right part of the arena. Expensive posh seats near the front of course with few steps to climb. All those people would need refreshments on a hot sunny afternoon and of course entertaining. The entertainment could include mock sea battles, famous land battles, gladiatorial contests, public executions, exotic animals, condemned prisoners, Christians and anything the owners could dream up. All this would need a massive infrastructure of tunnels, hydraulics, lifting equipment etc and a small army of backstage crew of widely differing skills. And of course publicity, ticket sales, people to look after and train the animals...not to mention a whole mini economy which must have developed around such sites. In today's numbers the cost must have been huge for putting on a show. I suppose at the height of the Empire cost was insignificant compared to the gains of keeping the people happy.

So here is a view of part of such a show from the point of view of someone backstage.
Click to expand...

I like the pic, nice job Melissa. It would have been nice work if you could get it! Free seats, and nice close view

reminds me of this one I did in 2001, refurbished 2012.
similar idea to one of Arcimboldo's too (anyone got it to hand?)
 

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Imagine the horror these poor victims felt as they trudged up that tunnel, hands bound, nowhere to run ... and seeing for the first time what was happening out there on the arena floor, accompanied by the cacophony of noise emanating from the cheering, jeering, partying crowd, and the more distinct and terrifying sounds of the cries, screams, sobs, and pleading of those already being tortured and crucified. Would one shrink back in panic and despair, or would one suck it up and step boldly and bravely out into the arena to suffer and die?

I often think about that view and that situation, and the feelings and emotions it would evoke.
 
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phlebas said:
I like the pic, nice job Melissa. It would have been nice work if you could get it! Free seats, and nice close view

reminds me of this one I did in 2001, refurbished 2012.
similar idea to one of Arcimboldo's too (anyone got it to hand?)
Click to expand...
That pic really works for me :)
 
THE TUNNEL

I stumble forward,
pressed together,
shoulder to shoulder,
with the others

Driven forward,
by shouts and lashes
toward the light,
at tunnel’s end

Totally naked,
hands bound tightly,
behind my back,
helpless and afraid

The roar of the crowd,
reverberates in waves,
off the cold dark,
stone tunnel walls

A rounded arch,
frames ahead,
naked bodies,
hanging already from crosses

I recoil in fear,
such ghastly sounds,
anguished screams,
pitiful pleas for mercy

Light flickers ahead,
they move us out,
through tunnel’s mouth
to the arena floor

Stepping forward,
forlornly resigned,
no choice, no options,
but to suffer and die

Barbaria, 2014
 
Barbaria1 said:
She looks so serene....she must know what is going to happen out there?....is she in denial, resigned? ... would be so interesting to know
Click to expand...
Arcimboldo tells us on his website -
http://web.archive.org/web/20030803090816/www.bdsmlife.net/arcimboldo/cruc/agatha.htm

(I think Admi has the picture + text in a jpg, maybe he'll post it here :devil:)
not to mention a whole mini economy which must have developed around such sites.
Click to expand...

Classical writers mention especially the prostitutes who did a roaring (if I expect bruising) trade
with men excited by what they'd seen in the arena.

We've also mentioned somewhere on the Forums the dirty old men who bribed the guards
so they could squat in those tunnels and grope the girl 'performers' while they waited for their turn.​
 
We've also mentioned somewhere on the Forums the dirty old men who bribed the guards
so they could squat in those tunnels and grope the girl 'performers' while they waited for their turn.
- Eul

It bewilders Tree that Admi would do such a thing since he enjoys the services of Ulrika and Ariel
t​
 
Barbaria1 said:
Imagine the horror these poor victims felt as they trudged up that tunnel, hands bound, nowhere to run ... and seeing for the first time what was happening out there on the arena floor, accompanied by the cacophony of noise emanating from the cheering, jeering, partying crowd, and the more distinct and terrifying sounds of the cries, screams, sobs, and pleading of those already being tortured and crucified. Would one shrink back in panic and despair, or would one suck it up and step boldly and bravely out into the arena to suffer and die?

I often think about that view and that situation, and the feelings and emotions it would evoke.
Click to expand...

But, for all of us, that's our depper fantasy, isn't it ?:rolleyes:
 
Barbaria1 said:
THE TUNNEL

I stumble forward,
pressed together,
shoulder to shoulder,
with the others

Driven forward,
by shouts and lashes
toward the light,
at tunnel’s end

Totally naked,
hands bound tightly,
behind my back,
helpless and afraid

The roar of the crowd,
reverberates in waves,
off the cold dark,
stone tunnel walls

A rounded arch,
frames ahead,
naked bodies,
hanging already from crosses

I recoil in fear,
such ghastly sounds,
anguished screams,
pitiful pleas for mercy

Light flickers ahead,
they move us out,
through tunnel’s mouth
to the arena floor

Stepping forward,
forlornly resigned,
no choice, no options,
but to suffer and die

Barbaria, 2014
Click to expand...

Both Melissa's picture and Barbaria's poem do it for me!

W
 
Eulalia said:
Arcimboldo tells us on his website -
http://web.archive.org/web/20030803090816/www.bdsmlife.net/arcimboldo/cruc/agatha.htm

(I think Admi has the picture + text in a jpg, maybe he'll post it here :devil:)


Classical writers mention especially the prostitutes who did a roaring (if I expect bruising) trade
with men excited by what they'd seen in the arena.

We've also mentioned somewhere on the Forums the dirty old men who bribed the guards
so they could squat in those tunnels and grope the girl 'performers' while they waited for their turn.​
Click to expand...
i look for that pic..................indeed i combined that story with that pic in a pdf
i even remember the story of the dirty old man .......thought it was stevens petra story..

thehangingtree said:

It bewilders Tree that Admi would do such a thing since he enjoys the services of Ulrika and Ariel
t​
Click to expand...
be patient ..............and my dear Tree, you know..................... still waters run deep:devil:
here is my agatha
Arcimboldo's Agatha.jpg​
 
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melissa said:
Not this time thanks Hans. It's only a small pdf but I do need your help with something else. We are working on Erin and the fall of Rome....turning it into a movie. We need some pics to go with part 2, The Unhappy Reunion.
Click to expand...
i'll send you some in a zip file
 
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