as yesterday, he will receive clients in his atrium at midmorning. The only things that interfere with the salutatio, he tells me, is a wedding or some initiation rite; ever since Marcus Aurelius, the naming and coming-of-age events have been made part of the public record, and they are morning rituals. Later it's off to the Forum, his retinue trailing him, to attend to senate and court business. He then returns home to dine and rest (Johnston).
We attended games at the Flavian Amphitheatre (people here have long called it the Coliseum, especially since the time of the emperor Carinus, as you will shortly appreciate). It is located almost precisely in the middle of the city--as if all roads lead to Flavius. It is enormous, with three tiers of arched walls totaling 150 feet high at least (Johnston 277). Depending on whom you talk to, there are 64 (Gibbon 299) or 80 (Johnston 277) different entrances, or vomitoria, accommodating spectators, and just as many rows of seats. So you never have the feeling of being limited in scope. You will be interested to know that the Coliseum is not circular but elliptical. Everyone can see what is going on. And that's just on the surface. Below ground is where they keep the beasts that are used in the exhibitions, as well as the gladiators. There is no danger from beast or man in the arena, however, because of the 15-foot-high wall, topped by wire mesh, surrounding it. Some say the wire was made of gold, but that may be a fable (Gibbon 300). The wall makes it possible, too, for the arena to be flooded for water exhibitions upon the water; the machinery for all of this is underground. My host tells me that Carinus staged spectacular beast hunts and gladiatorial contests of unequaled scale (Gibbon 299-300).
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