16 episodes

The ancient Romans constructed some of the first ever purpose-built venues for mass-entertainment. How do these structures enhance the audience’s experience of the spectacle? This album looks at famous Roman buildings like the Colosseum, a venue designed to impress, where vast numbers of people congregated for gladiatorial combat, chariot-racing and theatrical shows. Structures such as the Circus Maximus and even the Baths were designed as striking symbols of civic pride, glorifying the power of the Emperors who built them. This material forms part of The Open University course A219 Exploring the classical world.

Power and people in ancient Rome - for iPod/iPhone The Open University

- Education
- 5.0 • 3 Ratings

- 30 NOV 2009
Power and people in ancient Rome

Power and people in ancient Rome

An audio introduction to this album.
- 54 sec
- 30 NOV 2009
Transcript -- Power and people in ancient Rome

Transcript -- Power and people in ancient Rome

An audio introduction to this album.
- 30 NOV 2009
- video
The Colosseum of Rome

The Colosseum of Rome

The most impressive structure in ancient Rome
- 1 min
- 30 NOV 2009
Transcript -- The Colosseum of Rome

Transcript -- The Colosseum of Rome

The most impressive structure in ancient Rome
- 30 NOV 2009
- video
Roman amphitheatres

Roman amphitheatres

How Roman theatres evolved from informal spaces to formal monumentalised structures.
- 3 min
- 30 NOV 2009
Transcript -- Roman amphitheatres

Transcript -- Roman amphitheatres

How Roman theatres evolved from informal spaces to formal monumentalised structures.