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Secrets of Lost Empires I—Colosseum
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Program Overview
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Ancient structures may generate awe and provide information about
the people who built them, but they leave many questions unanswered:
How were they constructed? What technologies were available to the
builders? What tools did they use?
In this four-part mini series, NOVA brings together experts from
diverse fields to reconstruct how these monuments might have been
built. For each structure, individual teams are challenged to create
a scale model using the materials and scientific knowledge thought
to be available at the time of original construction (although at
times they resort to modern methods). By applying their knowledge of
each culture, their expertise in building techniques, and a process
of trial and error, the teams attempt to reconstruct these ancient
technological wonders.
Colosseum
 Citizens of Rome came to the Colosseum to behold free
entertainment that usually came in the form of violent war games and
bloody battles between humans and animals. This structure's most
impressive feature was a massive canopy that provided shade from the
hot sun. In order to investigate the possible forms the roof may
have taken, NOVA's team constructs models at a smaller arena in
Spain.
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