Gregory Aldrete

So it was very much a political statement that my dynasty is going to be about serving Romans, not serving ourselves. And so that's why he builds the Flavian Amphitheater. And the funds he uses from it is basically from looting Jerusalem because the other thing he had done just before this is he had sacked Jerusalem and destroyed the temple there, in fact. He and his son Titus.

So it was very much a political statement that my dynasty is going to be about serving Romans, not serving ourselves. And so that's why he builds the Flavian Amphitheater. And the funds he uses from it is basically from looting Jerusalem because the other thing he had done just before this is he had sacked Jerusalem and destroyed the temple there, in fact. He and his son Titus.

So it was very much a political statement that my dynasty is going to be about serving Romans, not serving ourselves. And so that's why he builds the Flavian Amphitheater. And the funds he uses from it is basically from looting Jerusalem because the other thing he had done just before this is he had sacked Jerusalem and destroyed the temple there, in fact. He and his son Titus.

And so this is what he now builds in Rome as his gift to the people of Rome.

And so this is what he now builds in Rome as his gift to the people of Rome.

And so this is what he now builds in Rome as his gift to the people of Rome.

The Flavian Amphitheater is really interesting, too, just as a piece of technology and as influence on later world. I mean, almost every sporting arena today owes something to the Flavian Amphitheater, the Coliseum, in terms of construction. And it was an amazingly sophisticated building.

The Flavian Amphitheater is really interesting, too, just as a piece of technology and as influence on later world. I mean, almost every sporting arena today owes something to the Flavian Amphitheater, the Coliseum, in terms of construction. And it was an amazingly sophisticated building.

The Flavian Amphitheater is really interesting, too, just as a piece of technology and as influence on later world. I mean, almost every sporting arena today owes something to the Flavian Amphitheater, the Coliseum, in terms of construction. And it was an amazingly sophisticated building.

I mean, it had retractable awnings and elevators and ramps that things could just pop up into the arena from below. And it had very well-designed passages where everybody could file in and file out very efficiently, and they were all numbered.

I mean, it had retractable awnings and elevators and ramps that things could just pop up into the arena from below. And it had very well-designed passages where everybody could file in and file out very efficiently, and they were all numbered.

I mean, it had retractable awnings and elevators and ramps that things could just pop up into the arena from below. And it had very well-designed passages where everybody could file in and file out very efficiently, and they were all numbered.

So, I mean, it's one of, I think, the most influential buildings in history just because of the way that all these buildings we go to today, they're all kind of variants on it and using some of the ideas from it. Yeah. And the Romans took their construction seriously. Oh, yeah. They were good at that. So they were excellent engineers.

So, I mean, it's one of, I think, the most influential buildings in history just because of the way that all these buildings we go to today, they're all kind of variants on it and using some of the ideas from it. Yeah. And the Romans took their construction seriously. Oh, yeah. They were good at that. So they were excellent engineers.

So, I mean, it's one of, I think, the most influential buildings in history just because of the way that all these buildings we go to today, they're all kind of variants on it and using some of the ideas from it. Yeah. And the Romans took their construction seriously. Oh, yeah. They were good at that. So they were excellent engineers.

And the Romans were excellent engineers, especially when it came to what you might think of as humble stuff. I mean, today we tend to think of a Roman building as shining white marble, right? Well, the core of that building was probably concrete. And the marble is just a superficial facade. And if you think about the Colosseum in Rome today, all the marble has been stripped off that building.

And the Romans were excellent engineers, especially when it came to what you might think of as humble stuff. I mean, today we tend to think of a Roman building as shining white marble, right? Well, the core of that building was probably concrete. And the marble is just a superficial facade. And if you think about the Colosseum in Rome today, all the marble has been stripped off that building.

And the Romans were excellent engineers, especially when it came to what you might think of as humble stuff. I mean, today we tend to think of a Roman building as shining white marble, right? Well, the core of that building was probably concrete. And the marble is just a superficial facade. And if you think about the Colosseum in Rome today, all the marble has been stripped off that building.

And what you see is the concrete core, the structural core that's left. And the Romans, I mean, they didn't invent concrete, but they just used it more creatively than anyone had before. And if you look at buildings like the Greeks built, they're all rectilinear. They're all rectangles or squares, and they always have a lot of columns because you need to hold the roof up.

And what you see is the concrete core, the structural core that's left. And the Romans, I mean, they didn't invent concrete, but they just used it more creatively than anyone had before. And if you look at buildings like the Greeks built, they're all rectilinear. They're all rectangles or squares, and they always have a lot of columns because you need to hold the roof up.