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Colossus of Nero, A Lost Wonder

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Pretty much everyone has heard of the Colosseum. This ancient stadium was built almost 2000 years ago and still stands proud in the centre of Rome.

But I bet you didn’t know that a 30 metre (98 ft) bronze statue of the Emperor Nero used to stand alongside it. Imagine that, for context, the Statue of Liberty, without her base, stands around 111 feet.

Colossus of Nero, source unknown

There is a theory that the Colosseum is called the Colosseum, because of the Colossus of Nero.

Origins and Moving to the Colosseum

Commissioned by Nero, this gigantic statue at first resided in the Domus Aurea. Literally translated this means Golden House. It was a vast palace complex that Nero commissioned after the great fire of 64 AD destroyed much of Rome.

After the death of Nero, the Emperor Vespasian added a sun crown and renamed it Colossus Solis, after the Roman sun god Sol.

In 128 AD, it was moved next to the Flavian Amphitheatre, which soon became to be known as the Colosseum.

Artists Impression of the Colossus of Nero

There it resided until the late 4th century. It was likely destroyed in an earthquake or during the Sack of Rome when the Visigoths, led by their King Alaric invaded Rome. Some sources, however, have it still being standing as late as the 7th century.

Some of it actually remains today. The base of the statue is still there. Anyone who has been to Rome and visited the Colosseum has probably seen it and not even noticed. Why would you? It’s an unassuming masonry block pile with a plaque. Giving you no real clue as to what once stood here.

Base of the Colossus of Nero

The marble plaque reads: area del basamento del colosso di nerone (area of the base of the Colossus of Nero). But if you had never heard of it or seen artistic impressions, it’s not much of a clue.

An ignoble end to what must have been a wonder of the ancient world.

Sources:

Colossus of Nero (wikipedia.org)

Facts about the Colosseum (romewise.com)

Rethinking Nero (nationalgeographic.com)

The Colossus of Nero Today (visit-colosseum-rome.com)

Header Image (pixabay.com)

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