The Romans flooded the Colosseum for sea battles - Janelle Peters

譯者: Regina Chu 審譯者: Marssi Draw

The cry of the crowd. The roar of a lion. The clash of metal.

群眾的呼聲、獅子的哮聲 金屬的鏗鏘聲

Starting in 80 CE these sounds rang through the stands of the Colosseum.

自西元 80 年起

這些聲音就在羅馬競技場內迴盪

On hundreds of days a year,

一年內有數百天

over 50,000 residents of Rome and visitors from across the Roman Empire

超過五萬民羅馬居民 及來自羅馬帝國各地的遊客

would fill the stadiums’ four stories to see gladiators duel, animals fight,

會坐滿此競技場的四個樓層

觀看角鬥士決戰、動物打架

and chariots race around the arena.

及馬戰車繞著競技場比賽

And for the grand finale, water poured into the arena basin,

而盛大的最終場 則是把水注入競技場窪地

submerging the stage for the greatest spectacle of all:

淹沒舞台來一場精采絕倫的表演

staged naval battles.

海軍戰鬥

The Romans’ epic, mock maritime encounters, called naumachiae,

羅馬人英勇的海軍戰役戲碼 一般稱之為海戰

started during Julius Caesar’s reign in the first century BC,

始於凱撒大帝在位的西元前一世紀

over a hundred years before the Colosseum was built.

比羅馬競技場建成還早一百年

They were held alongside other aquatic spectacles

這些表演與其他水上奇觀

on natural and artificial bodies of water around Rome

一同在羅馬各地的 天然及人造水體內上演

up through Emperor Flavius Vespasian,

直到弗拉維烏斯·維斯帕先大帝

who began building the Colosseum in 70 CE on the site of a former lake.

他於西元 70 年開始 在一座湖邊建造羅馬競技場

The Colosseum was intended to be a symbol of Rome’s power in the ancient world,

羅馬競技場本來是羅馬 在古代世界力量的象徵

and what better way to display that power

還有什麼比得上

than a body of water that could drain and refill at the Emperor’s command?

任憑大帝指揮大水收放 更能大顯他的神威？

Vespasian’s son Flavius Titus fulfilled his father’s dream in 80 CE

維斯帕先的兒子提圖斯·弗拉維烏斯

於西元 80 年實現了他父親的夢想

when he used war spoils to finish the Colosseum–

他用戰利品完成羅馬競技場

or as it was known at the time, the Flavian Amphitheater.

當時稱為弗萊文圓形劇場

The grand opening was celebrated with 100 days of pageantry and gladiatorial games,

盛大的開幕慶典是為期一百天的 盛典及角鬥士比賽

setting the precedent for programming that included parades,

為慶祝節目開先例，包括遊行

musical performances, public executions, and of course, gladiatorial combat.

音樂表演、公開處決 還有想當然爾，角鬥士格鬥

Unlike the games in smaller amphitheaters funded by wealthy Romans,

不像由羅馬富豪資助在規模較小的 圓形露天劇場舉行的比賽

these lavish displays of Imperial power were financed by the Emperor.

這些奢華的帝國力量展示 是由皇帝出資

Parades of exotic animals, theatrical performances,

奇特動物大遊行、戲劇表演

and the awe-inspiring naumachiae were all designed

及嘆為觀止的海戰

都是為了增強 對神般皇帝的信仰而設計

to bolster faith in the god-like Emperor,

who would be declared a god after his own death.

他們死後都會被封為神

It’s still a mystery how engineers flooded the arena to create this aquatic effect.

到目前為止工程師如何水淹劇場 造成這種水上效應仍是一個謎

Some historians believe a giant aqueduct was diverted into the arena.

一些歷史學家相信有座巨大的 導水管被改道引水至劇場

Others think the system of chambers and sluice gates used to drain the arena,

其他人則認為在劇場內 用來排水的水室及水閘門系統

were also used to fill it.

也可以拿來注水

These chambers could’ve been filled with water prior to the event

這些水室可能在慶典前就已注滿水

and then opened to submerge the stage

然後打開

以超過一百萬加侖的水淹沒舞臺

under more than a million gallons of water, to create a depth of five feet.

造成五呎深的水池

But even with all that water,

但是就算有那麼多的水

the Romans had to construct miniature boats with special flat bottoms

羅馬人還是要建造微型特殊平底船

that wouldn’t scrape the Colosseum floor.

才不會刮壞羅馬競技場的地面

These boats ranged from 7 to 15 meters long,

這些船身長七到十五公尺不等

and were built to look like vessels from famous encounters.

並依照著名海戰的船隻而建

During a battle, dozens of these ships would float around the arena,

在戰役中，數打的船隻 在競技場四周浮動

crewed by gladiators dressed as the opposing sides of the recreated battle.

由角鬥士扮成重演戰役雙方的船員

These warriors would duel across ships;

這些戰士在船上與對方決鬥

boarding them, fighting, drowning, and incapacitating their foes

登船、戰鬥、溺水、重創敵人

until only one faction was left standing.

直到只剩一方站立

Fortunately, not every watery display told such a gruesome story.

幸好不是每一場水上表演都這麼血腥

In some of these floodings,

某些水淹場面

a submerged stage allowed chariot drivers to glide across the water

在水中的舞台 讓馬戰車駕駛能滑過水面

as though they were Triton, making waves as he piloted his chariot on the sea.

好像他們是海之信使崔萊頓一樣

在海上駕著戰車掀起陣陣浪花

Animals walked on water, myths were re-enacted by condemned prisoners,

動物在水上走路 獄中的罪犯重演神話故事

and at night, nude synchronized swimmers would perform by torchlight.

入夜後

裸體的水上芭蕾舞者在火炬下表演

But the Colosseum’s aquatic age didn’t last forever.

但是羅馬競技場的 水上表演時代沒有持續很久

The naval battles proved so popular they were given their own nearby lake

海戰證明太受歡迎

圖密善大帝於西元 90 年代早期 特授一座位於附近的湖來專門表演

by Emperor Domitian in the early 90s CE.

The larger lake proved even better for naumachiae,

這座更大的湖證明更適合海戰表演

and the Colosseum soon gained a series of underground animal cages

羅馬競技場很快就有了 一整組地下動物籠子以及活門

and trap doors that didn’t allow for further flooding.

不再允許水淹場景

But for a brief time,

但是曾有一度

the Flavian Emperors controlled the tides of war and water

弗拉維王朝的皇帝能呼風喚雨

in a spectacular show of power.

大大展示自己的力量