Naumachie Colosseum: Explanation of the Naval Battles in the Flavian Amphitheater

The Colosseum is known for its epic clashes between gladiators or between valiant fighters and ferocious beasts from around the world.

Yet, these were not the only spectacles hosted in the amphitheater. Do you know what naumachiae are?

In ancient Rome, emperors amazed and entertained their people with incredible naval battles in artificial basins, and you may not believe it but even the Colosseum was used for these incredible events!

Does it seem impossible that really the Colosseum could have been flooded for these spectacles?

Read on and learn the truth about these incredible events and how the Romans succeeded in such an extraordinary engineering feat.

Did you know that a conduit that was probably used to attach the Colosseum is still visible below the underground?

ALT! Did you know that by visiting the amphitheater you can immerse yourself-not in water, but in history! Take a look at our guide to find the special ticket that suits you best! Don’t waste time in line, book from the comfort of your home and quickly enter the symbol of Rome.

Origin of naumachiae in ancient Rome

Roman naval battle, from an ancient painting in Herculaneum

Early naumachiae

The term “naumachia” comes from ancient Greek and literally meant “naval combat.”

In Roman antiquity this word was used to refer to representations of famous naval battles.

The first known major naumachia was the one organized by Julius Caesar in 46 B.C. to celebrate his victory over Pompey.

The emperor had the Campus Martius filled with water from the Tiber to show the Romans a naval battle.

The biographer Suetonius told of a frantic anticipation that made curious people flock from all parts of the Empire.

There were so many crowds that some slept in the street the night before to gain a position with a good view, and even many died of asphyxiation due to the incredible crush.

The naumachia was not a real battle but a stage performance of real wars that actually happened: spectators could clearly recognize the two different sides because the representatives wore recognizable uniforms.

For example, in the one organized by Caesar, Tyrians and Egyptians, two historical enemies of Rome, were depicted.

Other examples were those depicting Athenians against Persians or Rhodesians in battle with Siculians.

However, there was real contrast between the combatants: blood and death made the spectacle very gruesome and appreciated by the audience.

In fact, the participants were prisoners of war and condemned to death, although participation on a voluntary basis was also open to free men.

We have only one account relating to naumachiae in open waters, that is, sea or rivers: it is that relating to the spectacle organized in the Straits of Messina by Sextus, Pompey’s youngest son, in 40 B.C., to celebrate his victory over Augustus’ legates.

Not many were organized at sea since it was more complicated for spectators to be able to attend.

The evolution of the show

Gladiators in a bas-relief inside the Colosseum | ID 30387887 © Pierre Jean Durieu | Dreamstime.com

Another naumachia much appreciated by contemporaries was the one ordered by Claudius in 52. Organized on Lake Fucinus, the occasion was a celebration of the beginning of work on that same lake that was to be drained.

According to Tacitus, about 19,000 combatants divided between the Sicilian and Rhodian fleets challenged each other.

In reality, however, naumachiae were usually organized in artificial basins like the one offered by Caesar.

Soon, however, the Romans studied ways to recreate these spectacles inside structures: it was Nero who was the first to succeed in staging a naumachia inside an amphitheater.

In 57 CE, in fact, he had a stone-and-wood amphitheater built in the Campus Martius flooded and repeated the operation in 64.

Soon after, however, this structure was destroyed in the terrible and famous burning of Rome.

Finally, Augustus also organized important naumachiae: he organized them in the Septa, a complex with a large open space surrounded by porticoes and works of art.

Augustus had gained power precisely because of a naval battle, that of Actium, and for this reason he celebrated the naval fleet with satisfaction, and it is believed that among the naumachiae organized was one depicting this clash.

The basin commissioned by Augustus began to host performances in 2 B.C., and on this occasion the temple of Mars Ultor was inaugurated.

Augustus even had an aqueduct built just so he could flood the area. Pliny also mentions these and other clashes in his writings.

Naumachiae in the Colosseum: myth or reality?

Reconstruction of the Naumachia in the Colosseum

Historical sources and evidence

Thus we come to our Colosseum, for it too was used to organize naumachiae!

In fact, the arena was filled with water through a modern and irrigation system. However, there are some doubts and contrasts among historians about its actual use for such purposes.

What is certain is that after the construction of the dungeons it was no longer possible to witness naval battles inside the Flavian Amphitheater, so it is believed that there were few naumachiae organized at the Colosseum, if any, related exclusively to its inauguration.

There are some controversies: Martial relates that naumachiae were organized inside the Colosseum during the first years after its inauguration, but modern archaeologists believe that this was not the case, as representing naval battles meant efforts that were too important for the time.

Moreover, this information has made it possible to date the construction of the dungeons at a later time than that of the amphitheater, namely during the empire of Domitian: flooding the arena would have destroyed the dungeons.

There are reports of a performance organized by Titus during the inauguration of the Colosseum in which the battle between Corfu and Corinth was recreated, however, taking advantage of the artificial lake built by Augustus.

How would it have been possible to flood the Colosseum?

Another contentious point that divides historians is the fact that the Colosseum does not allow us to fully understand how it could have been flooded: because of the construction of the underground, almost nothing remains of the engineering used to flood the arena.

Historians, however, have speculated how the Romans could fill the Colosseum with water by observing the amphitheaters of Verona and Mérida.

In Verona, in fact, the central pit was connected to two axial pipes, one carrying water from an aqueduct and the other to drain it to the Adige River.

In Spain, on the other hand, the pit was shallow, testifying that it was not used by service personnel, and its operation was similar: two conduits to fill and empty with water.

However, the particularly shallow bottom has convinced historians that naumachia were never organized here.

The end of the naumachiae and the evolution of performances in the Colosseum

Naumachia in Rouen in 1550

Although there is no unanimous opinion regarding the organization of naumachiae inside the Colosseum, there is instead certainty that after Domitian the naumachiarii (naumachia fighters) no longer fought inside the amphitheater.

This was because the construction of the basement made it impossible to flood the arena. This is why the water games were abandoned in favor of other performances.

In fact, the introduction of the trapdoors and the dungeons, with all the associated hoist system, prevented the area from being filled with water to prevent their destruction.

What is more, performances were organized and run in these very areas that contained workers, beasts, gladiators, and parts of stage sets.

To fill the Colosseum some historians have calculated that it took 17 million liters of water, drained over a period of about 2-5 hours.

To do this, the city’s aqueducts were exploited, particularly the one on the Caelian Hill already used by Nero to create his artificial lake.

Drainage, on the other hand, took place through four different canals placed at the extremes of the axes of the ellipse.

At an even lower level than the basement, archaeologists found the water drainage channels placed just below the four main tunnels excavated in the basement, as well as the large pipe that connected the Colosseum to the aqueduct was found. no used blocks from the amphitheater to build Palazzo Barberini and in 1703 to build the port of Ripetta.

Frequently asked questions

Conclusion

Naumachia painted by Giovanni Lanfranco (Prado)

Well, there we have come to the end of our article! We have seen together that naumachiae were grandiose spectacles, although their performance in the Colosseum is still debated.

Don’t be fooled, though: the combatants could really leave their skins behind!

I have told you where the name comes from and explained how they were organized, as well as recounted some of the most iconic naumachiae in history.

I have also provided you with historical evidence and scholarly hypotheses, as well as an in-depth look at the Roman engineering techniques used to flood the arena.

Finally, I have answered the most common questions on the subject, but if you want to find out even more about the incredible history of the Colosseum, then leave us a comment with your questions and we will be happy to answer them!

And if you too now want to see the wonders of this amphitheater in person, book your Colosseum tickets now and experience history up close!