41 The World’s Bloodiest Acre

The Roman Colosseum has been hailed as a “vision of beauty,” Michelangelo is said to have wandered there over 1,900 years ago, and many tourists still flock to see the majestic ruins. Built as a symbol of dark side of human nature, this site of splendor was once home to a carnival of carnage.

The Emperor Vespasian, who began the Colosseum’s construction, did not live to see its completion but his son, Titus, did. It was Titus who began the bloody games. Games were held in the great ring of the Colosseum for over 400 years. Gladiators fought against beast, man against beast, and man against man, in battles to the death.

For the next 300 years, a number of programs similar to, but more modest than, Titus’ continued to be held at the Colosseum. Bloodthirsty spectators often clamored for “the game without end,” a never-ending bout in which an armed man slaughtered a defenseless opponent. The victor of each contest was then disarmed and became the victim of another armed participant, but for another hundred years human contests were finally banned, but the entertainment of the animals continued to be slaughtered in the Colosseum for the entertainment of the Roman populace. The arena’s gory history has prompted one writer to call it “The World’s Bloodiest Acre.”

41 世界上最血腥的一英亩

罗马斗兽场曾被誉为“美的愿景”，据说米开朗基罗在1900多年前曾漫步于此，如今仍有许多游客蜂拥而至，参观这片宏伟的遗迹。这座辉煌之地本是人性黑暗面的象征，曾是一场屠杀狂欢的发生地。

开启斗兽场建造工程的维斯帕先皇帝没能活到它竣工，但他的儿子提图斯做到了。正是提图斯开启了血腥的竞技游戏。这些游戏在斗兽场的巨大环形场地中持续了400多年，角斗士与野兽搏斗、人与人与野兽搏斗，每场都是至死方休的战斗。

在之后的300年里，斗兽场持续举办了许多与提图斯时期类似但规模更温和的项目。嗜血的观众常常叫嚣着要看“无尽之赛”——一场没有尽头的对决，一名武装人员屠杀毫无防备的对手。每场比赛的胜利者会被解除武装，成为下一名武装参与者的受害者。不过一百年后，人类之间的竞技终于被禁止，但动物表演仍在继续，动物们在斗兽场中被屠杀，供罗马民众取乐。这片竞技场血腥的历史促使一位作家将其称为“世界上最血腥的一英亩”。