History of Ancient Rome Class Gets a Hands-On Lesson in Early Engineering

Today, students in Dr. Amanda Gregory’s History of Ancient Rome class got a hands-on lesson in early engineering as they built a Roman-style elevator that would have transported wild animals from the underground level of the Colosseum to the arena.  

Working in the School’s Center for Innovation & Design (CID), the students used their ingenuity to assemble pre-fabricated pieces into a working elevator that would have lifted ferocious beasts onto the Colosseum floor.

Before the activity, the students learned about the amazing architectural elements and the advanced engineering behind Rome’s iconic Colosseum. They heard how this Flavian Amphitheatre hosted 60,000 spectators who were shielded from the sun by massive retractable awnings. The venue hosted everything from gladiator fights to naval battles to animal hunts, and the students even watched a scene from Gladiator with Russel Crowe for added inspiration. 

Thanks to Art & Design teacher Matt Martino, who laser-cut the elevator pieces and even created an array of wild animals and gladiators using the 3-D printer.