Why is it called "Colosseums"?

[scytheavatar]

This is something that had bugged me since I played civ 3. Why did they call that happiness producing building a colosseum when normally the only building we refer to as a Colosseum is the one in Rome? I have never heard of an ancient building being called a Colosseum, only some of the recent sports arena have been called that. Shouldn't it be more accurate to call these buildings amphitheatres, just like how the Colosseum was originally called the Flavian Amphitheatre? That way, we can have the Colosseum as a world wonder the way it should be.

 

[Jharii]

Becaue "a colosseum" is different than "The Colosseum."

Definition:
a large building, such as a stadium or theatre, used for entertainments, sports, etc

EDIT: The reference I used above has this definition actually listed as "coliseum" as Mystere has pointed out below.

 

[Mystere]

Good point, never thought about it that way. This is what I found on the net.

COLISEUM
1. an oval large stadium with tiers of seats; an arena in which contests and spectacles are held

COLOSSEUM
1. a large amphitheater in Rome whose construction was begun by Vespasian about AD 75 or 80

Seems to me there is really only one Colosseum (hence why it should start with a capital letter) and the correct term for the structure type like we see in civ would be coliseum or just amphitheater.

Actually I think The Colosseum would make a good national or world wonder.

 

[Jharii]

Actually I think The Colosseum would make a good national or world wonder.

It used to be featured as a wonder in the Civ series.

As you pointed out, the spellings are different, but both spellings appear to be acceptable.

coliseum or colosseum (ˌkɒlɪˈsɪəm)
— n
a large building, such as a stadium or theatre, used for entertainments, sports, etc

 

[Rexflex]

The amphitheater in Rome was unlikely have have been called The Colosseum when it was active. The name was assigned to it centuries later when the remains of a large statue with the word "Colossus" (now believed to be a reference to the statue, but not the same one we know as another ancient wonder) was found near the entrance. And Coliseum is just a derivative, so isn't really any more accurate as a reference to amphitheaters in general.

 

[Mystere]

Hmm so we have no consensus yet I see

Is it a word you can use for any type of large amphitheatre structure or only as the name of the amphitheatre in Rome? I am shooting a bit in the dark anyway with all those definitions because my first language isn't even English to start with

 

[lietkynes]

I agree, it should be called amphitheatre. Greeks and Romans built amphitheatres, there was not such a thing as a colosseum. And the colosseum would make a great world wonder.

 

[Morningcalm]

Agreed, as the Colosseum was one of the 7 modern wonders on that faulty list with people's opinions--that said, it is clearly a national landmark for Italy, and it seems strange Civ doesn't include it (and frankly there have always been only a few Roman wonders in the game, which is also strange).

Ampitheater makes more sense. Many other cultures had ampitheaters. Not all that many others had colosseums.

 

[HorribleHarald]

I would see Colosseum as one of the wonders or at least UB for Romans instead of UU ballista. I think there is too much and more unnecessary Wonders in the game than Great Colosseum of Rome.

 

[Beef Hammer]

I agree it should be Rome's UB, possibly a World Wonder, rename the "regular" Colosseum's to amphitheatre.

 

[Skwink]

Weren't there many colosseums?

 

[Sonereal]

Weren't there many colosseums?

Yes and no. They were called Amphitheaters. The Colosseum was the Flavian Amphitheater.