Where Did It Come From?: Ancient Rome - The Modern Stadium DVD

• Additional Details
• Format: Color, DVD-Video, NTSC
• Rating: Not Rated
• Number of Discs: 1
• Run Time: 50 Minutes
• Region: Region 1
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Language: English
• Studio: History Channel
• DVD Release Date: October 12, 2006

Take in a game, absorb the fanfare, and enjoy the cutting edge of stadium technology, circa 80 AD.

• Trace the origins of modern technology and industry.
• What have we learned in twenty centuries of stadium building?
• Hosted by Michael Guillen.

A point for the home team, the roar of the crowd, another pagan in the lions' jaws - this must be 1st century Rome. Magnificently recreated in the Hollywood blockbuster Gladiator, the Coliseum is, with apologies to Madison Square Garden, the most famous arena in the world. In this edition of Where Did It Come From?, take an incredible trip through time and technology to discover the wonders of this storied venue.

To see how far we've come (or haven't), begin with a visit to the new soccer stadium in Wembley, England, to discover what goes into making the most advanced sports arena of the modern age. Be amazed by the 11 acre moveable roof and the game-day seating capacity of 90,000 fans. Then consider how similar the Coliseum's amenities were nearly two thousand years ago.

Where Did It Come From? builds and tests a Roman crane to demonstrate how the ancient Romans managed to erect the 16 story Coliseum in the middle of a crowded city.

Examine Roman concrete, the Roman arch and the Coliseum's velarium - or movable roof - and scientifically test whether the Coliseum could empty its 55-thousand spectators in under 15 minutes, as some historians claim.

Ringside or nosebleed, there isn't a bad seat in the house with this amazing examination of Ancient Rome's stadium tech.