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Talk:Nathan Bedford Forrest/Archive 1

Start
This one wasn't easy to do, as we're talking about one of the most controversial Americans of all time here.

As you read this, you're going to find it evident that I have a great interest in Forrest's military career, but I have tried to balance it with the things he did later in life, to his discredit. For someone who commanded no more than 7,000 men in his life, he had a huge impact on the tactics of modern warfare. As commander of a "silent army" of tens of thousands after the war, he had a huge (negative) impact on race relations in my country. You can't really present one without presenting the other.

I admire his genius, both as a avid reader of military history and as a proud Southerner, but I certainly don't share his racist attitudes, and I hope no one who reads this will construe it as such. I don't believe I have sugar-coated him in any way, but if someone feels I have, I apologize in advance. --John 18:30, 18 April 2002

Query
"perhaps the American Civil War's most highly regarded cavalry officer" I'm not an ACW expert, but where does George Custer fit into this? Was he just a cult of personality, or did he have skillz, as the kids say today? ;) jengod 20:48, Mar 31, 2004 (UTC)

I don't think that anyone seriously compares Custer to Forrest. If Custer hadn't died at  Little Bighorn he would have been another footnote to the Civil War. What Forrest accomplished was truly remarkable. J.E.B Stuart might be the only person who could compete with Forrest in terms of regard--although not accomplishment--in my opinion. --JVB —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 216.181.9.206 (talk • contribs) 20:52, 20 June 2005 (UTC)

Custer was known much more for his flair, gallantry and overall disdain for most of his superior officers. He was considered a snob and seemed to care little for his men and more for his own image. He was a brave and outstanding cavalry officer, but paled in comparison to the likes of Stuart and Forrest. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 4.224.90.149 (talk • contribs) 19:13, 26 January 2006 (UTC)

Nathan Bedford Forrest
You have authored a remarkably balanced article, given the subject matter. Very little is known about Forrest's life following the war, so it is appropriate not to speculate too much. It is clear that he was Grand Wizard (or Cyclops) of the KKK, but that's about all that is known. His military genius being what it was, it would be a shame for the verified accomplishments of Forrest's war record to be eclipsed by the murky events of his life after the war, as inexcusable as they may be. -- AC —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 162.33.128.142 (talk • contribs) 17:45, 27 July 2005 (UTC)

What about Forrest's actions in the war itself? The massacre at Fort Pillow is "excusable"? Today Confederate apologists try to paint the secessionist movement as a noble cause that had nothing to do with slavery. Forrest's actions exposes the truth about the Confederacy---that it was a racist institution devoted to the preservation of slavery and the subjugation of an entire people. I shudder that people today still think of him as a hero. If years from now Germans decide to erect a statue and monument to Goebells, we will have no reason to complain Edward J. Cunningham 15:27, 5 November 2005 (UTC)

Another PC'er. Gee you probably think that Nat Turner was a hero? Not all of history's characters fit a "black or white" defination of "good vs bad" guy. Political Correctness has another brainswashed student. MJW —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 207.59.152.2 (talk • contribs) 23:14, 24 December 2005  (UTC)

So we are supposed to reward "military genius" above basic human morality, AC? His definite role as the founder of the KKK is enough to make ANYBODY'S legacy a negative one. Forrest was a racist fighting a racist cause. That he did so somewhat successful does make it anymore noble. He should be remembered for what he was. Celebrating tactical prowess from an unfeeling perspective makes us all forget what war really is. MDR  —The preceding unsigned comment was added by  69.92.11.117 (talk • contribs) 08:02, 6 January 2006  (UTC)

Nice straw man. No one is 'rewarding' anything and I never called anything Forrest did 'noble.' From a NPOV perspective his tactical capability was significant. Perhaps acknowledging this requires an 'unfeeling perspective', but welcome to Wikipedia. AC —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 136.242.151.133 (talk • contribs) 17:34, 24 April 2006 (UTC)

The legacy of Bedford Forrest
It is a rare thing that one with such limited formal education, lack of social connections and of opportunity could become such a lightning rod of opinion. Yet Forrest has become just that. The article gives an excellent overview of the life and career of General Forrest. Like the author, I too from the South. I watch with interest the many who openly voice their distaste and, at times, outright hatred for Bedford Forrest. Hardly a year passes without certain groups in Memphis trying to disinter the bodies of the General and his wife and dump the remains in the Mississippi River. His association with the early stages of the Klan are well documented and used liberally to foster ever greater and wider dislike for him and his accomplishments.

Yet, books about Forrest and art prints of his many experiences continue to be remarkably popular with the public, at least in the South. He was crude and, at times, overly harsh. So were the times in which he lived. He was brilliant as a military officer. In fact, had he been given command of combined arms, he would most assuredly accomplished more striking successes than those now on record. He used his personal negroes as wagon drivers for his command and gave them their freedom only when it was clearly evident that the end was near. It is of more than passing interest that the great majority of those slaves, when given the freedom they so longed for, chose to stay with Forrest. Those who were under his iron discipline for so many years, who knew the temper of the man in ways no one then, or now, ever could, made the decision to stay with him as free men and continue their service.

Forrest lived in a time and a life none of us today can truly comprehend. It is a very simple thing for us to point to certain aspects of his life and condemn him as illiterate and racist. Those things he may have well been, yet, in the end, as death drew near, Forrest saw clearly the errors of his life and spoke to the remorse he held on more than one occasion. It is one thing to lead a life of violence and disobedience to the common god of society, of which he is often accused. It is another thing altogether to recognize one's failures and repent of them to the One whose opinion really matters, as did Forrest.

I wish Fort Pillow had never happened and that the Klan had remained a group of kids at play. Still, Nathan Bedford Forrest was one of the truly great men produced by a truly great country. That's why my son's name is Forrest. Michael Sawyer —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 68.84.92.69 (talk • contribs) 01:04, 13 February 2005 (UTC)

 * This may be unpopular, but if we are to mention his involvement in the Klan, couldn't we mention his speech at the Jubilee of Pole Bearers. Just mentioning the former seems to me as lacking good faith considering that he apparently made amends in his later years. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 70.81.36.33 (talk • contribs) 23:27, 28 July 2005  (UTC)

 * Where can I find this speech? I don't apologize for my vehement opposition to racism and slavery, but I will be shooting myself in the foot if I alienate EVERY descendent of Confederate soldiers. If Forrest showed genuine remorse for what the KKK had become (and perhaps his own actions as well) he could actually become a role model. What exactly did he say? Edward J. Cunningham 01:03, 7 November 2005 (UTC)

I mean how more brainwashed can somehow get into the PC dialouge. "don't apologize for my vehement opposition to racism and slavery"<<<<How much more repeative PC can one get? I guess that somehow someone cannot lament on what may have done wrong in the past or where their intentions may have been misplaced. MJW —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 207.59.152.2 (talk • contribs) 23:24, 24 December 2005  (UTC)

good article, but
Why do people automatically connect NBF with the KKK? The KKK was a 'secret society' which kept no real records or documents. There is no actual proof that NBF had anything to do with the KKK other than being asked to lead the group in its early stages when it was a nobel cause (defending the South against reconstruction(the real evil you were not taught about in school)). After the klan died down for several years and was esentially not needed b/c the true Southern citizens took care of their own, the idle hands turned to evil. At that time NBF stepped in and asked (asked, not told b/c he was not actually a part of the organization) the klan to formally disban. After NBF asked them to disband and before then most of the honorable Southern men had removed themselves from this organization as they did not need it anymore. you should know some other real facts.

Forrest had 65 Black troopers listed on his muster roll at surender. His adjutant penned the word trooper by each name in all the paperwork of these individule men as far back as records can be researched. Others that did the job were noted as teamsters, blacksmiths, cooks, personal assistant, etc. For NBF to use the term "trooper" in this case meant that the man had arms, honorably fell in rank, and was commanded in battle. There were 8 Black Confederate soldiers in Forrest's Escort (his personal guard!). Each member of the escort caried at least: two pistols, one shotgun, one rifle, multiple knives and or sabers. They were all the best of the best horsemen and fighters.

The yankees were the ones to mark out the title by each Black Confederate name.

Do not automatically connect NBF with the wrong doings of the KKK when he had absolutely nothing to do with it.

Deo Vindice —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 12.107.233.84 (talk • contribs) 21:39, 15 August 2005  (UTC)

 * Alright, I am calling you out on this even if nobody else here does. Just exactly when and how was the Ku Klux Klan EVER a "nobel cause"? [sic] Edward J. Cunningham 15:53, 6 November 2005 (UTC)

 * Forrest helped found the Ku Klu Klan, so he had everything to do with it. Besides, just because he opposed the METHODS of the Klan in later years does not mean he saw the light and saw that their GOALS of white supremacy was wrong. Ultimately, the goals of the Confederacy and the KKK were one and the same. Edward J. Cunningham 15:50, 5 November 2005 (UTC)

The ignorance of Deo Vindice is staggering. First of all to complain that textbooks paint Reconstruction in anything but a negative light ("carpetbaggers"?) is absurb. Secondly, the fact that he had black manservants proves what? Undoubtedly they were NOT armed until the very end of the war, because it would have been illegal beforehand. In defending Forrest you seem to be making a vague argument that he and the South did not possess racist ideals. I think the man himself would seriously beg to differ. 130,000 slaves left plantations to fight for the Union army, while historians who've reviewed surviving Confederate records have found that hardly any were actual Confederate soldiers. Those that did join the army did so often just to get uniforms and desert. The idealogy under which the Confederacy operated was contingent upon blacks NOT being in the army lest they prove themselves the equals of their white counterparts. MDR —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 69.92.11.117 (talk • contribs) 8:13, 6 January 2006 (UTC)

Ugly statue
There's a hideous statue in Nashville, Tennessee by the I-65, as seen here. Should this be mentioned? --Apostrophe 04:57, 30 August 2005 (UTC)

 * I was going to lecture you on NPOV until I followed the link. Yes, it is truly hideous. However, the fact of being commemorated over a hundred years after his death by a bad statue is only notable if the statue itself is notable. If it is on a list of ten worst statues (it might be), or part of a tour of hideous artworks, then mentioning it might encyclopedic. As for simply including a (public domain) photo of it, that's a separate question. -Willmcw 06:24, August 30, 2005 (UTC)

Oh...My... I asked myself,"What would NBF have thought of this "tribute"? The words "spinning" and "grave" spring readily to mind. Hamster Sandwich 01:48, 31 August 2005 (UTC)

Did Forrest really wear a skirt? Who know that on top of his other faults the man was a cross-dresser??--Edward J. Cunningham 15:46, 6 November 2005 (UTC)
 * In other posts, I may be criticizing Forrest's actions at Fort Pillow or as head of the KKK. In this case, I am ONLY criticizing the statue. I do not mean to suggest that Forrest actually was a cross dresser! Edward J. Cunningham 01:05, 7 November 2005 (UTC)

"No man shall kill me and live..."
There is an apocryphal story that Forrest was dismissing one of his officers (a Major), when the subordinate pulled out a small pistol (Derringer?) and thrusting it into Forrest's side, fired the weapon. Forrest seized the major's wrist and held his arm in such a way to incapacitate him from fireing a second shot. Forrest was said to have reached into his own pocket with his free hand, pulling out a folding knife (which he opened with his teeth) and proceeded to repeatedly stab his attacker. The men are separated and taken to different locations. Forrests' surgeon proclaimed his wound to be mortal, and did not expect the general to survive till the following morning. Hearing this diagnosis, Forrest is said to have exclaimed, "No man shall kill me and live!" whereupon he left his bed and sought to find the major who had attacked him. Upon finding him, Forrest began to once more beat the other man, at one point throwing him through a window. The two men were again separated and taken to neutral locations. Later the same evening, the generals' surgeon recanted the previous opinion he had made as to the severity of the wounds sustained by the pistol shot, and he now felt Forrest would survive the attack. A contrite Forrest went to the subordinate who had attacked him, and made a personal apology to the major, shortly before that man expired from the result of the beating he had recieved at the hands of the inimitable Forrest.

I haven't found anything online to verify this story, but I remember it from a couple hard-copy biographies I once owned about the General. I wouldn't mind seeing the story included somewhere within the article proper, it seems a clear glimpse into the determination and fighting spirit of NBF. Hamster Sandwich 21:59, 31 August 2005 (UTC)

Controversy
"Nathan Bedford Forrest stands as the paramount hero on the Tennessee landscape. He gets a bust in the state capitol, a statue in Nathan Bedford Forrest park in Memphis, obelisks at his birthplace in Chapel Hill and at Nathan Bedord Forrest State Park near Camden, and thirty-two different state historical markers, far more than any other person in any other state in America. Tennessee supplied three United States presidents--Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk, and Andrew Johnson--but Forrest gets more markers than all three put together." (James W. Loewen, Lies Across America p. 258). "While it sounds scholarly to aver that "controversy remains" [regarding Forrest's behavior at Ft. Pillow] it isn't. Historians have uncovered and published the facts of the massacre in plain view." Very few reputable historians outside of "proud Southern" Confederate sympathizers accept that there was a "controversy" to what took place that day. The consensus view is that the Confederate atrocities at Ft. Pillow violated the rules of war and constituted a massacre. It is true, however, that Forrest simply followed well established Confederate precedent and policy when he ordered the killing of "all captured blacks [surrendered or not] wearing a U.S. uniform." contributed by 69.91.83.109

I moved this section here from the main article space. It seemed more appropriate here. While I am not adverse to the sentiment expressed within the passage, there is I feel some subjectivity involved within the certain terms within it, ie. "Historians have uncovered and published the facts of the massacre in plain view." and "Very few reputable historians outside of "proud Southern" Confederate sympathizers accept that there was a "controversy"" and "The consensus view is that the Confederate atrocities at Ft. Pillow violated the rules of war and constituted a massacre". These comments are more appropriate for the discussion section of the NBF entry. I welcome any discussion regarding my decision to move the comment to this page. Hamster Sandwich 23:27, 31 August 2005 (UTC)
 * I don't know... is it really in dispute, outside of hardline "apologists" (not the best term, but...). NPOV doesn't mean no controversial statements, but I think if there's two opposing views, they may both need to be mentioned, not both ingored. See the Fort Pillow entry for what I'm taking about (maybe we should just reference it there, and not duplicate here). Nae'blis 02:19:51, 2005-09-01 (UTC)

 * NPOV does mean including all significant points of view. If there are sourced POVs, then we should include them. While this paragraph needs some re-writing, it sources at least one of its comments, which is a higher standard than some other material in this article. I suggest we restore it to the article and re-write in there. -Willmcw 22:29, September 1, 2005 (UTC)

 * I agree that the first paragraph has some useful information that could be reworked for addition to the article, however I don't see much in the second that is not more appropriate for the discussion page. I suppose my thinking was that certain parts of the passage in the paragraph are already dealt with, at least as regards the Fort Pillow massacre, in the article as it was. The mention of the memorials to Forrest could certainly be added as an addendum, but I didn't really feel that the passage above, as I cut it out of the article and pasted it here was entirely appropriate not only for a stand alone "chapter" but at the end of the section that dealt with the aftermath of Fort Pillow where I originally found it. Hamster Sandwich 01:38, 2 September 2005 (UTC)

 * I placed the editted passage below the original contribution above, for easy contrast. I kept most of the material from the first version, but in an editted and condensed form. Hope no one minds the changes too much. Hamster Sandwich 23:33, 5 September 2005 (UTC)

Posthumus legacy
In retrospect Nathan Bedford Forrest still stands as a hero to many Tennesseeans. There is a bust of Forrest at the state capitol building in Memphis and a statue of the General stands in Nathan Bedford Forrest Park also at the capitol. Obelisks have been placed at his birthplace in Chapel Hill and at Nathan Bedford Forrest State Park near Camden, and there are thirty-two other state historical markers. The state of Tennessee has supplied three Presidents of the United States of America, namely; Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk, and Andrew Johnson, but Forrest has had more markers and monuments placed than all three of these presidents combined.

History will always remember Forrest for the debacle and massacre at Fort Pillow, although it is true, however, that Forrest was simply following already established Confederate precedents and when he ordered the killing of "all captured blacks [surrendered or not] wearing a [Union] uniform." Forrest will also be remembered (and reviled, by some) for his controversial association with the Ku Klux Klan. But equally and evidently, N.B. Forrest will always be regarded as a military leader of great native ability, and one who advanced the principles of cavalry deployment and mobile strike forces that has remained down to the present philosophies and tactics of modern mobile warfare. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Hamster Sandwich (talk • contribs) 23:33, 5 September 2005 (UTC)

 * Sheesh! Why is it that the same people that proudly explain how Stonewall Jackson (a very religious man) broke the law in educating his slaves to read and write, yet when Forrest shoots the black soldiers at Fort Pillow he was merely "following orders"? We did not accept that B.S. during WWII and we should not accept it now. Edward J. Cunningham 15:41, 5 November 2005 (UTC)

I guess you are not aware that at Bedford's funeral a great majority of folks who attended his funeral service were actually Black. I guess that after the war Forrest telling his fellow Southerners that they would have to learn to co-exist with the new freed Blacks. It is amazing that Political correctness does to folks, just repeat what the guilt-ridden left wants you to say and all will be fine. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 2005 207.59.152.2 (talk • contribs) 23:18, 24 December  (UTC)

 * First of all, there is legitimate controversy surrounding his involvement with the Klan and with FT. Pillow. This is also told through a southern POV, as Forrest's huge defeat at Corinth is not even mentioned once and his role in the Klan is almost justified. I don't care if he repented later in life, his actions deserve to be put on a table in an unbiased way. This article does not do the job and will be flagged. TruthQuest 11:08, 2 August 2006

 * Also, this whole "left" thing is completely irrelevant to the discussion. Further political baiting will be ignored. This isn't a political issue, it's a matter of facts and controversy being promoted without shame. So stop the liberal guilt stupidity immediately. TruthQuest 11:08, 2 August 2006
 * Those on the left are not guilt-ridden; they suffer from the clash between their wish to be patriotic and their deep sense of shame that you, and Nathan Forrest, are among their countrymen. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 216.254.112.125 (talk • contribs) 20:27, 23 February 2006 (UTC)

Featured article?
I am going to submit this article for approval as a Featured Article on the main page. It's as good now as most any biography that has been featured in that space recently, and feel that all of the editors that have made contributions here should take some pride in the way it has turned out. Any questions, comments or ideas on this proposal are most welcome. Thanks! Hamster Sandwich 02:20, 7 September 2005 (UTC)

This article is ridiculously apologetic towards Nathan Forrest. More research is needed and the pro southern diatribe needs to be cut before we can donsider this as such.

This thing stinks of praise for a controversial man. TruthQuest -- 10:55, 2 August 2006 72.193.141.15

poke around here for some good info
http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/anti-masonry/discredited.html#lester -- —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 132.241.245.49 (talk • contribs) 21:52, 11 September 2005 (UTC)

The article says: "There is a bust of Forrest at the state capitol building in Memphis and a statue of the General stands in Nathan Bedford Forrest Park also at the capitol."

The state capitol is in Nashville. -- —The preceding unsigned comment was added by DWoodbury1 (talk • contribs) 04:57, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

Hagiography for a dispicable scoundrel
This article is a joke. I think I can guess the color of the skin and the nationality of the person who wrote it. And that bit about Forrest with a bullet lodged near his spine and picking up a union soldier. Give me a break. Where did that factoid come from? The minutes of some Klan meeting? Forrest was the moral equivalent of Adolph Hitler - and as for the comment below, the United States is no more "great" than any other nation on earth -- including the many Native American nations who were wiped out by -- people like Nathan Bedford Forrest. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 222.158.217.164 (talk • contribs) 11:32, 7 November 2005  (UTC)

Another politically correct hothead. Gee how nice it is for someone to educate us on what is moral or not. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 207.59.152.2 (talk • contribs) 23:09, 24 December 2005 (UTC)

Thank you! An honest opinion for once. Why does everyone feel it necessary to protect the truth?! Why can't anyone realise that what the KKK do and have done is ridiculous? People that power our countries, or protect our towns are runnning these pathetic puritanical societies. Do they not comprehend that no matter how hard they try to overthrow the US they will not suceed, as in case no one else has noticed but hmm, the entire world is bursting with mixed cutlural societies!

They failed in the 1800's and will not succeed now just as Adolf Hitler failed with his nazi party in the 20's, 30's and 40's.

Thank you( y.e.) —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 82.69.177.201 (talk • contribs) 11:08, 8 May 2006 (UTC)

Posthumous legacy
The opening sentence of this section has many NPOV and factual problems with it. These items need to be fixed in order to bring this article into compliance with WP:NPOV. Rangerdude 05:53, 2 December 2005 (UTC)
 * It states an opinion about Fort Pillow as fact.
 * It attributes an order to Forrest at Fort Pillow that is unsourced, and doesn't seem to appear in any of the standard historical accounts of the battle.
 * It espouses the anti-Forrest POV on the battle, when in fact the events that happened at the battle are heavily disputed.

The Military Genius
Throughout my education (in class and out), I've heard that Forrest was considered a military genius, and this point of view is repeated in the article. Unfortunately, the majority of my training concerns the eastern theater of the war. For that purpose, could someone explain why Forrest is regarded as such? The article doesn't quite offer much on the premise, other than he beat forces larger than his own. Could someone more informed add some tactical or strategic information which reinforces Forrest's reputation? Currently, the only tidbit I know of his strategy is the often repeated, "Get there firstest with the mostest." Please take this more as a request, than a criticism. RebelAt 01:06, 8 January 2006 (UTC)

Independent Order of Pole-Bearers Association
On July 5, 1875 Nathan Bedford Forrest delivered an address to the Pole-Bearers Assocation outside Memphis. The Pole-Bearers were an all black organization. The exact wording of this talk is available at several locations on the web. In his short address, General Forrest clearly advocated that he favored a reconciliation of the races and expressed a wish that black Americans could be integrated into a American society. By all accounts his comments were well received. This is in direct opposition to the balance of his life as a slave trader, a Confederate officer, and in his role in the formation of the KKK. Either the man was an outrageous liar or instead late in his life, he had ungone a profound change in his thinking. Such transformations are not unheard of: John Newton (1725 - 1807), the ex-captain of a slave ship, turned minister who wrote, "Amazing Grace," and more recently the once Governor of Alabama, George Wallace. If this is true, then it makes General Forrest, in spite of the controversy regarding his life, an amazing historical personality worthy of redemption. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Memaffett (talk • contribs) 00:04, 23 February 2006 (UTC) and —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Memaffett (talk • contribs) 22:24, 23 February 2006  (UTC)

 * The website where the information comes from is clearly biased and does not cite its sources. This could easily be a fabrication and I'm removing it. TruthQuest 11:18, 2 August 2006

I would also like to know if the story of his riding his horse into the lobby of the Peabody Hotel in Memphis is true? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Memaffett (talk • contribs) 00:04, 23 February 2006 (UTC)

—The preceding unsigned comment was added by Memaffett (talk • contribs).

KKK apologism
Hello KKK? In this article it is stated as a fact that Nathan Forrest was not involved in a "despicable" KKK. These are coming from his own mouth and can not be used to accurately describe his involvement. Furthermore, this article implies that the role of the KKK was not a bad one, even in the beginning stages, and that is also debatable. I'm going to submit this for a neutrality mention as it's obviously told from a POV that "sucks up" to Nathan Forrest and that will not be tolerated. TruthQuest 11:03, 2 August 2006

WHY NOT DRAGOONS
I think everyone can accept that the KKK is bad. but that shouldnt obstruct the truth. Adolf Hitler is still studied today but not because of hero worship. I'm not absolving him from his flaws, but it seems to me, that you want to obfuscate any of his positive attributes or records due to his association with such a draconian group. But yeah, horrible guy, a slave-trader before the war.

Regardless, that isnt my actual message in here. I have no idea why Forrest's unit was never classified as Dragoons. They are essentially the very definition of Dragoons. Why is it so hard? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 65.96.122.80 (talk • contribs) 15:22, 27 November 2006 (UTC)

Neo Confederate Problem
There seems to be a leaning tilt towards unfounded neo confederate sites. One is the CSA Silver Dollar Site and the other is the Nathan Bedford Forrest memorial website. Both of these sites do their best to glorify the mythology of Nathan Bedford Forrest and do not seem unbiased in their estimation. Yet, their information is on this page as if it's complete fact. The speech that one mr.Forrest gave at the Pole Bearer's association is in question, to say the least, as it is a completely self congratulatory mess that has one source that hasn't been verified. The other website has him killing two men and wounded two others, despite the fact this is also unfounded by the website.

Both Websites should NOT be used as sources for an article in wikipedia. They tell an unfounded POV for neo confederate sympathesizers and they should be removed from this article. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 72.193.141.15 (talk • contribs) 19:46, 5 March 2007  (UTC)

title: Talk:Nathan Bedford Forrest/Archive 1


text:
Colosseum

The Colosseum (Colosseo ) is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, just east of the Roman Forum. It is the largest ancient amphitheatre ever built, and is still the largest standing amphitheatre in the world, despite its age. Construction began under the Emperor Vespasian ((r. 69 – 79)) in 72 and was completed in AD 80 under his successor and heir, Titus ((r. 79 – 81)). Further modifications were made during the reign of Domitian ((r. 81 – 96)). The three emperors who were patrons of the work are known as the Flavian dynasty, and the amphitheatre was named the Flavian Amphitheatre (Amphitheatrum Flavium; Anfiteatro Flavio ) by later classicists and archaeologists for its association with their family name (Flavius).

The Colosseum is built of travertine limestone, tuff (volcanic rock), and brick-faced concrete. It could hold an estimated 50,000 to 80,000 spectators at various points in its history, having an average audience of some 65,000; it was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles including animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, dramas based on Roman mythology, and briefly mock sea battles. The building ceased to be used for entertainment in the early medieval era. It was later reused for such purposes as housing, workshops, quarters for a religious order, a fortress, a quarry, and a Christian shrine.

Although substantially ruined by earthquakes and stone robbers taking spolia, the Colosseum is still a renowned symbol of Imperial Rome and was listed as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. It is one of Rome's most popular tourist attractions and has links to the Catholic Church, as each Good Friday the Pope leads a torchlit "Way of the Cross" procession that starts in the area around the Colosseum. The Colosseum is depicted on the Italian version of the 5 euro cent coin.

Name
Originally, the building's Latin name was simply amphitheatrum. Though the modern name Flavian Amphitheatre (Amphitheatrum Flavium) is often used, there is no evidence it was used in classical antiquity. This name refers to the patronage of the Flavian dynasty, during whose reigns the building was constructed, but the structure is better known as the Colosseum. In antiquity, Romans may have referred to the Colosseum by the unofficial name Amphitheatrum Caesareum (with Caesareum an adjective pertaining to the title Caesar), but this name may have been strictly poetic as it was not exclusive to the Colosseum; Vespasian and Titus, builders of the Colosseum, also constructed a Flavian Amphitheatre in Puteoli (modern Pozzuoli). The name Colosseum is believed to be derived from a colossal statue of Nero on the model of the Colossus of Rhodes. The giant bronze sculpture of Nero as a solar deity was moved to its position beside the amphitheatre by the emperor Hadrian ((r. 117 – 138)). The word colosseum is a neuter Latin noun formed from the adjective colosseus, meaning "gigantic" or "colossean". By the year 1000 the Latin name "Colosseum" had been coined to refer to the amphitheatre from the nearby "Colossus Solis".

The spelling was sometimes altered in and coliseum are attested from the 12th and 14th centuries respectively. In the 12th century, the structure was recorded as the amphitheatrum colisei. In the High Middle Ages, the Flavian amphitheatre is attested as the late 13th-century colosé, and in colisée by the early 16th century, by which time the word could be applied to any amphitheatre. From colisée derived the colisee, in use by the middle of the 15th century and employed by John Capgrave in his Solace of Pilgrims, in which he remarked: collise eke is a meruelous place … þe moost part of it stant at þis day. An English translation by John Bourchier, 2nd Baron Berners, of Antonio de Guevara's biography of Marcus Aurelius ((r. 161 – 180)) in about 1533 referred to this Emperour, beynge with the Senate at Collisee .... Similarly, the colosseo, or coliseo, are attested as referring first to the amphitheatre in Rome, and then to any amphitheatre (as culiseo in 1367). By 1460, an equivalent existed in coliseu; by 1495 had appeared the coliseo, and by 1548 the coliseu.

The earliest citation for the name Colosseum in Early Modern English is the 1600 translation, by Philemon Holland, of the Urbis Romae topographia of Bartolomeo Marliani, which he used in the preparation of his translation of Livy's Augustan era Ab Urbe Condita Libri. The text states: "This Amphitheatre was commonly called Colosseum, of Neroes Colossus, which was set up in the porch of Neroes house." Similarly, John Evelyn, translating the le Colisée used by the architectural theorist Roland Fréart de Chambray, wrote "And 'tis indeed a kind of miracle to see that the Colosseum … and innumerable other Structures which seemed to have been built for Eternity, should be at present so ruinous and dilapidated".

Related to the Colossus of Nero statue
After Nero's suicide and the civil wars of the Year of the Four Emperors, the Colossus of Nero statue was remodeled by the condemned emperor's successors into the likeness of Helios (Sol) or Apollo, the sun god, by adding the appropriate solar crown. It was then commonly referred to as the "Colossus solis". Nero's head was also replaced several times with the heads of succeeding emperors. Despite its pagan links, the statue remained standing well into the Middle Ages and was credited with magical powers. The emperor Constantine the Great remodeled the statue's face as his own.

In the 8th century, an epigram attributed to the Venerable Bede celebrated the symbolic significance of the statue in a prophecy that is variously quoted: Quamdiu stat Colisæus, stat et Roma; quando cadet colisæus, cadet et Roma; quando cadet Roma, cadet et mundus ("as long as the Colossus stands, so shall Rome; when the Colossus falls, Rome shall fall; when Rome falls, so falls the world"). This is often mistranslated to refer to the Colosseum rather than the Colossus (as in, for instance, Byron's poem Childe Harold's Pilgrimage). However, at the time that the Pseudo-Bede wrote, the masculine noun coliseus was applied to the statue rather than to the amphitheatre.

The Colossus did eventually fall, possibly being pulled down to reuse its bronze. The statue itself was largely forgotten and only its base survives, between the Colosseum and the nearby Temple of Venus and Roma.

Construction, inauguration, and Roman renovations

The site chosen was a flat area on the floor of a low valley between the Caelian, Esquiline and Palatine Hills, through which a canalised stream ran as well as an artificial lake/marsh. By the 2nd century BC the area was densely inhabited. It was devastated by the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD, following which Nero seized much of the area to add to his personal domain. He built the grandiose Domus Aurea on the site, in front of which he created an artificial lake surrounded by pavilions, gardens and porticoes. The existing Aqua Claudia aqueduct was extended to supply water to the area and the gigantic bronze Colossus of Nero was set up nearby at the entrance to the Domus Aurea. Although the Colossus was preserved, much of the Domus Aurea was torn down. The lake was filled in and the land reused as the location for the new Flavian Amphitheatre. Gladiatorial schools and other support buildings were constructed nearby within the former grounds of the Domus Aurea. Vespasian's decision to build the Colosseum on the site of Nero's lake can be seen as a populist gesture of returning to the people an area of the city which Nero had appropriated for his own use. In contrast to many other amphitheatres, which were on the outskirts of a city, the Colosseum was constructed in the city centre, in effect, placing it both symbolically and geographically at the heart of Rome.

Construction was funded by the opulent spoils taken from the Jewish Temple after the First Jewish–Roman War in 70 AD led to the Siege of Jerusalem. According to a reconstructed inscription found on the site, "the emperor Vespasian ordered this new amphitheatre to be erected from his general's share of the booty." It is often assumed that Jewish prisoners of war were brought back to Rome and contributed to the massive workforce needed for the construction of the amphitheatre. This claim is disputed; it would, nonetheless, be commensurate with Roman practice to add humiliation to the defeated population. Along with this free source of unskilled labor, teams of professional Roman builders, engineers, artists, painters and decorators undertook the more specialized tasks necessary for building the Colosseum. The Colosseum was constructed with several different materials: wood, limestone, tuff, tiles, cement, and mortar.

Construction of the Colosseum began under the rule of Vespasian in around 70–72 AD (73–75 AD according to some sources). The Colosseum had been completed up to the third story by the time of Vespasian's death in 79. The top level was finished by his son, Titus, in 80, and the inaugural games were held in 80 or 81 AD. Dio Cassius recounts that over 9,000 wild animals were killed during the inaugural games of the amphitheatre. Commemorative coinage was issued celebrating the inauguration. The building was remodelled further under Vespasian's younger son, the newly designated Emperor Domitian, who constructed the hypogeum, a series of tunnels used to house animals and slaves. He also added a gallery to the top of the Colosseum to increase its seating capacity.

In 217, the Colosseum was badly damaged by a major fire (caused by lightning, according to Dio Cassius ), which destroyed the wooden upper levels of the amphitheatre's interior. It was not fully repaired until about 240 and underwent further repairs in 250 or 252 and again in 320. Honorius banned the practice of gladiator fights in 399 and again in 404. Gladiatorial fights are last mentioned around 435. An inscription records the restoration of various parts of the Colosseum under Theodosius II and Valentinian III (reigned 425–455), possibly to repair damage caused by a major earthquake in 443; more work followed in 484 and 508. The arena continued to be used for contests well into the 6th century. Animal hunts continued until at least 523, when Anicius Maximus celebrated his consulship with some venationes, criticised by King Theodoric the Great for their high cost.

Medieval
The Colosseum underwent several radical changes of use. By the late 6th century a small chapel had been built into the structure of the amphitheater, though this apparently did not confer any particular religious significance on the building as a whole. The arena was converted into a cemetery. The numerous vaulted spaces in the arcades under the seating were converted into housing and workshops, and are recorded as still being rented out as late as the 12th century. Around 1200 the Frangipani family took over the Colosseum and fortified it, apparently using it as a castle. In the early to mid 14th century, the Pope's relocation to Avignon caused a population decline in Rome that left the region insecure. The colosseum was largely abandoned by the public and became a popular den for bandits.

Severe damage was inflicted on the Colosseum by the great earthquake in 1349, causing the outer south side, lying on a less stable alluvial terrain, to collapse. Much of the tumbled stone was reused to build palaces, churches, hospitals and other buildings elsewhere in Rome. In 1377, after the Pope's return to Rome, the Colosseum was restored by a religious order called Arciconfraternita del SS. Salvatore ad Sancta Sanctorum, who then inhabited a northern portion of it until as late as the early 19th century. The interior of the amphitheater was extensively stripped of stone, which was reused elsewhere, or (in the case of the marble façade) was burned to make quicklime. The iron clamps which held the stonework together were pried or hacked out of the walls, leaving numerous pockmarks which still scar the building today.

Modern
During the 16th and 17th century, Church officials sought a productive role for the Colosseum. Pope Sixtus V (1585–1590) planned to turn the building into a wool factory to provide employment for Rome's prostitutes, though this proposal fell through with his premature death. In 1671 Cardinal Altieri authorized its use for bullfights; a public outcry caused the idea to be hastily abandoned.

In 1749, Pope Benedict XIV endorsed the view that the Colosseum was a sacred site where early Christians had been martyred. He forbade the use of the Colosseum as a quarry and consecrated the building to the Passion of Christ and installed Stations of the Cross, declaring it sanctified by the blood of the Christian martyrs who perished there (see Significance in Christianity).

However, there is no historical evidence to support Benedict's claim, nor is there even any evidence that anyone before the 16th century suggested this might be the case; the Catholic Encyclopedia concludes that there are no historical grounds for the supposition, other than the reasonably plausible conjecture that some of the many martyrs may well have been.

Later popes initiated various stabilization and restoration projects, removing the extensive vegetation which had overgrown the structure and threatened to damage it further. The façade was reinforced with triangular brick wedges in 1807 and 1827, and the interior was repaired in 1831, 1846 and in the 1930s. The arena substructure was partly excavated in 1810–1814 and 1874 and was fully exposed under Benito Mussolini in the 1930s.

The Colosseum is today one of Rome's most popular tourist attractions, receiving millions of visitors annually. The effects of pollution and general deterioration over time prompted a major restoration programme carried out between 1993 and 2000, at a cost of Lire 40 billion ($19.3m / €20.6m at 2000 prices).

In recent years, the Colosseum has become a symbol of the international campaign against capital punishment, which was abolished in Italy in 1948. Several anti–death penalty demonstrations took place in front of the Colosseum in 2000. Since that time, as a gesture against the death penalty, the local authorities of Rome change the color of the Colosseum's night time illumination from white to gold whenever a person condemned to the death penalty anywhere in the world gets their sentence commuted or is released, or if a jurisdiction abolishes the death penalty. Most recently, the Colosseum was illuminated in gold in November 2012 following the abolishment of capital punishment in the American state of Connecticut in April 2012.

Because of the ruined state of the interior, it is impractical to use the Colosseum to host large events; only a few hundred spectators can be accommodated in temporary seating. However, much larger concerts have been held just outside, using the Colosseum as a backdrop. Performers who have played at the Colosseum in recent years have included Ray Charles (May 2002), Paul McCartney (May 2003), Elton John (September 2005), and Billy Joel (July 2006).

Exterior
Unlike Roman theatres that were built into hillsides, the Colosseum is an entirely free-standing structure. It derives its basic exterior and interior architecture from that of two theatres back to back. It is elliptical in plan and is 189 meters (615 ft / 640 Roman feet) long, and 156 meters (510 ft / 528 Roman feet) wide, with a base area of 6 acre. The height of the outer wall is 48 meters (157 ft / 165 Roman feet). The perimeter originally measured 545 meters (1,788 ft / 1,835 Roman feet). The central arena is an ellipse 87 m (287 ft) long and 55 m (180 ft) wide, surrounded by a wall 5 m (15 ft) high, above which rose tiers of seating.

The outer wall is estimated to have required over 100000 m3 of travertine stone which were set without mortar; they were held together by 300 tons of iron clamps. However, it has suffered extensive damage over the centuries, with large segments having collapsed following earthquakes. The north side of the perimeter wall is still standing; the distinctive triangular brick wedges at each end are modern additions, having been constructed in the early 19th century to shore up the wall. The remainder of the present-day exterior of the Colosseum is in fact the original interior wall.

The surviving part of the outer wall's monumental façade comprises three superposed storeys surmounted by a podium on which stands a tall attic, both of which are pierced by windows interspersed at regular intervals. The arcades are framed by half-columns of the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian orders, while the attic is decorated with Corinthian pilasters. Each of the arches in the second- and third-floor arcades framed statues, probably honoring divinities and other figures from Classical mythology.

Two hundred and forty mast corbels were positioned around the top of the attic. They originally supported a retractable awning, known as the velarium, that kept the sun and rain off spectators. This consisted of a canvas-covered, net-like structure made of ropes, with a hole in the center. It covered two-thirds of the arena, and sloped down towards the center to catch the wind and provide a breeze for the audience. Sailors, specially enlisted from the Roman naval headquarters at Misenum and housed in the nearby Castra Misenatium, were used to work the velarium.

The Colosseum's huge crowd capacity made it essential that the venue could be filled or evacuated quickly. Its architects adopted solutions very similar to those used in modern stadia to deal with the same problem. The amphitheatre was ringed by eighty entrances at ground level, 76 of which were used by ordinary spectators. Each entrance and exit was numbered, as was each staircase. The northern main entrance was reserved for the Roman Emperor and his aides, whilst the other three axial entrances were most likely used by the elite. All four axial entrances were richly decorated with painted stucco reliefs, of which fragments survive. Many of the original outer entrances have disappeared with the collapse of the perimeter wall, but entrances XXIII (23) to LIIII (54) survive.

Spectators were given tickets in the form of numbered pottery shards, which directed them to the appropriate section and row. They accessed their seats via vomitoria (singular vomitorium), passageways that opened into a tier of seats from below or behind. These quickly dispersed people into their seats and, upon conclusion of the event or in an emergency evacuation, could permit their exit within only a few minutes. The name vomitoria derived from the Latin word for a rapid discharge, from which English derives the word vomit.

Interior seating
According to the Codex-Calendar of 354, the Colosseum could accommodate 87,000 people, although modern estimates put the figure at around 50,000. They were seated in a tiered arrangement that reflected the rigidly stratified nature of Roman society. Special boxes were provided at the north and south ends respectively for the Emperor and the Vestal Virgins, providing the best views of the arena. Flanking them at the same level was a broad platform or podium for the senatorial class, who were allowed to bring their own chairs. The names of some 5th century senators can still be seen carved into the stonework, presumably reserving areas for their use. The tier above the senators, known as the maenianum primum, was occupied by the non-senatorial noble class or knights (equites). The next level up, the maenianum secundum, was originally reserved for ordinary Roman citizens (plebeians) and was divided into two sections. The lower part (the immum) was for wealthy citizens, while the upper part (the summum) was for poor citizens. Specific sectors were provided for other social groups: for instance, boys with their tutors, soldiers on leave, foreign dignitaries, scribes, heralds, priests and so on. Stone (and later marble) seating was provided for the citizens and nobles, who presumably would have brought their own cushions with them. Inscriptions identified the areas reserved for specific groups.

Another level, the maenianum secundum in legneis, was added at the very top of the building during the reign of Domitian. This comprised a gallery for the common poor, slaves and women. It would have been either standing room only, or would have had very steep wooden benches. Some groups were banned altogether from the Colosseum, notably gravediggers, actors and former gladiators.

Each tier was divided into sections (maeniana) by curved passages and low walls (praecinctiones or baltei), and were subdivided into cunei, or wedges, by the steps and aisles from the vomitoria. Each row (gradus) of seats was numbered, permitting each individual seat to be exactly designated by its gradus, cuneus, and number.

Arena and hypogeum
The arena itself was 83 meters by 48 meters (272 ft by 157 ft / 280 by 163 Roman feet). It comprised a wooden floor covered by sand (the Latin word for sand is harena or arena), covering an elaborate underground structure called the hypogeum (literally meaning "underground"). The hypogeum was not part of the original construction but was ordered to be built by Emperor Domitian. Little now remains of the original arena floor, but the hypogeum is still clearly visible. It consisted of a two-level subterranean network of tunnels and cages beneath the arena where gladiators and animals were held before contests began. Eighty vertical shafts provided instant access to the arena for caged animals and scenery pieces concealed underneath; larger hinged platforms, called hegmata, provided access for elephants and the like. It was restructured on numerous occasions; at least twelve different phases of construction can be seen.

The hypogeum was connected by tunnels to a number of points outside the Colosseum. Animals and performers were brought through the tunnel from nearby stables, with the gladiators' barracks at the Ludus Magnus to the east also being connected by tunnels. Separate tunnels were provided for the Emperor and the Vestal Virgins to permit them to enter and exit the Colosseum without needing to pass through the crowds.

Substantial quantities of machinery also existed in the hypogeum. Elevators and pulleys raised and lowered scenery and props, as well as lifting caged animals to the surface for release. There is evidence for the existence of major hydraulic mechanisms and according to ancient accounts, it was possible to flood the arena rapidly, presumably via a connection to a nearby aqueduct. However, the construction of the hypogeum at Domitian's behest put an end to the practise of flooding, and thus also to naval battles, early in the Colosseum's existence. There is however wide debate over the practicality and logistics of this phenomenon which leads to speculation over its actuality. This is mostly because there is no physical evidence of naumachiae at the Colosseum remains.

Supporting buildings
The Colosseum and its activities supported a substantial industry in the area. In addition to the amphitheatre itself, many other buildings nearby were linked to the games. Immediately to the east is the remains of the Ludus Magnus, a training school for gladiators. This was connected to the Colosseum by an underground passage, to allow easy access for the gladiators. The Ludus Magnus had its own miniature training arena, which was itself a popular attraction for Roman spectators. Other training schools were in the same area, including the Ludus Matutinus (Morning School), where fighters of animals were trained, plus the Dacian and Gallic Schools.

Also nearby were the Armamentarium, comprising an armory to store weapons; the Summum Choragium, where machinery was stored; the Sanitarium, which had facilities to treat wounded gladiators; and the Spoliarium, where bodies of dead gladiators were stripped of their armor and disposed of.

Around the perimeter of the Colosseum, at a distance of 18 m from the perimeter, was a series of tall stone posts, with five remaining on the eastern side. Various explanations have been advanced for their presence; they may have been a religious boundary, or an outer boundary for ticket checks, or an anchor for the velarium or awning.

Use
The Colosseum was used to host gladiatorial shows as well as a variety of other events. The shows, called munera, were always given by private individuals rather than the state. They had a strong religious element but were also demonstrations of power and family prestige and were immensely popular. Another major attraction was the animal hunt, or venatio. This utilized a great variety of wild beasts, mainly imported from Africa and the Middle East, and included creatures such as rhinoceros, hippopotamuses, elephants, giraffes, aurochs, wisents, Barbary lions, panthers, leopards, bears, Caspian tigers, crocodiles and ostriches. Battles and hunts were often staged amid elaborate sets with movable trees and buildings. These events could be huge in scale; Trajan is said to have celebrated his victories in Dacia in 107 with contests involving 11,000 animals and 10,000 gladiators over the course of 123 days. During lunch intervals, executions ad bestias would be staged. Those condemned to death would be sent into the arena, naked and unarmed, to face the beasts of death which would literally tear them to pieces. Acrobats and magicians would also perform, usually during the intervals.

During the early days of the Colosseum, ancient writers recorded that the building was used for naumachiae (more properly known as navalia proelia) or simulated sea battles. Accounts of the inaugural games held by Titus in AD 80 describe it being filled with water for a display of specially trained swimming horses and bulls. There is also an account of a re-enactment of a famous sea battle between the Corcyrean (Corfiot) Greeks and the Corinthians. This has been the subject of some debate among historians; although providing the water would not have been a problem, it is unclear how the arena could have been waterproofed, nor would there have been enough space in the arena for the warships to move around. It has been suggested that the reports either have the location wrong or that the Colosseum originally featured a wide floodable channel down its central axis (which would later have been replaced by the hypogeum).

Sylvae or recreations of natural scenes were also held in the arena. Painters, technicians and architects would construct a simulation of a forest with real trees and bushes planted in the arena's floor, and animals would then be introduced. Such scenes might be used simply to display a natural environment for the urban population, or could otherwise be used as the backdrop for hunts or dramas depicting episodes from mythology. They were also occasionally used for executions in which the hero of the story — played by a condemned person — was killed in one of various gruesome but mythologically authentic ways, such as being mauled by beasts or burned to death.

Modern use
Beneath the Colosseum, a network of subterranean passageways that were once used for transporting wild animals and gladiators to the arena, opened to the public in summer 2010.

The Colosseum is also the site of Roman Catholic ceremonies in the 20th and 21st centuries. For instance, Pope Benedict XVI led the Stations of the Cross called the Scriptural Way of the Cross (which calls for more meditation) at the Colosseum on Good Fridays.

Restoration
In 2011 Diego Della Valle, head of the shoe firm Tod's, entered into an agreement with local officials to sponsor a €25 million restoration of the Colosseum. Work was planned to begin at the end of 2011, taking up to two and a half years. Due to the controversial nature of using a public–private partnership to fund the restoration, work was delayed and began in 2013. The restoration is the first full cleaning and repair in the Colosseum's history. The first stage is to clean and restore the Colosseum's arcaded façade and replace the metal enclosures that block the ground-level arches. After three years, the work was completed on 1 July 2016, when the Italian minister of culture, Dario Franceschini, also announced that the funds have been committed to replace the floors by the end of 2018. These will provide a stage that Franceschini says will be used for "cultural events of the highest level." The project also includes creating a services center and restoring the galleries and underground spaces inside the Colosseum. Since 1 November 2017, the top two levels have been opened for guided visits. The fourth level held the marketplace, and the top fifth tier is where the poorest citizens, the plebeians, gathered and watched the show, bringing picnics for the day-long event.

Significance in Christianity
The Colosseum is generally regarded by Christians as a site of the martyrdom of large numbers of believers during the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire, as evidenced by Church history and tradition. On the other hand, other scholars believe that the majority of martyrdoms may have occurred at other venues within the city of Rome, rather than at the Colosseum, citing a lack of still-intact physical evidence or historical records. These scholars assert that "some Christians were executed as common criminals in the Colosseum—their crime being refusal to reverence the Roman gods", but most Christian martyrs of the early Church were executed for their faith at the Circus Maximus. According to Irenaeus (died about 202), Ignatius of Antioch was fed to the lions in Rome around 107 A.D. and although Irenaeus says nothing about this happening at the Colosseum, tradition ascribes it to that place.

In the Middle Ages, the Colosseum was not regarded as a monument, and was used as what some modern sources label a "quarry," which is to say that stones from the Colosseum were taken for the building of other sacred sites. This fact is used to support the idea that, at a time when sites associated with martyrs were highly venerated the Colosseum was not being treated as a sacred site. It was not included in the itineraries compiled for the use of pilgrims nor in works such as the 12th century Mirabilia Urbis Romae ("Marvels of the City of Rome"), which claims the Circus Flaminius – but not the Colosseum – as the site of martyrdoms. Part of the structure was inhabited by a Christian religious order, but it is not known whether this was for any particular religious reason.

Pope Pius V (1566–1572) is said to have recommended that pilgrims gather sand from the arena of the Colosseum to serve as a relic, on the grounds that it was impregnated with the blood of martyrs, although some of his contemporaries did not share his conviction. A century later Fioravante Martinelli listed the Colosseum at the head of a list of places sacred to the martyrs in his 1653 book Roma ex ethnica sacra. Martinelli's book evidently had an effect on public opinion; in response to Cardinal Altieri's proposal some years later to turn the Colosseum into a bullring, Carlo Tomassi published a pamphlet in protest against what he regarded as an act of desecration. The ensuing controversy persuaded Pope Clement X to close the Colosseum's external arcades and declare it a sanctuary. At the insistence of St. Leonard of Port Maurice, Pope Benedict XIV (1740–1758) forbade the quarrying of the Colosseum and erected Stations of the Cross around the arena, which remained until February 1874. Benedict Joseph Labre spent the later years of his life within the walls of the Colosseum, living on alms, before he died in 1783. Several 19th century popes funded repair and restoration work on the Colosseum, and it still retains its Christian connection today. A Christian cross stands in the Colosseum, with a plaque, stating:

"The amphitheater, one consecrated to triumphs, entertainments, and the impious worship of pagan gods, is now dedicated to the sufferings of the martyrs purified from impious superstitions." Other Christian crosses stand in several points around the arena and every Good Friday the Pope leads a Via Crucis procession to the amphitheater.

Flora
The Colosseum has a wide and well-documented history of flora ever since Domenico Panaroli made the first catalogue of its plants in 1643. Since then, 684 species have been identified there. The peak was in 1855 (420 species). Attempts were made in 1871 to eradicate the vegetation, because of concerns over the damage that was being caused to the masonry, but much of it has returned. Two hundred forty-two species have been counted today and of the species first identified by Panaroli, 200 remain.

The variation of plants can be explained by the change of climate in Rome through the centuries. Additionally, bird migration, flower blooming, and the growth of Rome that caused the Colosseum to become embedded within the modern city centre rather than on the outskirts of the ancient city, as well as deliberate transport of species, are also contributing causes. Another reason often given is their seeds being unwittingly transported either on the fur or in the feces of animals brought there from all corners of the empire.

In popular culture
The Colosseum has appeared in numerous films, artworks and games. It is featured in films such as Roman Holiday, Gladiator, The Way of the Dragon, Jumper, and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.

Several architectural works have also been modelled on or inspired by, the Colosseum. These include:
 * The Kongresshalle, or "Congress Hall", (1935, unfinished) at the Nazi Party Rally grounds, Nuremberg, Germany
 * The Summer Olympic Games medal from 1928 to 2000, designed by Giuseppe Cassioli, features a depiction of the Colosseum. At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens the Colosseum was replaced by a depiction of the Panathinaiko Stadium
 * The exterior of the Vancouver Public Library in British Columbia resembles the current state of the Colosseum. It was designed by Moshe Safdie.
 * The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum entrance was inspired by the Colosseum.
 * The Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana was very closely modelled on the Colosseum. It was built for Mussolini for the Universal Exhibition of 1942 but the exhibition never happened due to the outbreak of World War II. The architects were Giovanni Guerrini, Ernesto Bruno La Padula, and Mario Romano.
 * McCaig's Tower, overlooking Oban, Scotland.

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title: Colosseum