Rome, Center of the World
Trak Pro User Since LXXX
| Seating Capacity: |
About L General Admission Tickets, segmented by class A Limited Number of "Gladiator Access" area tickets Occasionally Set for L Reserved Seats Special Passes for the Praetorian Guard |
| Typical Season: |
About XLV Chariot Races per year Up to C Animal Fights per year, as stock allowed Variable number of Gladiator Fights Lion Feedings MMMMMMMMMM+ Tickets per annum |
| Special POS Needs: |
Strict Entry Control for Gladiator and Animal Areas Outdoor facility with LXXVI common and IV imperial entrances Special racing fees and weapons sales |
Emperor Vespasian commissioned the construction of the Flavian Amphitheatre in LXX. Sadly, he fell ill and did not live to see its completion in LXXX. His successor, Emperor Titus, wishing to open the Amphitheatre with an unheard of C days of games, wisely chose the Trak Pro system for ticketing and concessions. At the time, this was considered a gamble, since the system was in pre-beta rev VIII.XIV.XIX, and desktop computers would not arrive for another MDCCCXCVI years.
Revolutionary New System for a Revolutionary Facility in LXXX
|
For the inaugural LXXX season, seeking to defray the costs of free games to the citizens, a way was sought to provide the amphitheatre with a positive revenue stream. Taking advantage of Trak Pro's ability to record retail sales, the Flavian opened up a "Pro Shop" for the Gladiators, and numerous concession and gift shops for the populi. Pictured here on the right are some typical pro shop items, a helmet and gladius sword. |
|
Challenges for LXXX and beyond
|
One of the biggest challenges was the insistance of the
Emperor that tickets to the games be issued FREE to Roman Citizens, and that
they be Re-Usable. Using patented Trak Pro pottery shard technology,
tokens for reserved seats were chisled with location information. Pictured
on the left here is a typical ticket, clearly marked for: Cuneus II Gradus IV Locus XII |
Epilogue:
Sadly, the Flavian Amphitheatre is no longer in operation. With the banning of Gladiator Fights in CDXXXVIII, followed by the ending of Animal shows in DXXIII, interest in events at the venue tapered off dramatically. Contemporary Musicals and Stand Up Comics were unable to draw the attention of the bloodlusting Romans, and attendance suffered greatly. With the loss of revenue, the facility was unable to recover from damages suffered in an earthquake around MCCCXLIX.
Today the Flavian stands as a shadow of its former self, looking for investors to restore the aging complex.