Pompeii’s amphitheater is one of the oldest and best-preserved buildings found during excavations in Pompeii.
It was buried along with the entire city during the eruption of Vesuvius on October 24 (according to the latest findings) in 79 AD.
On that day, a violent and sudden explosion of the volcano inundated Pompeii with a thick blanket of ash and lapilli, burying it more than 3 meters deep.
Only as late as 1748 during the excavation of a well were some remains of the city of Pompeii accidentally found.
Excavations have not stopped since then, and Pompeii continues to offer wonderful discoveries to this day.
Where the amphitheater is located and what it was used for
The amphitheatre of Pompeii is located in Regio II. Can be easily reached by entering directly from Piazza Anfiteatro in Via Plinio, one of the three entrances to the Archaeological Park of Pompeii.
The amphitheatre was built in 70 B.C. and is the oldest of all the amphitheatres we know. It was the place dedicated to gladiator fights, one of the main entertainment spectacles most loved by the ancient Romans.
But actually, in ancient times, these fights originated as part of funeral rituals, in honour of the city’s most illustrious figures.
But not only that, the amphitheater was also used for circus games.
The structure of the amphitheater of Pompeii
The amphitheatre of Pompeii consisted of two main entrances that led directly into the area and to the first seats of the tiers, while the upper part could be accessed via external staircases with double ramps.
Spectators in ancient Pompeii could reach their seats through the crypt, a barrel-vaulted gallery, reached via four corridors, two of which led directly into the arena.
It was assumed that one of the passages was reserved for the city’s most prominent magistrates to easily reach their seats of honour.
While the exit to the arena presumably served the winning gladiators to be able to collect their prizes during the award ceremony.
Before the entrance to the arena there were two small compartments, which were used to give first aid to injured gladiators and were most probably also used to lay the bodies of slain gladiators.
The amphitheatre had a total length of 135 metres and a width of 104 metres, with a capacity of 20,000 spectators. And it consisted of a cavea divided into three zones.
- Ima cavea, the lowest, divided into six sectors, reserved for the most important people of the city.
- Media cavea, located in the middle part and reserved for the people.
- Summa cavea, located in the upper part and reserved for women.
It is assumed that the amphitheatre also had a velarium to protect the spectators from the heat of the sun.
From ancient sources, it is believed that this velarium was made of linen.
