Anfiteatro Romano
Built in 8 b.c., this amphitheater could seat some 15,000 spectators at its peak. They came for wildly popular—and murderous—entertainment including gladiatorial battles and contests between humans and wild animals, a precursor to today’s bullfight. The central pit is the fossa bestiaria where the animals were kept before going into the ring. The amphitheater may also have been used to re-enact naval battles (naumachia) by flooding the arena with water from the city aqueduct. As you enter, past descriptions of the various classes of gladiator with their plumed helmets, daggers, and nets, it’s easy to imagine the roar of the mob.
Built in 8 b.c., this amphitheater could seat some 15,000 spectators at its peak. They came for wildly popular—and murderous—entertainment including gladiatorial battles and contests between humans and wild animals, a precursor to today’s bullfight. The central pit is the fossa bestiaria where the animals were kept before going into the ring. The amphitheater may also have been used to re-enact naval battles (naumachia) by flooding the arena with water from the city aqueduct. As you enter, past descriptions of the various classes of gladiator with their plumed helmets, daggers, and nets, it’s easy to imagine the roar of the mob.
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