What is an amphitheatre?

An amphitheatre is a freestanding building, typically oval or round, featuring a central arena surrounded by concentric seating. The term originates from Greek, meaning "theatre with seats on all sides," but the architectural form is of Italic or Etruscan origin, designed for spectacles like gladiatorial games and animal hunts. The earliest known permanent amphitheatre is in Pompeii, dating to around 80 BCE. The most famous example is the Colosseum in Rome, built between 70-82 CE, which could accommodate nearly 50,000 spectators. Roman amphitheatres were distributed throughout the empire, with notable examples in Verona, Capua, Nîmes, Arles, Pula, and El Jem. Modern usage sometimes extends the term to enclosed venues for public gatherings or stadiums.

How is an amphitheatre different from a regular theater?

An amphitheatre is distinct from a regular theatre primarily in its architectural design and intended use. Amphitheatres are typically freestanding, oval-shaped structures with a central arena surrounded by seats on all sides, designed for spectacles like gladiatorial contests and animal hunts. In contrast, traditional theatres, particularly those with a proscenium, have a distinct frame separating the stage from the auditorium, with seating generally arranged in a semicircle facing a single stage area. While the term "amphitheatre" can sometimes be used more broadly today for venues with surrounding seating, its historical architectural form is characterized by its open, circular or oval layout for a 360-degree viewing experience.

What are the main parts or features of an amphitheatre?

An amphitheatre is a freestanding building, typically oval-shaped, designed for public gatherings and entertainment. Its primary features include a central open space called the arena , surrounded by concentric seating for spectators. These seats were often divided into sections for different social classes, with passageways called vomitoria allowing access and exit. Many Roman amphitheatres also featured an underground labyrinth for machinery and animals. Modern amphitheatres, while sometimes roofed, retain the fundamental design of surrounding the performance area with seating.

How did ancient societies use amphitheatres?

Ancient societies, particularly the Romans, utilized amphitheatres primarily for spectacles and contests. These oval or circular structures, with tiered seating surrounding a central arena, were designed to accommodate large crowds for events such as gladiatorial games and venationes (animal hunts). The earliest permanent amphitheatre, found at Pompeii , dates to around 80 BCE. The most famous example, the Colosseum in Rome, could hold nearly 50,000 spectators. These venues were central to Roman entertainment and social life, reflecting their cultural preferences for public spectacles.

Why are amphitheatres usually built in a circular or oval shape?

Amphitheaters are typically circular or oval due to their design, which prioritizes maximum seating capacity and optimal viewing for spectators. This shape allows for a large number of people to be accommodated around a central arena, ensuring that most audience members have a clear line of sight to the performances. The oval form, in particular, is well-suited for events like gladiatorial contests and beast hunts, which were common in Roman amphitheaters. This architectural choice ensures that the focus remains on the central performance space while providing an efficient and inclusive seating arrangement for a large audience.

What are some famous examples of amphitheatres, and what makes them special?

Amphitheatres are freestanding, oval-shaped buildings with a central arena and concentric seating. The most famous example is the Colosseum in Rome, the largest Roman amphitheater, built to host gladiatorial contests and wild beast hunts for up to 70,000 spectators. Its design, with 76 numbered entrances ( vomitoria ), facilitated efficient crowd movement. Other notable Roman amphitheatres include those at Pompeii (c. 80 BCE), which is the earliest permanent extant example, and at Verona and Capua . Outside Italy, significant amphitheatres can be found in Nîmes and Arles, France, and in Pula, Croatia. These structures are special for their architectural ingenuity, capacity to hold large crowds, and their role in Roman society, embodying the policy of "bread and circuses".

Amphitheatre

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The Colosseum in Rome, Italy, showing the exterior of the ancient stone amphitheater with its multiple arches and partially ruined upper levels.

Figure 10: Ruins of a wall of the Colosseum, Rome, built by the emperors Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian, c. AD 72-80.

Exterior view of the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, showing its massive stone arches and partially ruined upper level, with tourists walking around the base.

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Amphitheatre

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Also known as: amphitheater

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Top Questions

What is an amphitheatre?
An amphitheatre is a freestanding building, typically oval or round, featuring a central arena surrounded by concentric seating. The term originates from Greek, meaning "theatre with seats on all sides," but the architectural form is of Italic or Etruscan origin, designed for spectacles like gladiatorial games and animal hunts.

The earliest known permanent amphitheatre is in Pompeii, dating to around 80 BCE. The most famous example is the Colosseum in Rome, built between 70-82 CE, which could accommodate nearly 50,000 spectators. Roman amphitheatres were distributed throughout the empire, with notable examples in Verona, Capua, Nîmes, Arles, Pula, and El Jem. Modern usage sometimes extends the term to enclosed venues for public gatherings or stadiums.
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Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How is an amphitheatre different from a regular theater?
An amphitheatre is distinct from a regular theatre primarily in its architectural design and intended use. Amphitheatres are typically freestanding, oval-shaped structures with a central arena surrounded by seats on all sides, designed for spectacles like gladiatorial contests and animal hunts. In contrast, traditional theatres, particularly those with a proscenium, have a distinct frame separating the stage from the auditorium, with seating generally arranged in a semicircle facing a single stage area. While the term "amphitheatre" can sometimes be used more broadly today for venues with surrounding seating, its historical architectural form is characterized by its open, circular or oval layout for a 360-degree viewing experience.
5 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What are the main parts or features of an amphitheatre?
An amphitheatre is a freestanding building, typically oval-shaped, designed for public gatherings and entertainment. Its primary features include a central open space called the arena, surrounded by concentric seating for spectators. These seats were often divided into sections for different social classes, with passageways called vomitoria allowing access and exit. Many Roman amphitheatres also featured an underground labyrinth for machinery and animals. Modern amphitheatres, while sometimes roofed, retain the fundamental design of surrounding the performance area with seating.
5 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How did ancient societies use amphitheatres?
Ancient societies, particularly the Romans, utilized amphitheatres primarily for spectacles and contests. These oval or circular structures, with tiered seating surrounding a central arena, were designed to accommodate large crowds for events such as gladiatorial games and venationes (animal hunts). The earliest permanent amphitheatre, found at Pompeii, dates to around 80 BCE. The most famous example, the Colosseum in Rome, could hold nearly 50,000 spectators. These venues were central to Roman entertainment and social life, reflecting their cultural preferences for public spectacles.
4 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Why are amphitheatres usually built in a circular or oval shape?
Amphitheaters are typically circular or oval due to their design, which prioritizes maximum seating capacity and optimal viewing for spectators. This shape allows for a large number of people to be accommodated around a central arena, ensuring that most audience members have a clear line of sight to the performances. The oval form, in particular, is well-suited for events like gladiatorial contests and beast hunts, which were common in Roman amphitheaters. This architectural choice ensures that the focus remains on the central performance space while providing an efficient and inclusive seating arrangement for a large audience.
7 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What are some famous examples of amphitheatres, and what makes them special?
Amphitheatres are freestanding, oval-shaped buildings with a central arena and concentric seating. The most famous example is the Colosseum in Rome, the largest Roman amphitheater, built to host gladiatorial contests and wild beast hunts for up to 70,000 spectators. Its design, with 76 numbered entrances (vomitoria), facilitated efficient crowd movement.

Other notable Roman amphitheatres include those at Pompeii (c. 80 BCE), which is the earliest permanent extant example, and at Verona and Capua. Outside Italy, significant amphitheatres can be found in Nîmes and Arles, France, and in Pula, Croatia. These structures are special for their architectural ingenuity, capacity to hold large crowds, and their role in Roman society, embodying the policy of "bread and circuses".
7 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Amphitheatre, freestanding building of round or, more often, oval shape with a central area, the arena, and seats concentrically placed around it. The word is Greek, meaning “theatre with seats on all sides,” but as an architectural form the amphitheatre is of Italic or Etrusco-Campanian origin and reflects the requirements of the specific forms of entertainment that these people cherished—i.e., gladiatorial games and venationes, contests of beasts with one another or of men with beasts. Originally such games took place in the forum, and wooden stands were erected from time to time to accommodate the spectators. The earliest permanent extant amphitheatre is one at Pompeii (c. 80 bce), in which the arena is sunk below the natural level of the surrounding ground. It is built of stone, 445 by 341 feet (136 by 104 metres), and seated approximately 20,000 spectators.

The great Flavian Amphitheatre, or Colosseum, in Rome was erected by the emperors Vespasian and Titus (c. 70–82 ce) on the site of the Golden House of Nero. The name Colosseum was applied to that structure sometime after the 8th century because of its immense size and capacity; it could accommodate nearly 50,000 people.

CapuaRuins of the amphitheatre at Capua, Italy.

Great Roman amphitheatres were also built at Verona and at ancient Capua (modern Santa Maria Capua Vetere), where the amphitheatre, built in the 1st century, is second in size to the Colosseum, with an area of 560 by 460 feet (170 by 140 metres) and a height of 95 feet (30 metres). Outside Italy, Roman amphitheatres were built at Nîmes and Arles in France, Pula in Istria (Croatia), and Thysdrus (El Jem) in Africa (Tunisia). The arenas were about 200 to 300 feet (60 to 90 metres) long and about 115 to 200 feet (35 to 60 metres) wide. Fragmentary remains of more than 75 Roman amphitheatres have been found in widely scattered areas throughout the provinces of the Roman Empire. The best preserved in Britain is the Roman amphitheatre at Caerleon in the county borough of Newport.

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Architecture: The Built World

In most of the Roman amphitheatres, an elaborate labyrinth was constructed below the arena. The passages, including the media via for scenery, spaces for elevators and machinery that lifted the animals and stage sets, and rooms for the gladiators, were ingeniously arranged to connect, by means of many trapdoors, with the arena above. Around that arena, and separated from it by a high wall topped by a metal screen, rose the spectator seats. Those were divided by passageways running around the amphitheatre into several sections (maeniana). In the lowest section, or podium, the emperor and his retinue had a special box; on the opposite side of the amphitheatre, but still in the podium, the vestal virgins, consuls, praetors, ambassadors, priests, and other distinguished guests were seated; the rest of the first gallery contained senators and those of the equestrian rank. The second gallery was reserved for patricians, the third for plebeians, and the fourth, uppermost gallery for women, who were seated in boxes. An awning (velum, or velarium) was manipulated by sailors to shelter the spectators from the sun. Each of those galleries was divided into wedge-shaped sections (cunei) by radial walks that led to the many exits (vomitoria).

In modern usage the word amphitheatre is sometimes used for a theatre or concert hall whose seats surround the central area, as, for example, the Albert Hall, London, and both the new and the old Madison Square Garden in New York City. It may also refer to a stadium in which athletic competitions are held.

Outdoor amphitheatres, both ancient and relatively recent (e.g., Chicago’s Soldier Field), continue to be used for sports events and many other kinds of entertainment, although in the mid-20th century, the structure took the form of a vast roofed stadium.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kathleen Sheetz.

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