Amphitheatrum Castrense

Amphitheatrum Castrense

The Amphitheatrum Castrense
Amphitheatrum Castrense Shown in ancient Rome
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Location	Rome
Coordinates	41°53′15″N12°30′54″E / 41.88750°N 12.51500°E / 41.88750; 12.51500
History
Material	Wood

The Amphitheatrum Castrense is a Roman amphitheatre in Rome, next to the church of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme. ^[1] Both the Amphiteatrum and the Circus Varianus were part of the palatial villa known as the Horti Spei Veteris and later the Palatium Sessorium. The Regionary Catalogues name it as the "Amphitheatrum Castrense", which could mean it was an amphitheatre connected to an imperial residence. ^[2]

History

The amphitheatre was built by Emperor Elagabalus (r. 218–222) in the early decades of the 3rd century AD, ^[3] as dated by the style of the bricks and the absence of brick stamps. It formed part of the Horti Spei Veteris, the imperial villa complex developed by emperors of the Severan dynasty.

The open arches of the outer walls were bricked up when the building was incorporated into the Aurelian Walls (271–275 AD). At that point, it ceased to be used for spectacles and was instead repurposed as a fortification, with the ground level around the structure being lowered accordingly. ^[2] In the mid-16th century, the remains of the second story were demolished for defensive purposes. In the 18th century, a hypogeum was discovered beneath the arena, filled with the bones of large animals, leading researchers to believe that the spectacles held there included venationes —the hunting and killing of wild beasts. ^[2] The ruins were also documented in drawings by Andrea Palladio and Étienne Dupérac.

Construction

The building is a regular ellipse of 88 x 76 m constructed of brick-faced concrete, with a few decorative elements in travertine. ^[2] It was three stories high, but only a section of the lowest story is preserved.

See also

• List of Roman amphitheatres

References

1. Coulston, J C (01/01/2000). Ancient Rome : the archaeology of the eternal city. eBook Academic Collection (EBSCOhost): Oxford University School of Archaeology. ISBN   0-947816-54-2, 978-0-947816-54-4.
2. J. C. Coulston; Hazel Dodge (2000). Ancient Rome: The Archaeology of the Eternal City. Oxford University School of Archaeology. ISBN   978-0-947816-54-4.
3. Elisabetta Borgia et al. *Horti Spei Veteris e Palatium Sessorianum: nuove acquisizioni da interventi urbani 1996–2008*. Part I, The Journal of Fasti Online, p. 2. www.fastionline.org/docs/FOLDER-it-2008-124.pdf

External links

• Information at LacusCurtius
• Map at Wikimapia