An amphitheatre or amphitheater is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances,
and sports. The term derives from the ancient Greek ἀμφιθέατρον, from ἀμφί,
meaning "on both sides" or "around" and θέατρον, meaning "place for viewing".
Ancient Greek theatres were built in a semicircle, with tiered seating above a performance area.
Ancient Roman amphitheatres were oval or circular in plan, with seating tiers that surrounded
the central performance area, like a modern open-air stadium. Modern usage for "amphitheater"
is lax, and does not always respect the ancient usage, and so the word can be found describing
theatre-style stages with the audience only on one side, theatres in the round, and stadiums.
Natural formations shaped like man-made theatres are sometimes known as natural amphitheatres.
The three largest Roman amphitheatres in the world in order of size are the Colosseum,
the Amphitheatre Campania and the Amphitheatre of El Djem.
Roman amphitheatres
Ancient Roman amphitheatres were major public venues, circular or oval in shape, and used
for events such as gladiator combats, chariot races, venationes and executions. About 230
Roman amphitheatres have been found across the area of the Roman Empire. Their typical
shape, functions and name distinguish them from Roman theatres, which are more or less
semicircular in shape; from the circuses whose much longer circuits were designed mainly
for horse or chariot racing events; and from the smaller stadia, which were primarily designed
for athletics and footraces. The earliest Roman amphitheatres date from
the middle of the first century BC, but most were built under Imperial rule, from the Augustan
period onwards. Imperial amphitheatres were built throughout the Roman empire; the largest
could accommodate 40,000–60,000 spectators, and the most elaborate featured multi-storeyed,
arcaded façades and were elaborately decorated with marble, stucco and statuary. After the
end of gladiatorial games in the 5th century and of animal killings in the sixth, most
amphitheatres fell into disrepair, and their materials were mined or recycled. Some were
razed, and others converted into fortifications. A few continued as convenient open meeting
places; in some of these, churches were sited. Contemporary amphitheatres
A contemporary amphitheatre, in the sense in which the word has come to be popularly
used now, is a curved, acoustically vibrant performance space, particularly one located
outdoors. Contemporary amphitheatres often include standing structures, called bandshells,
sometimes curved or bowl-shaped, both behind the stage and behind the audience, creating
an area which echoes or amplifies sound, making the amphitheatre ideal for musical or theatrical
performances. Most are semicircular in shape, so they should not properly be called amphitheatres,
but nevertheless this usage has become common. Notable modern amphitheatres include the Shoreline
Amphitheatre and the Hollywood Bowl. The term "amphitheatre" is also used for some indoor
venues such as the Gibson Amphitheatre. Natural amphitheatres
A natural amphitheatre is a performance space located in a spot where a steep mountain or
a particular rock formation naturally amplifies or echoes sound, making it ideal for musical
and theatrical performances. The term amphitheatre can also be used to describe naturally occurring
formations which would be ideal for this purpose, even if no theatre has been constructed there.
Notable natural amphitheatres include the Drakensberg amphitheatre in Drakensberg, South
Africa, Slane Castle in Ireland, the Supernatural Amphitheatre in Victoria, Australia, and Echo
amphitheatre, Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado and The Gorge Amphitheatre in Washington
State, United States. See also
Arena Ludus Magnus
Stadium Thingplatz
List of Roman amphitheatres List of contemporary amphitheatres
List of indoor arenas open air, approximately semi-circular, theatres,
built of stone or Roman concrete: List of ancient Greek theatres
Roman theatre
Footnotes
References Bomgardner, David Lee. The Story of the Roman
Amphitheatre. Routledge. ISBN 0-415-16593-8. External links
article "Amphitheatrum" The Ancient Theatre Archive
Caerleon amphitheatre Chester amphitheatre
Pula amphitheatre Rome: Amphitheatrum Castrense
France : Nimes Antique Arena Photos about Roman ruins in Budapest
Roman amphitheatres Aerial photographs of Hungary's Amphitheatre
Amphitheater in Petra, Jordan