Pompeii Amphitheatre

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Lore & Background

Built around 70 BC by private donors Gaius Quinctius Valgus and Marcus Porcius, this structure was originally called a spectacula. It hosted up to 20,000 people in its tiered seating, known as the cavea. The design featured lower entrances for all spectators, creating a dramatic experience with light flooding dark tunnels and the roar of crowds—a sound absent during Pink Floyd's filming. Instead of an underground area for gladiators, events used an above-ground quadriporticus. When fights ended, deceased combatants were removed through the Porta Libitinensis. The arena floor sits at original ground level, measuring 66.7m by 35.1m, surrounded by a corridor that runs the full circumference of the amphitheatre.

In Their Own Story

In October 1971, the band set up equipment within this massive stone shell. For four days, guitarist David Gilmour and his bandmates played a typical live set, but the 20,000-seat arena remained empty save for the film crew. The atmosphere was defined by the absence of crowd noise, allowing the music to interact directly with the architecture. This silence highlighted the stark contrast between the ancient ruins and modern instrumentation. Decades later, in July 2016, David Gilmour returned to perform two concerts that marked the first public performances since 79 AD. The venue has continued to host events, including King Crimson in 2018 and Travis Scott's filming for Circus Maximus in 2023, proving its endurance as a performance space.

Reader's Guide

Visitors and historians alike note that this site offers rare insights into Roman culture. Painted posters on the walls once advertised gladiators with slogans like "Heart throb of the girls," functioning much like modern sports billboards. The amphitheatre's history includes a deadly brawl in 59 AD between Pompeiians and residents of Nuceria, which led to a 10-year ban on games until restoration by magistrate Cuspius Pansa following an earthquake in 62 AD. Today, the site features a temporary museum installed in 2015 with a pyramidal structure resembling Mount Vesuvius, displaying casts of 20 victims from the eruption. The original excavations between 1813 and 1816 uncovered six bodies, while earlier partial work began in 1748.

Did You Know?

• The amphitheatre was originally called a spectacula because the term amphitheatrum had not yet been invented when it was built around 70 BC.
• A deadly brawl in 59 AD between Pompeiians and residents of Nuceria led to a 10-year ban on gladiatorial games at the venue.
• Pink Floyd's 1971 concert film was recorded over four days with no audience, featuring only the band and the film crew.
• David Gilmour's concerts in July 2016 were among the public performances held at the site since the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, but not the first.
• Six bodies were discovered during the excavations between 1813 and 1816, providing direct evidence of the city's destruction.

Architectural Origins

Constructed around 70 BC, this structure is one of the earliest Roman amphitheatres built entirely from stone, a shift from previous wooden constructions. It was funded privately by Gaius Quinctius Valgus and Marcus Porcius shortly after Pompeii became a Roman colony to demonstrate the honor of the new settlement. Known contemporarily as a spectacula rather than an amphitheatrum, it measured 135m long and 104m wide with seating for approximately 20,000 people. The arena itself is 6m below ground level, measuring 66.7m by 35.1m. Unique features included lower entrances designed for elite citizens to create dramatic lighting effects upon entry. Unlike later amphitheatres, it lacked an underground hypogeum; instead, gladiators used an above-ground quadriporticus near the arena floor.

Gladiatorial Culture

Preserved wall paintings provide a window into ancient entertainment, depicting gladiators with nicknames and slogans such as "Heart throb of the girls." These posters were sometimes repainted to announce fight outcomes or show losers awaiting their fate. The venue's history was marked by violence; around 59 AD, a lethal brawl between locals and visitors from Nuceria resulted in a 10-year ban on gladiatorial games. While beast hunting and athletic competitions continued, possibly due to the intervention of Empress Poppaea Sabina, full contests were suspended until after an earthquake in 62 AD damaged the structure. Magistrate Cuspius Pansa and his son oversaw the restoration, which led to the revocation of the ban.

Excavation History

Buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD along with Pompeii and Herculaneum, the amphitheatre remained preserved until archaeological efforts began. Partial excavation occurred in 1748, followed by complete work between 1813 and 1816. These digs uncovered six bodies within the ruins. The site remains a crucial historical landmark near Naples, allowing scholars to study internal features like the corridor cutting into the base of the cavea that facilitated access around the amphitheatre's circumference. This preservation offers tangible evidence of the tragedy that befell the city and insights into Roman urban planning.

Modern Legacy

The venue has evolved from ancient games to a hub for modern artistic expression. Pink Floyd filmed their concert movie here over four days in October 1971, performing without an audience. David Gilmour returned in July 2016 for two public concerts, marking the first live performances with spectators since 79 AD; these are featured on the album Live at Pompeii. The site hosted King Crimson in 2018 and served as a filming location for Travis Scott's visual album Circus Maximus in 2023. In 2015, a temporary museum was installed featuring a pyramidal structure resembling Mount Vesuvius to display casts of victims and excavation photos. The amphitheatre also appears in the Cambridge Latin Course unit 1.