Amphitheater

Coming inside the walls through Porta S. Maria and walking straight along Via S. Gemma Galgani, at the junction with Via Fillungo, we find Porta dei Borghi (also called Porta di S. Maria), which is flanked by two cylindrical towers and made up of two arches on a central pillar. Porta dei Borghi is today visible only in part because the entrance on the right has been closed lately. Some drawings dating back to the 19th century, show us that the gate was still visible from outside. Taking Via Fillungo and walking a little south-west, we find on the left Piazza Anfiteatro, which was built in the 2nd century A.D. to perform games or gladiators' fights.

At the beginning the Amphitheater, made up of two ranges of arches (one on top of the other) and a cavea with 20 steps, which could accommodate 10000 people, was outside the Roman walls for safety reasons. It is impossible to establish exactly its measurements, although it is elliptical-shaped.
A lot of experts tried to measure the size of the Amphitheater.

But they always got different results. From the 6th century on it was changed many times: in 552 the Goths walled up some of its entrances, turning it into a fortress; between the 12th and 14th century it was plundered of its marbles and the frame was all that remained of the Amphitheater. The caves were not nevertheless destroyed and were used first as a prison and then as a salt and saltpetre warehouse. In 1810 the town slaughterhouse was moved to the Amphitheater from Via Beccheria and in 1819 also the little market of Piazza S. Michele was transferred here. In 1838 the square was restored and paved inside. Four entrances were built at the ends of the two axis of the square.

Aerial view of the Roman Amphiytheatre