Catacombs of the Amphitheatre in Pompeii by Jaco Verheul

About "Catacombs of the Amphitheatre in Pompeii"

by Jaco Verheul

About the artwork

The Amphitheatre of Pompeii is the oldest known Roman amphitheatre. It is located in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii and was built around 80 B.C. It was used for gladiator fights and battles with wild animals The amphitheatre was built in 80 B.C. by order of the city's consuls: Gaius Quinctius Valgus and Marcus Porcius and was presented to the city shortly after 70 B.C.Chr, it was presented to the city in a solemn dedication ceremony. In 59 A.D., violent riots took place in the amphitheatre between inhabitants of Pompeii and neighbouring Nuceria, leaving many dead. It prompted Emperor Nero to ban the gladiatorial games for ten years. After the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD, the entire amphitheatre and also the city were buried under ash. This made it one of the best-preserved amphitheatres from ancient Rome The Pompeii amphitheatre was not built on the ground with arch structures and concrete like most amphitheatres, but a pit was dug, in which the arena was placed. The cleared ground was placed around it as an earthen wall, surrounded by a retaining wall, on which stone seats were built. The poorer spectators had to go up the outside via steps built against the retaining wall, and then up a diversion at the top of the wall along steps to their (now vanished) wooden seats. There were separate entrances for the richer spectators, through which they were led to their front seats via corridors,