Amphitheatre

An amphitheatre is a large, open-air venue with a circular or elliptical arrangement of seating that surrounds a central arena, designed for public spectacles. The term comes from the Greek amphi- "on both sides" and theatron "viewing place," and it contrasts with Greek theatres, which are usually semicircular with the stage at one end.

Architecturally, amphitheatres are characterized by symmetrical, tiered seating encircling the arena. The seating area, or cavea, is typically divided into sections and rises in concentric levels. Entrances called vomitoria provide rapid crowd movement, while passageways and an underlying hypogeum allow access to animals, equipment, and performers. The arena floor was often sand-covered and could be prepared for different types of spectacles; a velarium could shade spectators.

Historically, the most famous amphitheatres were built in ancient Rome, flourishing from the late Republic into the Imperial era (roughly 1st century BCE to 2nd century CE). They hosted gladiatorial combats, venationes (animal hunts), and naumachiae (mock naval battles), among other entertainments. The Colosseum in Rome, officially the Flavian Amphitheatre, is the best-known example, but many others existed across the Roman world, such as the Amphitheatre of Pompeii, Arenes de Nimes in France, and the El Jem Amphitheatre in Tunisia.

In the modern era, some ancient amphitheatres remain intact and are used for concerts and festivals, while others survive as ruins. The term amphitheatre (British spelling) is often written amphitheater in American English.