Cirencester Amphitheatre facts for kids
The Cirencester Amphitheatre was a large Roman amphitheatre located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, England. Today, only its remains are visible, but they are protected as an important ancient monument. This means it's a special historical site that we need to look after.
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What is the Cirencester Amphitheatre?
An amphitheatre was a huge, open-air building used by the Romans for public events. Think of it like a modern sports stadium, but built thousands of years ago! The Cirencester Amphitheatre was a place where people gathered to watch exciting shows.
How it Looked and What We Found
Archaeologists, who are like history detectives, have dug up the area. They found the outlines of the original building, which are still visible as big mounds of earth. These mounds, called earthworks, rise about 25 feet from the bottom of the main performance area, known as the arena. The arena itself is about 150 feet long and 135 feet wide.
During these digs, many Roman objects were found. These include old Roman coins and pieces of pottery. Experts believe the amphitheatre was built around the early 100s AD.
A Major Roman Landmark
In Roman Britain, Cirencester was called Corinium Dobunnorum. It was the second biggest town in Britain, right after Londinium (which is now London). Because Cirencester was so important, it also had the second largest amphitheatre in Britain. This shows just how significant the town was during Roman times!
The Cirencester Amphitheatre is a bit wider than the one in Silchester, another Roman town. But its sides are much higher, making it even more impressive.
Seating and Entrances
The earthworks show that there were once tiered wooden seats for about 8,000 people. These seats were placed on stone terraces. It's possible that an earlier version of the amphitheatre, built before the 100s AD, might have been made entirely of wood.
The amphitheatre had two main entrances. One was at the north-east end, and the other was at the south-west end.
Life at the Amphitheatre
The Cirencester Amphitheatre was a busy place. People would come to watch different kinds of shows and events.
A Place of Defense
Around the 400s AD, the Western Roman Empire was facing many attacks. Roman soldiers had to return to Rome to defend their homeland. This left towns like Cirencester vulnerable. To protect themselves from invading Saxons, the people of Cirencester fortified the amphitheatre. They built wooden structures inside the arena, using holes in the ground called postholes to hold them up. They even partly blocked the north-east entrance to make it harder for attackers to get in.
Unique Design
Unlike many other Roman amphitheatres, the Cirencester one is lined up perfectly with the streets of the town. This suggests it was a very important part of the town's original plan.
The 'Bull Ring'
For a long time, the amphitheatre was also known as the 'Bull Ring'. This is because a sport called bull-baiting used to take place there. This was a historical activity where bulls were challenged, and it was a popular form of entertainment in the past.
Looking to the Future
In 2012, the Cirencester Town Council announced plans to make the site better for visitors. They wanted to improve how people could get to the amphitheatre and add more signs to explain its history. Later, in 2014, there were even more plans for a visitor centre and a car park. These efforts help more people learn about this amazing piece of Roman history!
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