Amphitheater of Capua - The First Roman Amphitheater

Amphitheater of Capua - The First Roman Amphitheater

The Colosseum or Flavian Amphitheater in Rome holds the distinction of being the largest amphitheater constructed by the Romans in terms of size. However, it is not the oldest one, as that honor goes to the amphitheater of Capua, situated in the ancient city of Capua, Italy.

Featuring an elliptical plan, the Capuan amphitheater measures 170 meters in its major axis and 139 meters in the minor axis. Its facade stands at a height of 46 meters, divided into four levels, with the lower level in the Doric order and the other three in the Tuscan order.

Lentulus Batiatus, a lanista, owned the first and most renowned school of gladiators in the Roman world, which was established at the Capuan amphitheater. The school mostly housed Gallic and Thracian gladiators.

While the exact construction date of the Capuan amphitheater is unknown, historical sources mention it when referring to Spartacus, the famous gladiator who led a revolt from the Capuan amphitheater in 73 BC. Although there is no concrete evidence to support this claim, it is highly probable that Spartacus fought in the arena of the Capuan amphitheater.

Nonetheless, some historians suggest that the current structure was constructed towards the end of the 1st century BC on top of the ruins of a previous amphitheater. If this theory is accurate, then the oldest Roman amphitheater would be the one in Pompeii, built in 70 BC.