Cirencester Amphitheatre

Situated outside the Roman town of Corinium (Modern Cirencester) lie the remains of one of the largest amphitheatres known from Roman Britain. The amphitheatre was constructed in the first half of the 2nd century AD on the site of an existing Roman quarry. The cavea or seating bank was probably retained using timber and dry-stone wall. In the Later 2nd AD century the arena was then enclosed by a high stone wall, plastered and painted to look like marble. The seating banks, originally 10 metres high, had tiered wooden seats laid on low dry-stone walls, with an area behind for standing spectators. An estimated 8,000 or more people could be accommodated at any one time; probably the entire population of Corinium and more.