Anfiteatro
di Lucera (Amphitheatre of Lucera)
The Augustan Amphitheatre of Lucera is the
biggest Roman amphitheatre in Southern Italy.The
monument, which lies in a wide natural depression
in the ground in the east side of the city,
was built by order of the military tribune
Marco Vecilio Campo in honour of Emperor
Octavian when the Roman Senate conferred
on him the title of "Augustus"
(27 B.C.).
The Amphitheatre is ellyptic; gymnastic
displays, fights among gladiators, fights
among wild animals and performances of naval
battles took place there.But because of
the spread of Christianity and the consequent
prohibition of performing such bloody performances,
the Amphitheatre decayed; its ruins were
exploited as building material, above all
for the construction of the Swabian Castle.Today
the Amphitheatre is the result of restoration
works which started in 1932 and ended in
1945: thanks to them two imponent marble
portals, allowing the entrance to the ellyptic
cavea, were built again. |
