Deva Victrix - Amphitheatre

Amphitheatre

The amphitheatre was discovered in 1929, and protected by Chester Archaeological Society – with support from then Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald – from the construction of a road over the site. Excavations have revealed traces of late Iron Age cultivation, and they show that Deva's amphitheatre had two phases of construction. The first amphitheatre was constructed from timber soon after the building of the fortress and measured 75 metres (246 ft) along the major axis and 67 metres (220 ft) along the minor axis. There are several factors indicating that the timber phase may have only intended to be temporary; there is no evidence of repairs to the structure, the building was not substantially built, with 0.6 metres (2.0 ft) deep foundations, and that it was smaller than the later stone phase. It was replaced in the Flavian period by another made from stone, measuring 95.7 metres (314 ft) along its major axis and 87.2 metres (286 ft) along its minor axis. Although the amphitheatre grew, it was only the seating that was extended, not the arena itself. The latest excavations indicate that it was a two-tiered structure, capable of accommodating between 8,000 and 10,000 spectators. Its size has been used as an indicator of Deva's large civilian population, and of the presence of wealthy citizens. The second phase of building produced the largest known military amphitheatre in Britain. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

The amphitheatre served a variety of purposes. Owing to its proximity to the fortress, it would have been used as a venue for weapons training as well as hosting spectacular entertainments involving acrobats, wrestlers, and professional gladiators. The walls of the amphitheatre were 0.9 metres (3.0 ft) thick and may have stood as high as 12 metres (39 ft). The buttresses were too insubstantial to be structural, so must have been decorative.

Part of a slate frieze depicting a retiarius, or net-fighter, was discovered in 1738, most likely dating to the 2nd century; it was probably used to decorate the tomb of a gladiator. Other finds included a small bronze statuette of a gladiator, parts of a Roman bowl depicting scenes from a gladiatorial contest, and part of a gladius sword handle. Much of the masonry from the amphitheatre was reused in the construction of the St John's Church and the monastery of St Mary.