Built in the 1st century AD, the Flavian Amphitheater stands where the main roads of the region converged, the Via Domitiana and the road to Naples, replacing the ancient Roman Republican-era performance building which had become insufficient due to the enormous demographic growth of Puteoli. The amphitheater, in terms of capacity, was second in Italy only to the Colosseum and that of Capua. From a construction point of view, it is structured on three levels, corresponding to the ima, media, and summa cavea (tiers of seating), topped by an attic, following traditional architectural canons. A floor of travertine slabs, raised by one step from street level, formed the walking surface of an elliptical portico that surrounded the entire amphitheater. From this portico, originally divided by stone pillars adorned with semi-columns and, later reinforced by brick pillars, the true entrances to the building were accessed. From the same outer portico, twenty stair ramps also departed, allowing access to the highest section of the seating. Internal ring corridors also allowed the orderly flow of spectators to the cavea through the vomitoria (access passages opened along the seating). Similar corridors served the underground areas beneath the arena floor, interrupted at the center by the scenic pit and accessible from the outside through two monumental symmetrical entrances.
Information on Flavian Amphitheater and Serapis Temple
Via Serapide
800178 Pozzuoli (Naples)
0815266007
sar-cam.pozzuoli@beniculturali.it
https://archeona.beniculturali.it
Source: MIBACT
