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 Republican Roman-era entertainment building that had become insufficient due to the enormous population growth of Puteoli. The amphitheater, in terms of capacity, was second in Italy only to the Colosseum and that of Capua. From a construction standpoint, it is structured on three levels, corresponding to the ima, media, and summa cavea (tiers of seating), topped by an attic, according to traditional architectural canons. A floor of travertine slabs, raised a step above 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, one accessed the actual entrances to the building. From the same outer portico, twenty stair ramps also allowed access to the highest section of the stands. Internal annular corridors also permitted the orderly flow of spectators to the cavea through the vomitoria (access gates opened along the seating). Similar corridors also served the underground areas beneath the arena floor, interrupted at the center by the scene pit and accessible from the outside through two symmetrical monumental entrances.
Information about Flavian Amphitheater and Temple of Serapis
Via Serapide
800178 Pozzuoli (Naples)
0815266007
sar-cam.pozzuoli@beniculturali.it
https://archeona.beniculturali.it
Source: MIBACT
