Amphitheater of Capua: The First Roman Amphitheater

Of all the amphitheaters built by the Romans, the Colosseum or Flavian Amphitheater in Rome is the largest of all in dimensions, followed by the amphitheater of Capua, Pozzuoli, and El Djem (already in Tunisia, which is also the largest of Africa). However, it is not the oldest, since that honor belongs to the amphitheater of Capua. Not only that, experts believe that it could even serve as a model for the Colosseum, as it shares many structural characteristics with it, and the rest of the amphitheaters. It should be clarified that we are referring to amphitheaters built in stone, since previously they were built of wood. Photo: Nicola D'Orta/Wikimedia The amphitheater is located in the ancient city of Capua, Italy, which was not where the current modern city of the same name is located, but in the neighboring municipality of Santa Maria Capua Vetere, and which became the second largest and most prosperous city in the Italian peninsula after Rome. Curiously, the town was called Santa Maria la Mayor until 1861, when the archaeological excavations that brought to light the old Capua caused the name change. The amphitheater has an elliptical plan and measures 170 meters in its major axis, by 139 meters in the minor. The facade reached a height of 46 meters, divided into four levels, the lower one in the Doric order and the others in the Tuscan order. The lower three were made up of 80 travertine arches, decorated with the bust of a god in the keystone (the central stone of the arch). Seven of these busts are preserved incorporated into the Municipal Palace. The upper level was formed by a wall decorated with pilasters between which there were windows that illuminated a corridor destined to keep the wake, used to protect the spectators from the sun and bad weather (and which was managed by sailors from the fleet). The arcades on the first floor gave way to a double open portico, supported by pillars and covered with vaults.