Poitiers amphitheatre, Roman amphitheatre ruins in Poitiers, France
The Poitiers amphitheatre is a Roman ruin with an elliptical shape spanning 155 meters along its main axis and 130 meters along its secondary axis. The structure was built from carefully dressed stone blocks and could hold tens of thousands of spectators.
The structure was built during the first century AD as an entertainment center for the Roman settlement. It remained in use until late antiquity and was an important gathering point for city life at the time.
The amphitheatre was a gathering place where people from different social ranks came together to watch fights and games. Spectators sat in sections that reflected their position in society, revealing how the community was organized.
Today visitors can see the remaining vaulted structures of the first and second arcade levels along Rue Bourcani. Much of the original building lies beneath modern residences, so viewing is limited to the visible exterior sections.
The amphitheatre was one of the largest known structures of its kind in ancient Gaul. A system of radiating galleries allowed crowds to move efficiently to their assigned seating areas.
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