Cirencester Amphitheatre

{{Short description|Roman amphitheatre in Gloucestershire, England}}

{{Use British English|date=April 2021}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}

File:Site of Roman Amphitheatre, Cirencester - geograph.org.uk - 3169512.jpg

Cirencester Amphitheatre was a Roman amphitheatre in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, England.{{citation|title=English Heritage|author=Lord Montagu of Beaulieu|page=31|publisher=English Heritage / Macdonald Queen Anne Press|editor=P.H. Reed|year=1987|location=Hampstead Road, London|isbn=0-356-12773-7}} Its remains are scheduled as an ancient monument.{{NHLE|desc=Long Barrow and Roman Amphitheatre and cemetery|num=1003320|accessdate=27 August 2016}}

Archaeological digs have uncovered the earthworks, revealing the outline of the construction, which is still visible, with the banking reaching 25 feet from the bottom of the arena. The arena itself is approximately {{convert|150|ft}} by {{convert|135|ft}}.{{citation

|title=Britain in the Roman Empire, Volume 1968, Part 2

|author=Joan Liversidge

|publisher =Routledge & K. Paul

|year=1968

|page=377

}} Roman artefacts including coins and pottery have been discovered on the site. It is estimated that it was constructed towards the beginning of the 2nd century.

File:A thermogram of Cirencester Roman amphitheatre in darkness.jpg

In Roman Britain, Cirencester was known as Corinium Dobunnorum, and was the second biggest town in Britannia, after Londinium (London). This amphitheatre is also the second largest, which indicates the significance of the location in Roman times. Although only slightly larger in diameter than the amphitheatre in Silchester, it has much higher sides.{{citation

|title=The Silchester amphitheatre: excavations of 1979-85

|author=Michael Gordon Fulford

|publisher=Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies, 1989

|isbn=978-0-907764-12-0}}

The earthworks show evidence of tiered wooden seats for around 8000 people,{{cite web|title=Cirencester Amphitheatre History|url=http://www.historvius.com/cirencester-amphitheatre-269/|publisher=Histovirus|accessdate=27 August 2016}} placed upon terraces made of stone, although a timber-only structure may have existed before the 2nd century.{{cite web|title=Amphitheatre|url=https://coriniummuseum.org/amphitheatre/|publisher=Corinium Museum|accessdate=27 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160828123445/https://coriniummuseum.org/amphitheatre/|archive-date=28 August 2016|url-status=dead}} There are two entrances, at the north-east and south-west ends of the stadium.

During the 5th century, when the Western Roman Empire was under attack and soldiers returned to Rome to defend it, the amphitheatre was fortified to defend against the invading Saxons.{{Cite web

| title = Cirencester Amphitheatre | publisher= English Heritage

| accessdate = 27 August 2016

| url = http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/cirencester-amphitheatre/

}} Wooden structures were erected within the arena, placed in postholes, and the north-east entrance was partly blocked.{{citation

|title=Roman Britain to Saxon England: an archaeological study

|author=C. J. Arnold

|publisher =Routledge

|year=1984

|isbn=978-0-7099-0513-4

|page=37}}{{PastScape|mname=Cirencester Roman Amphitheatre|mnumber=1089343|accessdate=27 August 2016}}

Unlike other amphitheatres, it is aligned in parallel to the streets of the town.{{citation

|title=The Silchester amphitheatre: excavations of 1979-85

|author=Michael Gordon Fulford

|publisher =Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies

|year=1989

|isbn=978-0-907764-12-0

}}

It has also been referred to as the 'Bull Ring', because the sport of bull-baiting used to take place there.{{citation

|title=History of Cirencester and the Roman city Corinium

|publisher =G. H. Harmer

|year=1886

|page=261}}

In 2012, plans were announced by the Cirencester Town Council to improve access and signage at the site.{{cite news|title=Cirencester Roman amphitheatre plans unveiled|work=BBC News |date=25 April 2012 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-17839762|accessdate=27 August 2016}} Further plans for a visitor centre and car park followed in 2014.{{cite news|title=Venue plan for Cirencester's Roman amphitheatre|work=BBC News |date=24 June 2014 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-27992905|accessdate=27 August 2016}}