The Amphitheater of Caligula (Latin : ''Amphitheatrum Caligulae'') was a

Roman amphitheater Roman amphitheatres are theatres — large, circular or oval open-air venues with tiered seating — built by the ancient Romans. They were used for events such as gladiator combats, ''venationes'' (animal slayings) and executions. About 230 Roma ...

, built during the reign of the emperor

Caligula Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (31 August 12 – 24 January 41), also called Gaius and Caligula (), was Roman emperor from AD 37 until his assassination in 41. He was the son of the Roman general Germanicus and Augustus' granddaughter Ag ...

and demolished only a few years after its construction. It was sited on the

Campus Martius The Campus Martius (Latin for 'Field of Mars'; Italian: ''Campo Marzio'') was a publicly owned area of ancient Rome about in extent. In the Middle Ages, it was the most populous area of Rome. The IV rione of Rome, Campo Marzio, which covers ...

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

, probably near the Saepta Julia, since the inscription mentioning it was just to the north of the Saepta. Work was begun on the amphitheater between 37 and 41 by Caligula, who wished to give Rome a second stone amphitheater alongside that of Statilius Taurus. Still incomplete on his death, it was abandoned and demolished by

Claudius Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; ; 1 August 10 BC – 13 October AD 54), or Claudius, was a Roman emperor, ruling from AD 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, Claudius was born to Nero Claudius Drusus, Drusus and Ant ...

. Around 46, Claudius repaired the

Aqua Virgo The Aqua Virgo was one of the eleven Roman aqueducts that supplied the city of ancient Rome. It was completed in 19 BC by Marcus Agrippa, during the reign of the emperor Augustus and was built mainly to supply the contemporaneous Baths of Agr ...

, damaged by the construction of the amphitheater. His restoration was marked by an inscription on the Arch of Claudius, which formed part of the aqueduct and spanned the Via Lata; this includes the phrase " ��AQUAE VIRGINIS DISTVRBATOS PER C(AIVM) CAESAREM" (of the Aqua Virgo, damaged by C

ius ''Ius'' or ''Jus'' (Latin, plural ''iura'') in ancient Rome was a right to which a citizen (''civis'') was entitled by virtue of his citizenship (''civitas''). The ''iura'' were specified by laws, so ''ius'' sometimes meant law. As one went to ...

Caesar).CIL 6, 1252

References

{{coord, 41.8998, N, 12.4777, E, source:wikidata, display=title Buildings and structures completed in the 1st century

Caligula

See also

References