The Amphitheatre of Statilius Taurus () was a

Roman amphitheatre 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 List of R ...

in ancient Rome. The amphitheatre was inaugurated in 29 BC. Earlier arenas were temporary structures that were disassembled after the event. The amphitheatre was built by Titus Statilius Taurus, who paid for it from his own resources. Statilius Taurus was a successful general and politician in the time of

emperor The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...

Augustus Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in A ...

and had gathered much wealth during his career. For the inauguration he also paid for the gladiatorial games. The amphitheatre was built 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 ...

in Rome in a period when many new temples and theatres were being built. The exact location is lost, but it was probably built in the southern area of the Campus Martius. Within a 50-year span, this area saw the construction of the Theater of Pompey, the Theater of Marcellus, and the Theater of Balbus, along with the Amphitheatre of Statilius Taurus. It was not a large amphitheatre. Dissatisfaction over the Amphitheatre of Statilius Taurus led

Nero Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68) was a Roman emperor and the final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 until his ...

, in 57 AD, to build a new wooden amphitheatre, the Amphitheatrum Neronis. During the

Great Fire of Rome The Great Fire of Rome () began on 19 July 64 AD. The fire started in the merchant shops around Rome's chariot stadium, Circus Maximus. After six days, the fire was brought under control, but before the damage could be assessed, the fire reignit ...

in 64 AD, which left Rome in ashes, both amphitheatres were completely destroyed. In 72 AD,

Vespasian Vespasian (; ; 17 November AD 9 – 23 June 79) was Roman emperor from 69 to 79. The last emperor to reign in the Year of the Four Emperors, he founded the Flavian dynasty, which ruled the Empire for 27 years. His fiscal reforms and consolida ...

built a new, much larger stone amphitheatre in Rome. This was the ''Amphitheatrum Flavium'', today known as the

Colosseum The Colosseum ( ; , ultimately from Ancient Greek word "kolossos" meaning a large statue or giant) is an Ellipse, elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, just east of the Roman Forum. It is the largest ancient amphi ...

References

External links

"Amphitheatra," in ''A Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome'' by S. B. Platner and T. Ashby, 1929
* ttp://www.maquettes-historiques.net/P22g.html Amphitheatre C. Statilius Taurus {{Authority control 29 BC Buildings and structures completed in the 1st century BC Statilius Taurus

See also

References

External links