Amphitheater in Pula

The amphitheater is situated 200 meters northeast of the city walls of Pula, aligned with the Roman land division grid. It is believed that construction began during the reign of Emperor Augustus (27 BC – 14 AD) and was financed from the central state treasury of the Roman Empire. The two central axes of the outer wall measure 132.5 meters and 105.1 meters, with a maximum height of 32.45 meters. Built in the Tuscan style, the amphitheater covers an area of 11,466 m².

It is estimated to have accommodated approximately 23,000 spectators. Positioned on a hillside, on the western side facing the sea, the Pula amphitheater has four tiers: a raised foundation with entrances and three floors, while the eastern part, on naturally elevated terrain, features a much smaller masonry structure with only the top two floors rising above ground. The main axis of the outer wall features arches 4 meters wide, larger than the others, highlighting the main entrances (portae pompae). The southern entrance was the most significant, facing the city.

On this side was also the main entrance to the arena. The second tier of the seating was constructed around the entire amphitheater in 72 semicircular arcades. The third tier consisted of an oval ring gallery covered with a sloped roof made of ceramic tiles and supported by wooden beams. Unlike the lower tiers, the gallery was open to the outside through 64 square windows. The cornice at the top of the second tier supported posts for wooden masts that overlooked the amphitheater. To mitigate the risk of erosion and landslides due to rain, a system of channels for rainwater collection and drainage was built. The arena measures 67.9 meters along the longer axis and 41.6 meters along the shorter.

The oval shape of the arena was ideal for processions, formations, battle strategy development, advances, and retreats of armed groups. Beneath the arena is an auxiliary underground room, mostly carved from solid rock and partially built up to the necessary height. It served to house cages for wild animals and various technical devices for game preparation.

In case of bad weather, the seating area was covered with fabric using a system of rollers and ropes. Wooden masts supporting the fabric passed through designated openings in the stone eaves. At the other end, above the edges of the arena, was a metal hoop supported by vertical masts. Ropes stretched between the outer masts and the inner metal hoop held the fabric.

The amphitheater in Pula is unique in that its outer wall incorporates four rectangular towers. These towers housed auxiliary wooden staircases for reaching the top and water cisterns and also reinforced the stability of the outer wall and strengthened the structure. The towers were covered with a sloped roof made of ceramic tiles supported by wooden beams. At the top of each tower were two separate water cisterns filled with rainwater.

The amphitheater hosted gladiatorial games and animal hunts. Admission to the performances was free, but the seating arrangement strictly adhered to social hierarchy based on wealth and status. The arena was also used for public trials and the punishment ad bestias, where unarmed or lightly armed convicts were brought before wild beasts. Christian communities were subjected to various forms of cruel torture, leading to the development of a cult of martyr saints. The amphitheater in Pula is historically associated with the martyrdom of Saint Germanus, who became the patron saint of Pula.

After the ban on gladiatorial games in the early 5th century, the amphitheater fell into disrepair and was stripped of building stone, but it remained public property. For centuries, it captured the attention of travelers, artists, and architects.

Graphic representations of the amphitheater appeared in works on architecture by notable authors such as Sebastiano Serlio, Andrea Palladio, Antoine De Ville, and Thomas Allason. The amphitheater adorned graphic views of Pula, geographical maps, and numerous graphic collections of ancient monuments and landmarks, including works by Giovanni Battista Piranesi, Jacob Spon, George Wheler, Robert and James Adam, Charles Louis Clerisseau, Louis François Cassas, and August Tischbein. Archaeological research of the amphitheater began in the mid-18th century, and its conservation and restoration continue today.