Roman amphitheatre of Saintes

About

The amphitheatre of Saintes, locally called the arenas of Saintes, is a Roman amphitheatre located in Mediolanum Santonum (present-day city of Saintes), capital of the Civitas Santonum (the city of Santons, Roman administrative subdivision) and the province of Gaul Aquitaine. Its construction may begin under the reign of Emperor Augustus (27 B.C.-14 A.D.) and end under Claude's (41-54 A.D.), making it probably one of the first buildings of this type built in Gaul. The installation of this amphitheater measuring 126.40 × 101.60 m derives maximum benefit from the natural site, a narrow valley against which it is supported, thus limiting to the maximum the importance of masonries to be implemented.

After its abandonment, probably in the first half of the fourth century, its arena is gradually filled, its masonries are recovered but it remains still visible in the urban landscape. Its remains, well preserved, are classified as historical monuments by the list of 1840 but they periodically require restoration work because they naturally tend to deteriorate.