The Roman Amphitheatre of Bleso - Tivoli

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Submitted by traduttore4 on Sat, 23/10/2010 - 17:45

Discovered in 1948, during the construction of a trunk road, the Roman Amphitheatre of Blesus in Tivoli has now been completely excavated and restored.

The theatre is mentioned in the Medieval registers of Subiaco and Farva, which speak of the fundum Amphiteatrum.

Two inscriptions provide proof of its existence: in one of them there is an indication of M. Tullius Blesus who around the middle of the 2nd C. A.D. seemed to have contributed to the inauguration of an amphitheatre with 200,000 sesterces and 200 work days; the second, dated the 24th of July 184 A.D., mentions a certain M. Lurius Lucretianus who appears to have financed a venatio (a fight between men and beasts to simulate a hunt) and a battle between 20 couples of gladiators.

Built on an elliptical plan, it has a central area measuring 61 x 41 metres, around which runs an ambulacro (corridor) that is 2.20 metres wide, covered with a barrel vaulted ceiling. The quoins that lean against the corridor supported the stands which broadened the plan to an overall size of 85x65 metres.

One can still today make out the construction of the stands that stood presumably as high as 12 metres. The walls of the amphitheatre which stood taller than 3 metres were knocked down in the middle of the 15th C. during the construction of the Rocca Pia, essentially for safety reasons, to avoid enemies hiding behind them.

Dove si trova

Indirizzo:

Via Aldo Moro, 00019 Tivoli RM

Distanza da Roma:

35 Km