Anfiteatro Romano

In the Porta Perlici quarter of Assisi, curved streets and buildings trace the footprint of the Roman Amphitheatre. Built in the first half of the first century AD, the arena for gladiatorial contests and animal hunts survives in the elliptical shape of the medieval neighbourhood.

Why it matters

Assisi was a Roman municipium, and the amphitheatre shows how the ancient city remains part of the medieval one. The surviving walls of the cavea were reused as foundations for houses, so the monument became part of the urban fabric rather than standing apart from it. The oval of buildings around Piazza del Mercato still follows the plan of the arena.

What to notice

In the narrow streets of the quarter, segments of ancient masonry are bonded into medieval walls. The street Via dell'Anfiteatro Romano follows the curve of the site. A travertine arch, one of the most recognisable ancient remains, stands as a fragment of the seating structure. The centre of the ellipse, once the arena floor, is now a garden.

Context and history

The amphitheatre was built during a period when Roman Assisi was also developing temples, baths and a forum. Gladiatorial combat and staged animal hunts were among the entertainments held in such arenas. After antiquity, the building declined and its curved walls were reused as foundations for dwellings. The twelfth-century Porta Perlici gave the quarter its name. Today, the street plan preserves the arena's elliptical outline within the lived-in neighbourhood.