Photos of the Beautiful Roman Nîmes Arena Amphitheatre

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Photos of the Beautiful Roman Nimes Arena Amphitheatre. One of the Best Preserved Roman Amphitheatres. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. (TIP – use the icons below the slideshow for thumbnail photos and info)

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Photos of the Beautiful Roman Nîmes Arena Amphitheatre

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Photos of the Roman Nîmes Arena Amphitheatre, Nîmes France.

the Design of Roman Nîmes Arena

The Nîmes Arena Amphitheatre was built around 70 AD shortly after the Colosseum of Rome. It is an oval amphitheatre measuring 133 m long and 101 m wide. Its two floors are supported by two rows of 60 arches on top of each other. It seated about 24,000 spectators on 34 rows of terraces.

As with all Roman amphitheatres each section of the Nîmes Arena was accessed by its own flight of stairs. This made access very easy and fast for spectators. The open design of the amphitheatre and pitch of the seating also ensured an uninterrupted view of the arena.

Underground rooms beneath the Area allowed easy access for animals and gladiators via stairs and lifts.

The audience was protected from animal attack by a high wall that encircled the arena.

Roman Nîmes Arena Under the Visigoths

As the Roman Empire declined from the 6th century AD, Visigoths started conquering Roman territory. When the Visigoths took Nimes they fortified the Amphitheatre and used it as a stronghold.

The early 8th century saw the collapse of the Visigoths as Muslims invaded present day Spain and south of France.

Roman Nîmes Arena Under the Franks

By the Mid 8th century the Franks took control of the south of France. in 1194, the Count of Toulouse authorised his vassals in Nîmes to build a new city wall. The amphitheatre became an important element in the town defence system. A real little neighbourhood grew up in the amphitheatre, with its own churches of St Peter and St Martin. Gradually, over the course of the 14th century, the amphitheatre lost its military value but remained a residential quarter.

Today the Nîmes Arena is an important venue.